Verbal Analysis: Sonic Youth's G6/9 'Teenage Riot' Tuning

The 'GABDEG' tuning, famously associated with Sonic Youth and their track 'Teenage Riot,' is an exploration into resonant, open harmonies. Despite the radical individual string adjustments, the open strings create a surprisingly beautiful and full G major 6/9 chord. This makes it an ideal tuning for rich, droning textures, shimmering arpeggios, and melodic lines that lean on the sympathetic resonance of the open strings. It embodies an experimental spirit, offering a broad canvas for creating expansive soundscapes and unique chord voicings that might otherwise be challenging in standard tuning. The deep G1 on the low string provides a powerful foundation, grounding the bright upper extensions of the G6/9.

This tuning invites players to rethink traditional chord shapes, encouraging a more intuitive, textural approach to the fretboard. It’s perfect for those seeking to break free from conventional guitar sounds and delve into the world of alternative and experimental music, where the interplay of open strings creates a sense of space and complexity.

Technical Analysis: G Major 6/9 Open Voicing

The 'GABDEG' tuning sets the open strings to the following notes, from lowest to highest:

• 6th String: G1 (a very low G, an octave and a third below standard E)
• 5th String: A2 (standard A)
• 4th String: B2 (a major third below standard D)
• 3rd String: D3 (a perfect fifth below standard G)
• 2nd String: E3 (a major third below standard B)
• 1st String: G3 (an octave and a third below standard high E)

When strummed open, these notes – G, A, B, D, E, G – combine to form a complete G major 6/9 chord (G-B-D-E-A). This is a highly consonant and harmonically rich voicing:

• G (Root) is present on the 6th and 1st strings.
• B (Major 3rd) is on the 4th string.
• D (Perfect 5th) is on the 3rd string.
• E (Major 6th) is on the 2nd string.
• A (Major 9th/2nd) is on the 5th string.

The intervals are wide, especially the low G1 to the A2, B2, D3, E3, and G3, which creates a full, almost piano-like spread. The immediate availability of a Gmaj6/9 chord means that simple barre chords up and down the neck will yield different inversions or related dominant and minor 7th chords depending on the specific fret, and exploring single-note melodies will often resonate harmonically with the open strings. The lower tension on most strings (due to significant detuning) may require a lighter touch or heavier gauge strings to maintain intonation and prevent buzzing, particularly for the most severely detuned strings.

How to Tune to GABDEG

To achieve the 'GABDEG' tuning, start from standard guitar tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E). Follow these specific adjustments for each string:

• 6th String (Low E): From E, tune down 9 semitones to G1. This is a substantial drop in pitch; a heavier gauge string is strongly advised for optimal tension, tone, and to prevent excessive looseness.
• 5th String (A): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) from A to A2.
• 4th String (D): From D, tune down 3 semitones to B2.
• 3rd String (G): From G, tune down 5 semitones to D3. This is a significant drop; a heavier gauge string is advised for improved playability and stability at this lower tension.
• 2nd String (B): From B, tune down 7 semitones to E3. This is a substantial drop in pitch; a heavier gauge string is strongly advised for optimal tension, tone, and to prevent excessive looseness.
• 1st String (High E): From E, tune down 9 semitones to G3. This is a substantial drop in pitch; a heavier gauge string is strongly advised for optimal tension, tone, and to prevent excessive looseness.

Important Note on String Gauge: When tuning strings up or down by more than 4 semitones (i.e., movements of 5 semitones or more in either direction), it is highly recommended to consider using a different string gauge. This helps maintain appropriate string tension, prevents potential damage to your guitar or strings, and ensures better playability and intonation.