The "Bennett Bridge" tuning for Guitar presents a truly unique and adventurous sonic landscape, fitting its evocative description of "its hot as hell outside." This tuning breaks significantly from conventional patterns, offering a blend of wide intervallic leaps and unexpected inversions that suggest a powerful, perhaps even chaotic, yet ultimately expressive character.

Technical Analysis

• Root & Intervals: The open strings are tuned to G2 A2 D3 F4# C5# E4. This creates a highly unconventional set of relationships:
  • String 6 (G2) to String 5 (A2): Major 2nd (2 semitones).
  • String 5 (A2) to String 4 (D3): Perfect 4th (5 semitones).
  • String 4 (D3) to String 3 (F4#): A remarkable Major 10th (Octave + Major 3rd, 16 semitones). This is a very substantial leap in pitch.
  • String 3 (F4#) to String 2 (C5#): Perfect 4th (5 semitones).
  • String 2 (C5#) to String 1 (E4): A striking descent of a Major 6th (9 semitones down). The highest string is actually tuned lower than its adjacent string, creating an inverted melodic relationship.
• Overall Range: The tuning spans from a low G2 on the 6th string to a C5# on the 2nd string, covering over three octaves. The E4 on the 1st string then drops back down, creating a distinctive contour.
• Harmonic Character: The open notes G-A-D-F#-C#-E don't immediately resolve into a common triad or seventh chord. When ordered, G-A-C#-D-E-F#, these notes align closely with a G Lydian scale (G A B C# D E F#) with the 'B' missing, or perhaps a Dmaj7#11 (D F# A C# E G) if D were the bass. This suggests a bright, ethereal, and somewhat open-ended harmonic palette, rich in major 2nds, 4ths, and major 7ths, avoiding simple consonances.

Verbal Analysis & Musical Potential

The "Bennett Bridge" tuning is clearly designed for exploration beyond standard chord shapes. The huge leap between the 4th and 3rd strings (D3 to F4#) provides a dramatic textural shift, allowing for powerful arpeggios or distinct voicings across the instrument. The most striking feature, the E4 on the 1st string being lower in pitch than the C5# on the 2nd string, opens up possibilities for banjo-esque rolls, unexpected counter-melodies, or unique drone effects. This inverse relationship challenges conventional guitar playing and encourages innovative fingerings.

While traditional open chords may be difficult to form, the inherent intervals suggest a natural affinity for modal exploration, particularly within a Lydian or extended major context. Players might find compelling voicings by exploiting the Perfect 4ths between A2-D3 and F4#-C5#, combined with the prominent Major 7th (G-F#) and Major 2nd (G-A) relationships. This tuning would excel in genres requiring atmospheric textures, intricate fingerstyle arrangements, or experimental harmonic voicings where the unique string relationships can be fully exploited.

How to Tune

To achieve the "Bennett Bridge" tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these precise adjustments for each string:

• String 6 (Low E): Tune up 3 semitones to G2.
• String 5 (A): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). It remains A2.
• String 4 (D): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). It remains D3.
• String 3 (G): Tune down 1 semitone to F4#.
• String 2 (B): Tune up 2 semitones to C5#.
• String 1 (High E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). It remains E4.

All string adjustments from standard tuning are within a modest range (0 to 3 semitones), making this tuning generally safe for standard guitar strings without necessarily requiring a different gauge based purely on the tuning movements. However, the unique intervallic structure, particularly the significant jump in pitch on the 3rd string and the descending pitch on the 1st string compared to the 2nd, might feel unusual under the fingers and inspire experimentation with string types for optimal playability and tone.

String 6: G2

String 5: A2

String 4: D3

String 3: F4#

String 2: C5#

String 1: E4