Welcome to the intriguing "Gag, dad!" tuning, a unique and custom creation described simply as "Made it up." This tuning offers a distinct sonic palette, deviating significantly from standard guitar tuning.

Verbal Analysis

The "Gag, dad!" tuning presents a rich, resonant soundscape, dominated by open G and A notes. Strumming all open strings (G-A-G-D-A-D) reveals a complex, yet harmonically pleasing, chord. It's essentially an Open G chord (G-D-G on strings 6, 3, and 1) with an added A major sound (A-D-A on strings 5, 2, and 1) woven throughout. This creates a G major sound with a strong suspended 2nd (A) or an added 9th, often giving it a droning, almost modal quality, especially with the prominent low G and A notes.

The repeating G, A, and D notes across different octaves make it highly resonant. This tuning lends itself well to slide guitar, fingerstyle pieces that exploit open drones, or rhythmic strumming where the open strings can ring out. Chords like open G major, Gsus2, or A minor/sus2 might feel naturally accessible across various fret positions, building upon the strong foundational G and A harmonics. The intervals between strings are quite varied, encouraging creative exploration rather than relying on standard chord shapes.

Technical Analysis

This tuning is a substantial departure from the standard EADGBe. The notes from thickest (6th) to thinnest (1st) string are: G2, A2, G2, D3, A3, D4.

Let's examine the intervals between adjacent open strings:

• 6th (G2) to 5th (A2): Major 2nd (2 semitones)
• 5th (A2) to 4th (G2): Major 7th (10 semitones up, or a minor 2nd down)
• 4th (G2) to 3rd (D3): Perfect 5th (7 semitones)
• 3rd (D3) to 2nd (A3): Perfect 5th (7 semitones)
• 2nd (A3) to 1st (D4): Perfect 4th (5 semitones)

How to Tune to "Gag, dad!"

To achieve the "Gag, dad!" tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these string adjustments:

• 6th String (Low E): Tune up 3 semitones from E2 to G2. (Care should be taken when tuning up, especially with lighter gauge strings.)
• 5th String (A): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). It remains A2.
• 4th String (D): Tune down 7 semitones from D3 to G2. (Caution: This is a significant drop. For optimal tone and tension, consider using a heavier gauge string for the 4th string.)
• 3rd String (G): Tune down 5 semitones from G3 to D3. (Caution: This is a significant drop. For optimal tone and tension, consider using a heavier gauge string for the 3rd string.)
• 2nd String (B): Tune down 2 semitones from B3 to A3.
• 1st String (High E): Tune down 2 semitones from E4 to D4.

The notes for the "Gag, dad!" tuning, from thickest to thinnest string, are:

6th String: G2
5th String: A2
4th String: G2
3rd String: D3
2nd String: A3
1st String: D4