This unique Anne's Song tuning for the Guitar, famously used by Will Ackerman, offers a rich and open sound world, especially suited for fingerstyle playing. It moves beyond standard tunings to create a distinctive harmonic landscape.

Technical Analysis

The tuning consists of the notes G2-B2-D3-E3-B3-D4, from the lowest (6th) string to the highest (1st) string. At its core, this tuning presents a strong G major framework. The open strings immediately form a G major 6th chord (G-B-D-E), providing an incredibly resonant and harmonically rich foundation. The intervals are: Root (G), Major 3rd (B), Perfect 5th (D), Major 6th (E), Octave Major 3rd (B), and Octave Perfect 5th (D).

The presence of doubled B and D notes (B2, B3 and D3, D4 respectively) across different octaves contributes to a full, harmonically dense sound with natural sustain. The inclusion of the E (Major 6th) on the 3rd string adds a melancholic yet beautiful color, distinguishing it from a simple Open G tuning and enhancing its suitability for emotive fingerstyle compositions.

Open Chords and Possibilities

• Open Gmaj6: Strumming all open strings directly yields a beautiful G major 6th chord (G-B-D-E-B-D). This is the fundamental, open sound of the tuning.
• Barre Chords: Due to the consistent Gmaj6 structure of the open strings, simply barring across any fret will produce a corresponding major 6th chord (e.g., barring at the 1st fret gives an Abmaj6, 2nd fret an Amaj6, etc.). This makes shifting chords with the same quality extremely intuitive and fluid.
• Em7 Voicings: By emphasizing the E (3rd string), G (6th string), B (5th/2nd string), and D (4th/1st string), various voicings of an Em7 chord can be easily explored, especially if the G is treated as a root or pedal tone, adding a touch of minor harmony.
• Fingerstyle Excellence: The open and resonant nature, combined with the carefully selected intervals, makes this an ideal tuning for intricate fingerstyle arrangements, allowing for sustained notes, lush harmonies, and complex melodic lines without overly challenging fretting hand positions.

How to Tune for Anne's Song

To achieve the Anne's Song tuning, follow these specific adjustments from standard E Standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-e):

• 6th String (Low E to G2): Tune up 3 semitones to G2. Generally, tuning up strings 3 or 4 semitones requires care to avoid breakage or excessive tension.
• 5th String (A to B2): Tune up 2 semitones to B2.
• 4th String (D to D3): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• 3rd String (G to E3): Tune down 3 semitones to E3.
• 2nd String (B to B3): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• 1st String (High E to D4): Tune down 2 semitones to D4.