Verbal and Technical Analysis

This is the "Swervedriver" Tuning for Guitar, notably used by the band Swervedriver on their albums "Mezcal Head" and "99th Dream". It's an intriguing tuning that deviates significantly from standard EADGBe, creating a unique sonic landscape for an electric or acoustic guitar. The open string notes are G2-C3-D3-G3-C4-D4, arranged from the lowest to highest string.

Technically, this tuning is built upon the notes G, C, and D. The open strings form an open G suspended 4th (Gsus4) chord across multiple octaves, with the root G, perfect 4th C, and perfect 5th D prominently featured. The absence of a major or minor third (B or Bb) gives the tuning a naturally open, spacious, and somewhat ambiguous character, perfect for atmospheric textures and sustained drones. The repetition of the C and D notes across different octaves provides a rich, full resonance that is characteristic of open tunings. The intervals from the lowest G are a perfect fourth (C), a perfect fifth (D), an octave (G), a perfect eleventh (C), and a perfect twelfth (D), creating a powerful harmonic foundation without dictating a specific major or minor tonality.

Open Chords & Reachable Harmonies

The most immediate open chord available is a vibrant Gsus4 (G-C-D-G-C-D). This allows for immediate melodic and harmonic exploration within a suspended tonality, lending itself well to arpeggiated figures and modal compositions. Despite its suspended nature, the tuning makes standard G major and G minor chords quite accessible with minor adjustments:

• To achieve a G Major chord (G-B-D), you would simply need to fret the 5th string (C3) and the 2nd string (C4) down one semitone to B. This creates a G-B-D-G-B-D voicing with minimal effort.
• Similarly, for a G Minor chord (G-Bb-D), fretting the 5th string (C3) and 2nd string (C4) down two semitones to Bb makes it readily available.

This flexibility, combined with the resonant open Gsus4, provides a versatile platform for both strong, droning power chords and more nuanced melodic work, making it suitable for a wide range of sonic exploration beyond its initial suspended character.

How to Tune Your Guitar to Swervedriver Tuning

Starting from standard EADGBe tuning, follow these precise adjustments:

• 6th String (Low E): Tune up 3 semitones to G2.
• 5th String (A): Tune up 3 semitones to C3.
• 4th String (D): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) at D3.
• 3rd String (G): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) at G3.
• 2nd String (B): Tune up 1 semitone to C4.
• 1st String (High E): Tune down 2 semitones to D4.

Important Note on String Gauge: All string movements in this tuning are within 4 semitones up or down. While these adjustments are generally safe for standard gauge strings, always exercise caution when tuning, especially when tuning strings up. For more extreme tunings (exceeding 4 semitones up or down), a different string gauge might be advised to maintain optimal tension and prevent string breakage, but this is not strictly necessary for "Swervedriver" Tuning.

6th String (Lowest): Tuned to G2.

5th String: Tuned to C3.

4th String: Tuned to D3.

3rd String: Tuned to G3.

2nd String: Tuned to C4.

1st String (Highest): Tuned to D4.