Tuning Overview: Tritones + maj2nd clusters

The 'Tritones + maj2nd clusters' tuning is an experimental and highly dissonant setup for a 7-string guitar, designed to explore unique harmonic textures rather than traditional chord voicings. As its name suggests, the core of this tuning is built around the intervallic tension of tritones, particularly in the lower four strings, combined with tight major second clusters on the higher strings.

Technical Analysis:

• Instrument Type: Guitar (7-string)
• Lower Strings (7, 6, 5, 4): These strings feature a repeating pattern of G and C# notes across different octaves: G1 (String 7), C#3 (String 6), G2 (String 5), C#4 (String 4). This creates a striking series of stacked tritones (the augmented fourth or diminished fifth interval), specifically G-C# and C#-G. This foundation is inherently dissonant and ambiguous, avoiding clear major or minor tonality and lending itself to open, spacious, and sometimes unsettling sonic landscapes.
• Upper Strings (3, 2, 1): The higher strings (D#4, B3, C#5) form what the tuning creator describes as an "R27R type chord up top." When arranged by pitch (B3, D#4, C#5), these notes form a cluster. This cluster, with the B as a potential root, suggests a Bsus2 chord with a prominent D# (B, C#, D#). The B to D# is a Major 3rd, and the B to C# (across an octave) is a Major 2nd. This combination of notes creates a bright, yet still somewhat tense, cluster, offering a contrasting harmonic element to the tritones below.

Sonic Character & Chordal Possibilities:

This tuning is far from conventional and will not yield standard open chords like major or minor triads. Instead, it invites exploration of:

• Dissonant & Atonal Textures: The abundance of tritones and close clusters makes it ideal for ambient, avant-garde, metal, or experimental music. Open string strumming will produce a dense, complex, and often piercing sound.
• Drone & Pedal Tones: The repeated G and C# on the lower strings can serve as powerful drone notes, allowing for melodic or rhythmic figures to be played over them.
• Unique Arpeggios & Voicings: Players will discover entirely new arpeggio patterns and chord voicings by fretting across these intervals. Suspended chords, augmented chords, and highly extended harmonies will be naturally accessible.
• Accessible Shapes: While traditional chords are difficult, the consistent interval patterns between certain string pairs (e.g., tritones on S7-S6 and S5-S4) mean that certain shapes can be moved around the fretboard to create parallel dissonances or harmonies. The major second relationship between D#4 and B3 (across an octave) on the higher strings also presents distinct fingerings. Players might find interesting voicings by focusing on the B, D#, C# cluster, treating it as a rootless Bsus2, or building from the D# as a tonic for more exotic minor/major sounds.

Overall, 'Tritones + maj2nd clusters' is a tuning for the adventurous guitarist seeking to break free from traditional harmony and explore a vast, dissonant sonic palette.

Open String Notes:

These are the notes for each string when played open:

• String 7: G1 (Low G)
• String 6: C#3 (C sharp three)
• String 5: G2 (G two)
• String 4: C#4 (C sharp four)
• String 3: D#4 (D sharp four)
• String 2: B3 (B three)
• String 1: C#5 (C sharp five)

How to Tune:

Achieve the 'Tritones + maj2nd clusters' tuning by adjusting each string as follows. Please exercise caution, especially with larger pitch changes, as they can affect string tension and guitar setup.

• String 7 (Low String): Tune to G1. This string must be tuned down 4 semitones. Caution: Tuning down 4 semitones is a significant change; consider using a heavier gauge string for optimal tension and tone.
• String 6: Tune to C#3. This string must be tuned down 3 semitones. Caution: Tuning down 3 semitones is a notable change; ensure your guitar's neck relief is stable.
• String 5: Tune to G2. This string must be tuned down 2 semitones.
• String 4: Tune to C#4. This string must be tuned down 1 semitone.
• String 3: Tune to D#4. This string must be tuned down 4 semitones. Caution: Tuning down 4 semitones is a significant change; consider using a heavier gauge string for optimal tension and tone.
• String 2: Tune to B3. Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 1 (High String): Tune to C#5. This string must be tuned down 3 semitones. Caution: Tuning down 3 semitones is a notable change; ensure your guitar's neck relief is stable.