Tuning Overview:

This is an iconic and highly experimental guitar tuning, famously utilized by Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore in tracks like "I Love Her All The Time" and "Ghost Bitch" from their 1985 album, Bad Moon Rising. It's a hallmark of the band's avant-garde and noisy aesthetic, designed to create dense, resonant soundscapes rather than conventional melodic structures.

Technical Analysis:

The tuning is G2 G2 C3 C4 A4# A5#. This configuration immediately stands out due to its non-standard intervals and the strategic use of octaves and dissonances. The lowest two strings are tuned to the same note, G2, creating a powerful, thick drone. Following this, the next two strings are C3 and C4, forming a perfect octave, adding to the resonant quality. The highest two strings are then A4# and A5#, again an octave apart. The overall harmonic structure presents a cluster of G, C, and A# (Bb). This creates a unique tonal center that is neither major nor minor, but rather ambiguous and tense. The intervals include:

• Perfect unison between String 6 (G2) and String 5 (G2).
• Perfect fourth between G2 (String 5) and C3 (String 4).
• Perfect octave between C3 (String 4) and C4 (String 3).
• Augmented fourth (tritone) between C4 (String 3) and A4# (String 2), a hallmark interval for creating tension.
• Perfect octave between A4# (String 2) and A5# (String 1).

Open Chords & Possibilities:

This tuning is not intended for playing traditional major or minor chords. Instead, the open strings themselves form a dissonant, ringing chord or cluster (G-G-C-C-A#-A#) that functions as a drone. Players are encouraged to explore:

• Droning Textures: The open strings, particularly the doubled Gs, the C octaves, and the A# octaves, create a rich, layered drone that can be sustained and manipulated with feedback and effects.
• Power Chords: On the lower strings, simple two-finger shapes can yield powerful, gritty sounds. For example, fretting the 4th string at the 2nd fret (D) would create a G5-like sound with the open Gs.
• Dissonant Voicings: The inherent tension of the C-A# tritone can be exploited for sharp, angular chords. Moving shapes up and down the neck will reveal unique harmonic landscapes.
• Single Note Melodies/Riffs: Focus on single-string melodies or two-note intervals to emphasize the unique relationships between the tuned strings, especially on the higher A# octave.
• Slides and Harmonics: The resonant nature makes it ideal for experimental techniques like slides, glissandos, and natural/artificial harmonics to create ethereal or abrasive sounds.

Notes Description:

• String 6 (Low E): G2
• String 5 (A): G2
• String 4 (D): C3
• String 3 (G): C4
• String 2 (B): A4#
• String 1 (High E): A5#

How to Tune:

To achieve this unique tuning, start from standard EADGBe tuning and adjust each string as follows:

• String 6 (Low E): Tune up 3 semitones to G2.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 2 semitones to G2.
• String 4 (D): Tune down 2 semitones to C3.
• String 3 (G): Tune up 5 semitones to C4. Caution: Tuning up 5 semitones is a significant change; consider a lighter gauge string.
• String 2 (B): Tune down 1 semitone to A4#.
• String 1 (High E): Tune up 6 semitones to A5#. Caution: Tuning up 6 semitones is a significant change; consider a lighter gauge string.

Note on String Gauges: When tuning a string up or down by more than 4 semitones (e.g., String 3 and String 1 in this tuning), it is generally advisable to consider using a different gauge string to avoid excessive tension or looseness, which can affect playability and potentially damage the instrument.