This unique tuning, aptly named "Blackberry Song" and directly inspired by a tab of Kurt Vile's track, transforms your standard guitar into an evocative soundscape. It leans into an open G variant, but with a distinctive twist that offers a rich, droning quality perfect for indie, folk, or experimental rock. It's a tuning that encourages exploration of finger-picking patterns and open string ringing, lending itself well to atmospheric and expansive sonic textures.

Verbal Analysis

The most striking feature of the "Blackberry Song" tuning is the powerful low-end provided by the two G2 notes on the 6th and 5th strings. This creates a resonant, almost unison drone that anchors the entire sound, providing immense depth and sustain. The F3 on the 4th string immediately introduces a bluesy or dominant 7th character when played against the root G. The open strings G G F G B E don't form a straightforward major or minor chord, but rather a sophisticated G dominant 7th with an added 13th (E), or G13 without the 5th (D). This gives it a melancholic yet intriguing flavor, avoiding typical open chord clichés and offering a fresh harmonic palette.

Technical Analysis

Starting from standard E-A-D-G-B-e, the "Blackberry Song" tuning results in the following open notes: G2 G2 F3 G3 B3 E4. Let's break down the intervals relative to the lowest root G:

• 6th String (G2): Root (G)
• 5th String (G2): Unison/Octave Root (G)
• 4th String (F3): Minor 7th (♭7)
• 3rd String (G3): Octave Root (G)
• 2nd String (B3): Major 3rd (3)
• 1st String (E4): Major 6th (6 or 13)

The open strings technically create a G7(add13) chord (G, B, F, E), a rich and complex sound with dominant tension softened by the major 6th. The low unison Gs provide incredible depth and resonance. This tuning notably omits the perfect 5th (D) in its open voicing, which can lead to interesting harmonic possibilities and encourage players to imply or shift chord qualities with slight fingerings. The presence of the G, B, and F strongly points to a G dominant tonality, while the E adds a bright, jazzy extension.

Chords and Playability

With the open G7(add13) as your starting point, this tuning is ripe for:

• Drones and Riffs: The powerful low G-G unison provides an excellent foundation for sustained notes, rhythmic strumming, and creating a driving, hypnotic feel.
• Barre Chords: Simple single-finger barres across all six strings at any fret will instantly yield a new dominant 7th(add13) chord. For example, a barre at the 5th fret would give you a C7(add13) (C C B♭ C E G), offering easy transposition up and down the neck.
• Modal Playing: The unique intervals lend themselves naturally to modal exploration, particularly G Mixolydian or related scales, where the ♭7 (F) and 6th (E) are characteristic and easily accessible.
• Fingerstyle: The open string resonance and G-based intervals make it ideal for intricate fingerstyle patterns that can build rich, layered harmonies and arpeggios.

How to Tune

To achieve the "Blackberry Song" tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these precise movements for each string:

• String 6 (Low E): Tune up 3 semitones from E2 to G2.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 2 semitones from A2 to G2.
• String 4 (D): Tune up 3 semitones from D3 to F3.
• String 3 (G): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). It remains G3.
• String 2 (B): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). It remains B3.
• String 1 (High E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). It remains E4.

Important Tuning Note: Always tune carefully and gradually. The adjustments for String 6 (up 3 semitones) and String 4 (up 3 semitones) are significant but generally acceptable for most standard gauge guitar strings. No string in this tuning exceeds the recommended threshold of more than 4 semitones up or down. For frequent use of tunings requiring larger movements, a different string gauge might be considered, but it is not necessary for this particular setup.

String 6 (Low E): G2

String 5 (A): G2

String 4 (D): F3

String 3 (G): G3

String 2 (B): B3

String 1 (High E): E4