G#FA#D#GC Guitar Tuner
G#FA#D#GC | A♭FB♭E♭GC Silent Planet When The End Began - Guitar tuning, chords & scales
A Sonic Deep Dive: Silent Planet's "When The End Began" Tuning
This tuning, as famously employed by Silent Planet on their album "When The End Began," is a masterclass in modern heavy guitar sonics. It's a severely downtuned configuration designed to deliver immense low-end power, dissonant textures, and intricate melodic possibilities, characteristic of the band's progressive metalcore sound. Unlike traditional tunings, this setup prioritizes specific intervallic relationships crucial for their unique songwriting, rather than forming a conventional open chord.
Technical Breakdown:
- Extreme Low End: The tuning's foundation is built on an exceptionally low G#2 (Ab2) on the 6th string, providing a dark, rumbling core for heavy riffs. The subsequent strings are also significantly lowered, creating a consistently deep tonal palette.
- Dissonant Harmony: The open string notes are G#2 (Ab2) - F2 - A#3 (Bb3) - D#4 (Eb4) - G3 - C4. This arrangement features a unique and notably dissonant minor third interval between the 6th (G#2) and 5th (F2) strings. This creates a thick, often muddy or abrasive low-end when strummed together, a hallmark of modern heavy genres aiming for sonic impact over traditional consonance.
- Dynamic Range: While built for aggression, the higher strings (A#3, D#4, G3, C4) offer a canvas for complex melodic lines and atmospheric arpeggios that can juxtapose beautifully with the crushing low end. The relationship between the open G3 (2nd string) and C4 (1st string) forms a perfect 4th, which can be a stable point for melodic development or open voicings.
- Implications for Playability: Due to the drastic pitch drops across all strings, particularly the 6th string down by 8 semitones, this tuning strongly recommends the use of heavier gauge strings. This will help maintain optimal string tension, intonation, and clarity, preventing unwanted buzzing and improving overall playability for such low frequencies.
Open Chords and Reachable Voicings:
This tuning is not designed for traditional open major or minor chords. Instead, it lends itself to:
- Heavy Power Chords: Standard power chord shapes (root and fifth) are easily achieved by simply barring two strings or using common two-finger shapes, providing a powerful, dense sound especially on the lowest strings.
- Single-Finger Barres: Due to the specific open intervals, a single finger barred across multiple strings (especially strings 1-4) can create unique, dissonant, or atmospheric clusters vital for the band's soundscapes.
- Riff-Oriented Play: The open strings are often used as drone notes or pedal tones around which intricate, percussive riffs are constructed, utilizing the guitar's lowest register to maximum effect. The dissonance between the 6th and 5th strings when played together is a key textural element rather than a "mistake."
In essence, this is a purpose-built tuning for a very specific, modern sound, offering guitarists a powerful tool for extreme heaviness and intricate, often dissonant, musical expression.
Detailed String Analysis & How to Tune
Below is a detailed breakdown of each string's target note and the precise movements required to achieve the "Silent Planet When The End Began" tuning from standard E-Standard.
String Notes:
- String 6 (Low E): The lowest string is tuned to G2# (Ab2). This serves as the deep foundation for the tuning, providing immense low-end.
- String 5 (A): This string is set to F2. This creates a very low, thick sound in conjunction with the 6th string, characteristic of the tuning's heavy nature.
- String 4 (D): Tuned to A3# (Bb3). This note provides a unique melodic and harmonic color within the tuning's overall darkness.
- String 3 (G): This string reaches D4# (Eb4). It contributes to the higher register's harmonic complexity.
- String 2 (B): Tuned to G3. This note adds to the mid-range body and offers melodic potential.
- String 1 (High E): The highest string is set to C4. This provides the brightest notes for leads, arpeggios, or higher voicings within the extreme low tuning.
How to Tune (from E Standard):
Please note that due to the significant drop in pitch, especially on the 6th string, a heavier gauge string set is highly recommended to maintain adequate string tension and intonation. Tuning more than 4 semitones up or down often benefits from a different string gauge.
- String 6 (Low E): Tune down 8 semitones to G2# (Ab2).
- String 5 (A): Tune down 4 semitones to F2.
- String 4 (D): Tune down 4 semitones to A3# (Bb3).
- String 3 (G): Tune down 4 semitones to D4# (Eb4).
- String 2 (B): Tune down 4 semitones to G3.
- String 1 (High E): Tune down 4 semitones to C4.
Always tune carefully and check your intonation after such significant changes to ensure optimal playability.
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Capos for G#FA#D#GC
| Capo | Tuning | Name |
|---|---|---|
| -1 | GEADF#B | Eminor11 |
| 0 | G#FA#D#GC | Silent Planet When The End Began |
| 1 | AF#BEG#C# | "Mountain" Tuning |
| 2 | A#GCFAD | A#GCFAD |
| 3 | BG#C#F#A#D# | E Flat Drop A |
| 4 | CADGBE | Major Sixth |
| 5 | C#A#D#G#CF | Nicaragua |
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Tuning Map
- Fret
- S6
- S5
- S4
- S3
- S2
- S1
- -13
- D#
- G#
- C#
- F#
- A#
- D#
- -12
- E
- A
- D
- G
- B
- E
- -11
- F
- A#
- D#
- G#
- C
- F
- -10
- F#
- B
- E
- A
- C#
- F#
- -9
- G
- C
- F
- A#
- D
- G
- -8
- G#
- C#
- F#
- B
- D#
- G#
- -7
- A
- D
- G
- C
- E
- A
- -6
- A#
- D#
- G#
- C#
- F
- A#
- -5
- B
- E
- A
- D
- F#
- B
- -4
- C
- F
- A#
- D#
- G
- C
- -3
- C#
- F#
- B
- E
- G#
- C#
- -2
- D
- G
- C
- F
- A
- D
- -1
- D#
- G#
- C#
- F#
- A#
- D#
- 0
- E
- A
- D
- G
- B
- E
- 1
- F
- A#
- D#
- G#
- C
- F
- 2
- F#
- B
- E
- A
- C#
- F#
- 3
- G
- C
- F
- A#
- D
- G
- 4
- G#
- C#
- F#
- B
- D#
- G#
- 5
- A
- D
- G
- C
- E
- A
- 6
- A#
- D#
- G#
- C#
- F
- A#
- 7
- B
- E
- A
- D
- F#
- B
- -8
- -4
- -4
- -4
- -4
- -4
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