Bb-G-D-G-G-D
• OVERVIEW •
Just one I came across on the GTDB website, submitted as ‘Fuji’ by an anonymous user via an undated post. Tried it, loved it, included it here…
In the words of its unknown creator: “Here’s one I made up…I like to lumber away on the first two strings, and use the last 3 as pedal tones”. It’s wide, loose in places, and surprisingly versatile – you can use both ‘sides’ (6-5 & 2-1str) as droning pairs, and focus melodies on the louder, tenser middle (4-3str: the mountain’s summit?)
Pattern: 9>7>5>0>7
Harmony: Gmin | b3-1-5-1-1-5
• TUNE UP •
[YT]
• SOUNDS •
Fuji’s mysterious creator has “used it on quite a few riffs/songs”, but left no listening links that I can find. Send me yours and I’ll feature the best!
- Send in your Fuji explorations (…what comes to mind?)
• NUMBERS •
| 6str | 5str | 4str | 3str | 2str | 1str | |
| Note | Bb | G | D | G | G | D |
| Alteration | -6 | -2 | 0 | 0 | -4 | -2 |
| Tension (%) | -50 | -21 | 0 | 0 | -37 | -21 |
| Freq. (Hz) | 58 | 98 | 147 | 196 | 196 | 294 |
| Pattern (>) | 9 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 7 | – |
| Semitones | 0 | 9 | 16 | 21 | 21 | 28 |
| Intervals | b3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
- See my Tunings Megatable for further such nerdery: more numbers, intervallic relations, comparative methods, etc. And to any genuine vibratory scientists reading: please critique my DIY analysis!
• RELATED •
—Associated tunings: proximities of shape, concept, context, etc…
- C Mauna Loa: also mountainous in name and structure
- Rakotomavo: starting from the low Bb but rising flatter
- Equilibrium: similarly inverted onto its low minor third
• MORE INFO •
—Further learnings: sources, readings, lessons, other onward links…
- Fuji the tuning: see the original listing on GTDB – which, as far as I can tell, has no accompanying name or user account attached to it. If anyone out there can prove its yours!
- Fuji the volcano: read more in a National Geographic feature (“Shinto shrines dot the base and ascent…honor[ing] kami, the supernatural deities of the Shinto faith. The kami of Mount Fuji is Princess Konohanasakuya, whose symbol is the cherry blossom…”) – and another viewpoint in the NY Times (“the vexing challenge of protecting Japan’s most recognizable natural landmark grows more intense…”)
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• RĀGA JUNGLISM •
rāga: ‘that which colours the mind’
George Howlett is a London-based musician, writer, and teacher. I play guitar, tabla, and santoor, loosely focusing on jazz, rhythm, and other global improvised traditions. Above all I seek to enthuse fellow sonic searchers, interconnecting fresh vibrations with the human voices, cultures, and passions behind them. Site above, follow below, & hit me up for…
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Dedicated to Nigel Tufnel – a true tuning connoisseur
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