Nashville tuning
A guitar stringing method using only the high-octave strings from a twelve-string set on a six-string guitar.
In Depth
Nashville tuning replaces the four lowest strings of a standard six-string guitar with their octave counterparts from a twelve-string set. The result is a guitar that sounds an octave higher on the low strings while the top two strings remain normal. This creates a bright, chiming quality that adds sparkle to recordings without the fullness of a twelve-string. Session guitarists in Nashville developed this technique to layer behind a standard guitar part, creating the lush acoustic sound heard on countless country and pop recordings.
The shimmering guitar sound on Kansas' Dust in the Wind and the Rolling Stones' Wild Horses was achieved using Nashville tuning, though most listeners assume it is a twelve-string guitar.