“Hey world – check in with Bernie he knows sh!t that most musicians have no clue about! Worth a look!” –Alex Watson, Watson Guitars
Click here to get tuned up!!
All fretboard maps, chords and scales now available on GTDB.org
Referred to as,
“Musical Logic in Balance” ChatGPT
“They seem happier this way” Thomas Scribner Esq
“Simply Obvious” Dr Jim Avidham
“It’s like spending your life learning on a 61 key piano and all of a sudden someone shows you an 88 key piano…” Malcolm Johnson Esq
“So… you (musicians) study the ‘circle of 5ths,’ the overtone series and classic instruments are tuned in 5ths. …Then you take a guitar and tune it in 4ths!!?” Luke Ericsson
“Remember when we all had VGA TVs!? AND NOW WE ALL OWN FLAT SCREENS!!!” Marc Cimeno
If you’ve ever seen a lefthanded guitar player play without reversing the strings, then you’ve already seen these reversed guitar shapes… only now the intervals have been flipped!!
Mirror Tuning® is a tuning for six string guitar invented by Bernard Birgenheier, aka “Senchant™”
Mirror Tuning®
Redesigning the Guitar for the Modern Era: Why Mirror Tuning® Outperforms Traditional Systems
After more than 30 years of teaching and curriculum development, one truth has become obvious:
Most guitarists struggle not because of lack of talent, but because the instrument’s traditional tuning system is fundamentally inefficient.
Standard and drop tunings are built on asymmetry, historical compromises, and interval inconsistencies that slow learning, create ergonomic issues, and make the fretboard harder to decode than it needs to be.
Mirror Tuning® was developed to solve these problems.
It’s a fully symmetrical, modern tuning framework that offers:
Logical interval structure — One pattern works everywhere, reducing cognitive load and accelerating skill acquisition.
Improved ergonomics — More neutral hand positions and reduced strain, especially valuable for adult learners and extended-range players.
High compatibility with modern harmony — Jazz, cinematic, R&B, and contemporary chordal vocabularies become easier to execute and understand.
Seamless scalability — Works cleanly on 6, 7, 8, and 9+ string guitars without introducing new complexities.
Significant instructional efficiency — Students reach musical competency faster because the system eliminates the inconsistencies that traditionally slow progress.
Mirror Tuning® isn’t a novelty—it’s a redesign of the guitar’s operating system based on logic, symmetry, and modern musical demands.
For educators, composers, and serious players, it represents a meaningful advancement in how we approach the instrument.
If you’re interested in curriculum integration, training, or research applications, I’m always open to a conversation.
Mirror Tuning® — A forward-thinking approach to modern guitar education.
“𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟓”
Mirror Tuning® aka New Conventional Tuning™
.008 .014 .026 .040 .062 .080
Here is how it works:
Traditional Guitar Tuning = 4th 4th 4th 3rd 4th
E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4
Senchant’s Mirror Tuning® = 5th +5th(b6) 5th 5th 5th
All 8 steel string variations are achieved with one custom set of strings!!! .008-.080
B1 F#2 D3 A3 E4 B4 (nylon string guitars & mini electrics)
Bb1 F2 Db3 Ab3 Eb4 Bb4 (nylon string guitars & mini electrics)
A1 E2 C3 G3 D4 A4 (nylon string guitars)
G#1 D#2 B2 F#3 C#4 G#4 (steel string 24.75″)
G1 D2 Bb2 F3 C4 G4 (steel string 25.5″)
F#1 C#2 A2 E3 B3 F#4 (Baritone 26.5″)
F1 C2 Ab2 Eb3 Bb3 F4 (Baritone 27″)
E1 B1 G2 D3 A3 E4 (Baritone 28″)
Please contact us for a set of custom strings and how to easily gain one more octave in one position on any guitar!!!
***Further observation:
- Mirror Tuning® is far more resonant than traditional tuning. The open strings and open harmonics create a far better sounding chord than the muddy traditional open string chord and its’ harmonics.
- Mirror Tuning® is more closely related to the overtone series. Traditional tuning is not.
- Chord voicings in Mirror Tuning® sound “bigger” with less notes because of the larger intervals that can easily be played… described as “more piano-like” or the notes “jumping off the fret board!”
- Little to nothing is lost when converting from a traditional 6 string tuning, but far more musical possibilities are gained by using Mirror Tuning®. Minor adjustments to the nut/saddles and proper string gauge is all that is needed!
- Students and players adapt to this new Mirror Tuning® system quickly because they are not learning a new tuning system, only reversing already learned shapes and patterns. Any guitar player who doubles on mandolin or violin already do this “reversed thinking” by playing on a 5th tuned instrument. It’s like a giant mandolin with two bass strings added!
- Chord shapes are more comfortable as they fall more ergonomically in players hands. Major or minor chords can also be played with one finger!!
Click here to download a FREE copy of Mirror Tuning® – The New Conventional Tuning 1st Edition booklet!!
Not ready to do a full conversion!? Try this neat hybrid idea combining MT A1 with standard tuning!! It’s called, “Half n Half.” Instead of a drop A 7 string A1 E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4… I took out the filler and created this condensed version: A1 E2 C3 G3 B3 E4!! Fretboard maps, chords and scales available here: https://gtdb.org/aecgbe
