Townsend mainly use Open C tuning for both six and seven string guitar . He now also use Open B tuning and Open B flat tuning ( Open C tuning tuned a half and a whole step down respectively ) on his six string guitars . Townsend 's technique vary from fingerpicking , power chords and polychords to sweep @-@ picked arpeggios and tapping techniques . He is also known for his heavy use of reverb and delay effects . He have expressed that he have no taste for shred guitar , saying that " Musically it doesn 't do anything for me " and that he only solo when he think that he can within the context of the song .