The Open B minor 7th Tuning transforms your guitar into a resonant soundscape, ideal for creating rich, melancholic, and bluesy textures. This tuning lays out the notes of a B minor 7th chord (B, D, F#, A) across the open strings, making it incredibly intuitive for songwriting and improvisation in the key of B minor.

Technical Analysis

This specific tuning for a standard 6-string guitar sets the open strings to: B1, F#3, B2, D3, A3, D4 (from low E to high E string). The pitches directly correspond to the root (B), minor third (D), fifth (F#), and minor seventh (A) of a B minor 7th chord. The presence of octaves for B (B1 and B2) and D (D3 and D4) adds a beautiful depth and thickness to the open chord voicing.

The wide range, spanning from a very low B1 on the 6th string to a D4 on the 1st string, provides a powerful and full sound. The intervals from the lowest B1 are: a perfect octave (B2), minor third (D3), minor seventh (A3), and two octaves up for the minor third (D4). The F#3 on the 5th string provides the perfect fifth, an interesting harmonic leap from the low B1.

Chords & Musicality

With the open strings forming a B minor 7th chord, this tuning is a fantastic starting point for blues, folk, rock, and even jazz-influenced compositions. Strumming all open strings immediately gives you a complete Bm7 chord, which lends itself exceptionally well to slide guitar techniques or creating instant harmonic foundations. Moving a single barre shape up and down the fretboard allows for easy transposition to other minor 7th chords. For instance, fretting all strings at the 3rd fret would yield a D minor 7th chord. Playing major chords might require some re-thinking of fingerings, as the minor third and seventh are inherent to the open voicing. However, this constraint can lead to unique voicings and creative approaches. The accessibility of the root and fifth on adjacent strings (e.g., B1 and F#3) makes power chords or droning bass lines very effective. The tuning's inherent melancholic quality is inspiring for expressive lead lines that can weave in and out of the open Bm7 harmony.

How to Tune

To achieve the Open B minor 7th Tuning from standard EADGBe (E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4), follow these string adjustments:

• String 6 (Low E to B1): Tune down 5 semitones. This is a significant drop from E2 to B1. Caution: Tuning down 5 semitones is a substantial change. For optimal tension and tone, especially if this tuning is used frequently, a heavier gauge string might be advisable.
• String 5 (A to F#2): Tune down 3 semitones. This moves the standard A2 string to F#2. Note: While the instruction is to tune down 3 semitones (resulting in F#2 from standard A2), the target note for this string in the tuning description is F#3. Please verify your intended target pitch for String 5 (F#3 as specified in the target notes, or F#2 as per the semitone movement from A2), and adjust accordingly if F#3 is desired as the tuning movement provided will result in F#2.
• String 4 (D to B2): Tune down 3 semitones. This moves the standard D3 string to B2.
• String 3 (G to D3): Tune down 5 semitones. This moves the standard G3 string to D3. Caution: Tuning down 5 semitones is a substantial change. For optimal tension and tone, a heavier gauge string might be advisable.
• String 2 (B to A3): Tune down 2 semitones. This moves the standard B3 string to A3.
• String 1 (High E to D4): Tune down 2 semitones. This moves the standard E4 string to D4.

Always tune carefully, especially when making large pitch changes. Use a reliable tuner and check intonation after tuning to ensure stability and accurate pitch.

The Open B minor 7th Tuning results in the following open string notes:

• String 6: B1 (Lowest string)
• String 5: F#3
• String 4: B2
• String 3: D3
• String 2: A3
• String 1: D4 (Highest string)