This unique guitar tuning, aptly named Open C Major 7, transforms your instrument into a lush, resonant chord when played open. Descending from an Open D Major 7 tuning that has been dropped two whole steps, it creates a rich harmonic landscape ideal for a variety of musical styles.

Verbal Analysis

Imagine a guitar that rings out a complete C Major 7 chord with every open strum – that's the essence of this tuning. It offers a wonderfully full and bright sound, making it particularly inviting for strumming, fingerstyle, and slide guitar. The open C Major 7 provides a rich foundation, capable of evoking moods from introspective warmth to soaring grandeur. Its deep low C string combined with the high B creates a wide tonal range, allowing for expansive arrangements and a distinct voice.

Technical Analysis

This is a true Open Tuning, where the open strings spell out a C Major 7 chord: C-G-C-E-G-B. Specifically, from the lowest to highest string, the notes are C2, G2, C3, E3, G3, and B3. Analytically, the intervals from the root (C) are: Root (C), Perfect 5th (G), Octave (C), Major 3rd (E), Perfect 5th (G), and Major 7th (B). This precise arrangement means that barring all strings at any given fret will yield the corresponding Major 7th chord (e.g., barring at the 1st fret produces C# Major 7, 2nd fret for D Major 7, and so on). The presence of two C's and two G's provides natural resonance and harmonic depth. While centered around Cmaj7, experimenting with single-finger changes or partial barring can easily reveal related chords such as suspended chords or even dominant shapes with minor adjustments.

Chords Within Reach

• Open Chord: The most prominent is the C Major 7 (C-E-G-B) which rings out beautifully on all open strings.
• Barre Major 7 Chords: By barring all strings at any fret, you instantly get the corresponding Major 7th chord (e.g., Dmaj7 at the 2nd fret, Gmaj7 at the 7th fret).
• Power Chords: The low C-G and C-G on strings 6, 5 and 4, 2 make it very easy to achieve powerful root-fifth chords by simply muting other strings or using two fingers.
• Suspended Chords: By temporarily changing the E string (3rd) to an F (4th) or D (2nd), various suspended chords can be formed with relative ease, adding flavor to the open Cmaj7.
• Dominant 7ths: While not immediately open, flattening the high B string (7th) to a Bb could open up C7 possibilities, though this would involve finger work or a slight retuning.

The Open C Major 7 tuning consists of the following notes from the thickest (6th) to the thinnest (1st) string:

• 6th String (Low E): C2
• 5th String (A): G2
• 4th String (D): C3
• 3rd String (G): E3
• 2nd String (B): G3
• 1st String (High E): B3

How to Tune

To achieve the Open C Major 7 tuning from standard EADGBe tuning, follow these adjustments for each string. Please pay close attention to the number of semitones, as some significant drops are involved. For movements exceeding 4 semitones up or down, considering a different string gauge is advisable for optimal tension and longevity.

• 6th String (Low E): Tune down 4 semitones from its standard E2 to C2. (Note: This is a significant drop; a heavier gauge string is highly recommended.)
• 5th String (A): Tune down 2 semitones from its standard A2 to G2.
• 4th String (D): Tune down 2 semitones from its standard D3 to C3.
• 3rd String (G): Tune down 3 semitones from its standard G3 to E3.
• 2nd String (B): Tune down 4 semitones from its standard B3 to G3. (Note: This is a significant drop; a heavier gauge string is highly recommended.)
• 1st String (High E): Tune down 5 semitones from its standard E4 to B3. (Note: This is a very significant drop; a heavier gauge string is highly recommended.)