This unique tuning, known as "Joni Mitchell Tuning", was famously employed by the legendary singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell in her song 'Furry Sings The Blues'. It transforms the guitar's sonic landscape, moving away from standard conventions to unlock rich, open voicings and a distinctive harmonic palette.

Technical Analysis

Compared to standard E-A-D-G-B-E tuning, this setup involves significant alterations:

• String 6 (Low E): Tuned down a whole step to D2.
• String 5 (A): Remains at A2, standard.
• String 4 (D): Tuned up a whole step to E3.
• String 3 (G): Remains at G3, standard.
• String 2 (B): Tuned up a half step to C4.
• String 1 (High E): Remains at E4, standard.

The open notes are D2-A2-E3-G3-C4-E4. This creates a complex intervallic structure. The lowest three strings (D-A-E) form a D5 power chord. The top three strings (G-C-E) beautifully spell out a C major triad in second inversion. When played open, the full six strings produce a rich, somewhat suspended sound containing the notes D, A, E, G, C. This combination suggests a tonality that leans towards C Major (G-C-E) or D Minor/Mixolydian (D-A-C-E with G as an 11th), offering a versatile foundation for blues, folk, and jazz-influenced compositions. The open E's on the 4th and 1st strings provide a strong, resonant core.

Open Chord Possibilities & Reachable Chords

While not a simple open major or minor chord, the open tuning offers unique harmonic clusters:

• Upper Strings (G-C-E): An open C major triad is immediately available, making C major family chords very accessible and resonant.
• Lower Strings (D-A-E): A strong D power chord is present. Combining this with the upper strings can lead to Dsus4, D7sus4, or even Dm11-like voicings depending on the context and melody.
• A Minor: The notes A-C-E are all present in the tuning, facilitating various A minor voicings and scales.
• Suspended & Modal Chords: The presence of the 4th (G) and b7th (C, if D is root) creates a natural inclination towards suspended chords and modal harmony, typical of Joni Mitchell's style. Experimenting with simple one or two-finger frettings can reveal complex, beautiful chords that would be difficult or impossible in standard tuning.

How to Tune

To achieve this tuning from standard E-A-D-G-B-E, follow these steps. Please note that string adjustments of up to 4 semitones are generally safe; anything beyond that may require a different string gauge for optimal tension and playability, though this tuning remains within safe limits for standard light/medium gauge strings.

• String 6 (Low E): Tune down 2 semitones to D2.
• String 5 (A): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to A2.
• String 4 (D): Tune up 2 semitones to E3.
• String 3 (G): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to G3.
• String 2 (B): Tune up 1 semitone to C4.
• String 1 (High E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to E4.