The Open D#m7+b13 tuning is a unique and expressive guitar setup designed to open up new sonic possibilities. As its name suggests, this tuning immediately presents a D# minor 7 chord with a flat 13th when all strings are strummed open. This provides a rich, melancholic, and somewhat exotic harmonic foundation, perfect for exploring genres like jazz, blues, contemporary folk, or even progressive rock.

Verbal Analysis

This tuning is excellent for players looking to break free from standard chord shapes. The JSON's description notes that it "Enables to play interesting chords with minimal fingering," which is a significant advantage. The open chord itself is complex and rich, meaning you can achieve sophisticated harmonies with just a single strum. It encourages a more droning, atmospheric style of play, where single-finger fretting can yield full, resonant chords. The lowered bass strings contribute to a deeper, fuller sound, while the higher strings maintain clarity and tension, offering a beautiful contrast, making it inspiring for improvisation and songwriting.

Technical Analysis

The open notes for this tuning are, from low E to high E: D#3, F#3, B2, F#4, A#4, C#5. When strummed open, these notes collectively form a D# minor 7 (♭13) chord. Let's break down its components relative to D# as the root:

• String 6 (D#3): Root
• String 5 (F#3): Minor 3rd
• String 4 (B2): Flat 13th (or flat 6th)
• String 3 (F#4): Octave Minor 3rd
• String 2 (A#4): Perfect 5th
• String 1 (C#5): Minor 7th

This intricate voicing means that simply barring across any fret will produce various inversions or related chords of the D#m7(b13) family, creating a sense of harmonic consistency and ease of exploration across the fretboard. For example, barring at the 1st fret would yield an Em7(b13) chord. This allows for fluid movement between complex chords with minimal effort. The presence of the B2 on the 4th string adds a rich, dark color to the chord, making it particularly resonant and full.

How to Tune Your Guitar

To achieve the Open D#m7+b13 tuning, you will need to adjust your guitar strings from standard E Standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-e) as follows. Please exercise caution when tuning, especially with significant semitone changes. If a string needs to be tuned down by more than 4 semitones or up by more than 4 semitones, it is generally advisable to consider using a different gauge string to avoid undue stress on your instrument or string breakage.

• Low E String (6th String): From E, Tune down 1 semitones to D#3.
• A String (5th String): From A, Tune down 3 semitones to F#3.
• D String (4th String): From D, Tune down 3 semitones to B2.
• G String (3rd String): From G, Tune down 1 semitones to F#4.
• B String (2nd String): From B, Tune down 1 semitones to A#4.
• High E String (1st String): From E, Tune down 3 semitones to C#5.