EABEAD Guitar Tuner

EABEAD EABead (E7sus4) - Guitar tuning, chords & scales

Description - EABead (E7sus4)

This is one of the many tunings from the Oud, which could be useful if you have a fretless. From the site OUD CAFE.

This unique guitar tuning, aptly named EABead (E7sus4), offers a captivating sonic landscape rooted in the rich traditions of the Oud. As described in its origin from OUD CAFE, this tuning provides a distinct Middle Eastern flavour that can be particularly inspiring for players exploring fretless techniques or seeking an alternative voice for their instrument.

Verbal Analysis:

The most striking feature of EABead is its open chord: playing all six strings simultaneously produces a beautiful and resonant E7sus4 (E-A-B-D) chord. This immediate harmonic richness provides a fantastic springboard for improvisation, drone-based music, or simply creating an evocative atmosphere. The tuning feels very open and spacious, with a strong sense of a dominant chord waiting to resolve, or perhaps to simply float in its suspended state. It encourages a melodic approach, with the consistent intervals on the higher strings making scale patterns feel intuitive across different positions. Given its Oud heritage, it lends itself exceptionally well to microtonal inflections, expressive slides, and a more vocal, sustained playing style.

Technical Analysis:

Compared to standard EADGBe tuning, EABead (E2-A2-B2-E3-A3-D4) presents a significant re-voicing. The intervals between strings are:

Low E (E2) to A (A2): Perfect 4th (+5 semitones)
A (A2) to B (B2): Major 2nd (+2 semitones)
B (B2) to E (E3): Perfect 4th (+5 semitones)
E (E3) to A (A3): Perfect 4th (+5 semitones)
A (A3) to D (D4): Perfect 4th (+5 semitones)

The prevalence of perfect fourth intervals (four out of five string pairs) creates a highly consistent and logically structured fretboard, particularly across the upper four strings (B-E-A-D). This consistency allows for easy transposition of shapes and encourages efficient exploration of melodic and harmonic ideas. The unique Major 2nd interval between the 5th (A) and 4th (B) strings adds a distinctive character, breaking up the otherwise fourths-based pattern and contributing to the open E7sus4 chord. Open chords that are readily available or easily shaped include the E7sus4 itself, and with minimal fingering, various suspended chords, minor chords, and even other dominant 7th voicings can be explored by leveraging the open string resonances. The compact interval between the 5th and 4th strings (A to B) also allows for interesting close voicings.

Here are the notes for each string in EABead (E7sus4) tuning, from the lowest (thickest) to the highest (thinnest) string:

String 6 (Low E): E2
String 5 (A): A2
String 4 (B): B2
String 3 (E): E3
String 2 (A): A3
String 1 (High D): D4

How to Tune:

To achieve the EABead (E7sus4) tuning from standard EADGBe tuning, follow these precise string adjustments:

String 6 (Low E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The string remains at E2.
String 5 (A): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The string remains at A2.
String 4 (D): Tune down 3 semitones. This means lowering the string from standard D3 to B2. This is a moderate adjustment and should be safe for standard string gauges.
String 3 (G): Tune down 3 semitones. This means lowering the string from standard G3 to E3. This is a moderate adjustment and should be safe for standard string gauges.
String 2 (B): Tune down 2 semitones. This means lowering the string from standard B3 to A3. This is a minor adjustment and should be safe for standard string gauges.
String 1 (High E): Tune down 2 semitones. This means lowering the string from standard E4 to D4. This is a minor adjustment and should be safe for standard string gauges.

Note on String Gauge: All tuning adjustments for this specific tuning fall within a safe range of 4 semitones up or down. Therefore, your current string gauge should be suitable for achieving EABead (E7sus4) tuning without requiring a different gauge.