Verbal Analysis

The EADADE tuning offers a vibrant and resonant open E7sus4 chord when strummed openly, immediately evoking a sonic landscape popular in blues, folk, and roots music. Its inherent richness and sustained quality make it an excellent choice for creating drone-like textures, expressive slide guitar, and songs that benefit from a full, ringing chordal base. This tuning encourages a simplified approach to fretting, often allowing for complex harmonic ideas with minimal effort, making it both inspiring for improvisation and conducive to unique song structures. It creates a feeling of openness and a slightly modal, yet familiar, sound.

Technical Analysis

This tuning is derived from standard EADGBe by maintaining the lowest three strings (E2, A2, D3) and the highest string (E4) at their standard pitches. The significant modifications occur on the middle strings: the G3 string is raised two semitones to A3, and the B3 string is raised three semitones to D4. The resulting open string notes are E2-A2-D3-A3-D4-E4. When all strings are strummed open, they collectively form an E7sus4 chord (Root E, Perfect 4th A, minor 7th D). This harmonic structure is highly versatile, enabling easy transposition of this chord type by simply barring across all strings at any fret. For example, a single-finger barre at the 1st fret yields an F7sus4, and at the 2nd fret, an F#7sus4. The repetition of A and D notes in the middle of the tuning (D3-A3-D4) also creates interesting internal harmonies and allows for easy melodic embellishments around these drone tones, providing a strong tonal center for improvisation and melodic exploration.

Open String Notes

• String 6 (Low E): E2
• String 5 (A): A2
• String 4 (D): D3
• String 3 (A): A3
• String 2 (D): D4
• String 1 (High E): E4

How to Tune from Standard EADGBe

To achieve the EADADE tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these steps:

• String 6 (Low E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 5 (A): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 4 (D): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 3 (G to A): Tune up 2 semitones.
• String 2 (B to D): Tune up 3 semitones.
• String 1 (High E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).

Tuning Considerations

All string adjustments for this tuning are within a safe range (maximum of 3 semitones up). Therefore, a change in string gauge is generally not necessary, and you can proceed with tuning your current set of strings without significant risk.