Edward's Em11 Tuning is a distinctive setup for the guitar, specifically crafted for fingerstyle and folk playing, aligning with the creator's intent to use it for these styles. This tuning, with its rich, open voicings, allows for a unique harmonic landscape, often favoring expressive melodic lines and resonant chordal work.

Verbal Analysis

At its core, this tuning provides an open E minor 11th chord (E-A-D-E-B-D), offering a deep, melancholic, and somewhat introspective sound right from the open strings. The presence of two E notes (low E and middle E) and two D notes (D string and high D) creates powerful octaves and resonant drones, giving compositions a full, sustained quality. This makes it incredibly versatile for fingerstyle where individual notes can ring out and blend beautifully. The specific alteration of the G string down to an E and the high E string down to a D means that traditional chord shapes will need to be rethought, but new, often simpler, and more open voicings emerge. You'll find that arpeggios over the open strings are particularly lush, and folk melodies can sit wonderfully within this harmonic framework. Chords like open E minor, D major/minor, and A minor are likely to be within easy reach or can be formed with minimal fretting, utilizing the natural resonance of the open strings.

Technical Analysis

This is an altered tuning for a standard 6-string guitar. Compared to standard tuning (E2-A2-D3-G3-B3-E4), the adjustments are as follows:

• The 3rd string (G3) is lowered by 3 semitones to E3. This creates an octave with the low E string (E2) and a major 2nd above the D string (D3).
• The 1st string (E4) is lowered by 2 semitones to D4. This creates an octave with the 4th string (D3) and a minor 7th relationship with the low E string (E2).

The open strings are E2, A2, D3, E3, B3, D4. When played open, these notes collectively form an E minor 11th chord (E - A - D - B - E - D), specifically containing: Root (E), Perfect 4th/11th (A), Minor 7th (D), Octave (E), Perfect 5th (B), and another Minor 7th (D, an octave with the 4th string). This specific voicing provides a rich harmonic foundation, moving away from conventional major/minor structures to a more sophisticated, extended chord. The intervals between the strings are:

• String 6 (E2) to String 5 (A2): Perfect 4th
• String 5 (A2) to String 4 (D3): Perfect 4th
• String 4 (D3) to String 3 (E3): Major 2nd
• String 3 (E3) to String 2 (B3): Perfect 4th
• String 2 (B3) to String 1 (D4): Minor 3rd

This intervalic structure, particularly the two Perfect 4ths followed by a Major 2nd, then another Perfect 4th and a Minor 3rd, creates unique melodic and harmonic possibilities, making it an excellent choice for exploring new sonic textures in folk and fingerstyle genres.

Open String Notes

String 6 (Low E): E2
String 5 (A): A2
String 4 (D): D3
String 3 (G): E3
String 2 (B): B3
String 1 (High E): D4

How to Tune

To achieve Edward's Em11 Tuning from standard E-A-D-G-B-E, follow these steps. Please be mindful of string tension when making significant changes.

• 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): Tune down 3 semitones from G3 to E3. (Note: Tuning down 3 semitones is a moderate change and generally safe, but always tune slowly and carefully.)
• String 2 (B): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 2 semitones from E4 to D4. (Note: Tuning down 2 semitones is a minor change and generally safe.)

Remember to check your intonation after tuning, especially if you're making significant changes to string tension.