EADGCEG Guitar Tuner

EADGCEG Standard Added G - Guitar tuning, chords & scales

Description - Standard Added G

Couldn't tune to A4, went with G4 instead

This 7-string guitar tuning, which we've named Open C6/9 (7-String), offers a remarkably lush and resonant sonic landscape, primarily centered around a C major tonality with extended harmony. Verbally, the tuning sounds bright, full, and very open, making it ideal for strumming, fingerstyle, or any genre where rich, harmonically complex open chords are desired. The top four strings readily form a C major chord, providing an immediate sense of warmth and familiarity. The addition of lower bass notes (E, A, D) expands the harmonic possibilities, allowing for deep, droning sounds and sophisticated chord voicings without needing to fret. It encourages creative exploration of arpeggios and melodic lines that sit beautifully over the inherent resonance of the open strings.

Technical Analysis

The tuning for this 7-string instrument is as follows:

String 7 (Lowest): E2
String 6: A2
String 5: D3
String 4: G3
String 3: C4
String 2: E4
String 1 (Highest): G4

Analysing the intervals from String 7 to String 1:

String 7 to 6 (E2 to A2): Perfect 4th
String 6 to 5 (A2 to D3): Perfect 4th
String 5 to 4 (D3 to G3): Perfect 4th
String 4 to 3 (G3 to C4): Perfect 4th
String 3 to 2 (C4 to E4): Major 3rd
String 2 to 1 (E4 to G4): Minor 3rd

Open String Chords and Harmonic Reach:

The arrangement of notes creates several compelling harmonic possibilities:

Top 3 strings (C4 E4 G4): Form a pure C Major triad, providing a strong, clear major chord.
Top 4 strings (G3 C4 E4 G4): This expands to a C Major chord in its 2nd inversion, with the G3 reinforcing the root and adding depth.
Top 5 strings (D3 G3 C4 E4 G4): The addition of D3 introduces a 9th (D relative to C), creating a Cmaj9 (missing 5th) or an extended Gsus4 chord.
Full Open Tuning (E2 A2 D3 G3 C4 E4 G4): The collective notes are E, A, D, G, C. This forms a rich Cmaj6/9 chord with a low E bass (Cmaj6/9/E). It's a complex, full-bodied chord that rings beautifully, offering a sophisticated and open sound.

The consistent perfect fourths on the lower strings (7-4) make for familiar bass patterns and easy power chords in that range, while the upper strings' C major triad facilitates bright melodic playing. Chords like open C, G, Am, F, and Dm can often be found or easily adapted due to the strong C-E-G core and available bass notes. The description from the original source "Couldn't tune to A4, went with G4 instead" suggests the intended top string was A4, which would have resulted in a C6 chord on the top three strings (C E A). The current G4 gives a more direct C Major triad, offering a fundamental and harmonically strong resolution.

How to Tune

To achieve the Open C6/9 (7-String) tuning, follow these instructions for each string:

String 7 (Lowest String) to E2: Tune up 5 semitones. Caution: Tuning up 5 semitones is a significant change. Consider using a lighter gauge string for optimal tension and safety.
String 6 to A2: Tune up 5 semitones. Caution: Tuning up 5 semitones is a significant change. Consider using a lighter gauge string for optimal tension and safety.
String 5 to D3: Tune up 5 semitones. Caution: Tuning up 5 semitones is a significant change. Consider using a lighter gauge string for optimal tension and safety.
String 4 to G3: Tune up 5 semitones. Caution: Tuning up 5 semitones is a significant change. Consider using a lighter gauge string for optimal tension and safety.
String 3 to C4: Tune up 5 semitones. Caution: Tuning up 5 semitones is a significant change. Consider using a lighter gauge string for optimal tension and safety.
String 2 to E4: Tune up 5 semitones. Caution: Tuning up 5 semitones is a significant change. Consider using a lighter gauge string for optimal tension and safety.
String 1 (Highest String) to G4: Tune up 3 semitones.