Verbal Analysis

The Ivan Drever Tuning is a captivating and resonant open tuning, strongly evoking the rich soundscapes often associated with Celtic and folk music. Named after the renowned Scottish musician Ivan Drever, this tuning creates an expansive and drone-like quality, making it ideal for fingerstyle arrangements, melodic explorations, and creating a full, ringing sound with minimal effort. It feels both ancient and modern, providing a unique canvas for creative expression that moves beyond conventional guitar harmony.

Technical Analysis

This tuning transforms the standard E-A-D-G-B-E into an E-A-E-A-E-E configuration. The open strings, when strummed, produce a powerful E chord with a prominent A (perfect 4th), giving it an E suspended 4th (Esus4) or E(add4) character. The repetition of the E and A notes across octaves and unisons is a defining feature:

• Low E (E2): Serves as the fundamental root.
• A (A2): A perfect fourth above the low E, providing a rich, modal flavor.
• E (E3): An octave above the low E, reinforcing the root.
• A (A3): An octave above the A2 string, again emphasizing the fourth.
• E (E4): An octave above E3, further layering the root.
• High E (E4): Tuned to a unison with the second string, creating a powerful, ringing top end.

This structure provides immense resonance and sustain. The lack of the third (G#) and fifth (B) in the open tuning frees the sound from traditional major/minor constraints, leaning towards a more open, modal, or even drone-like sonic landscape.

Open Chords and Possibilities

While not a conventional major or minor tuning, the Ivan Drever Tuning opens up fascinating harmonic possibilities:

• Open Strum: A full strum across all open strings yields a rich, ringing E(add4) or Esus4 sound (E-A-E-A-E-E), which is both powerful and emotionally resonant.
• Barre Chords: Simple barre chords become powerful suspended 4th or add4 chords. For example, a barre at the 2nd fret will produce an F#(add4)/F#sus4 (F#-B-F#-B-F#-F#), and at the 5th fret, an A(add4)/Asus4 (A-D-A-D-A-A). This makes moving between keys relatively straightforward for open, suspended voicings.
• Drone Potential: The repeated E and A notes across multiple octaves make this tuning perfect for creating sustained drones, especially for accompanying melodies or creating atmospheric textures.
• Harmonic Freedom: The absence of the third allows for easy improvisation over various modes, particularly E modes (e.g., E Dorian, E Mixolydian, or even E Aeolian/minor with the A as a passing tone) without clashing. It encourages two- and three-note chord voicings that exploit the drone strings.
• Unique Voicings: The unison E4 on the top two strings can be used to create shimmering effects, double stops, or to emphasize melodic lines with a strong, unified voice.

This tuning is a fantastic choice for guitarists looking to explore non-traditional harmony, folk and Celtic music, or to simply infuse their playing with a uniquely open and resonant sound.

How to Tune: Ivan Drever Tuning (E-A-E-A-E-E)

To achieve the Ivan Drever Tuning, you will adjust your guitar strings from standard E-A-D-G-B-E as follows. Please take care, especially with significant upward tuning, as it increases string tension.

• String 6 (Low E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). Stays at E2.
• String 5 (A): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). Stays at A2.
• String 4 (D): Tune up 2 semitones from D3 to E3.
• String 3 (G): Tune up 2 semitones from G3 to A3.
• String 2 (B): Tune up 5 semitones from B3 to E4. Caution: Tuning up 5 semitones is a significant increase in tension. Consider using a lighter gauge string for this position if you plan to keep your guitar in this tuning for extended periods, or proceed with care.
• String 1 (High E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). Stays at E4.