Tuning Overview: Open A Major 7th

The provided tuning, which we've named "Open A Major 7th", is described as an A major 7th tuning that "sounds really good" and is naturally "in the key of E". This suggests a rich, resonant sound that's particularly well-suited for blues, jazz, and ambient styles, offering a lush harmonic foundation. The open strings immediately present a sophisticated chord, perfect for slide guitar or exploring new melodic and harmonic possibilities without complex fingerings.

Technical Analysis:

This tuning sets the guitar strings to the following notes from low E (6th string) to high E (1st string): E2 - A2 - E3 - G4# - C5# - E4.

When analyzed, these open notes form an A Major 7th chord (A - C# - E - G#) with a prominent E bass note. Specifically:

• String 6 (E2) provides the root (E) of the E major key, acting as a deep bass note or the 5th of an A chord.
• String 5 (A2) serves as the root of the A Major 7th chord.
• String 4 (E3) reinforces the E note, acting as the 5th of the A Major 7th.
• String 3 (G4#) provides the crucial Major 7th interval for the A Major 7th chord.
• String 2 (C5#) delivers the Major 3rd of the A Major 7th chord.
• String 1 (E4) further reinforces the E note, completing the chord as the 5th.

The arrangement of these notes means the open strings themselves spell out an A Major 7th chord (specifically A Maj7/E, or Emaj7(addA)), providing a rich, full sound without any fretting. This makes it incredibly easy to establish a complex harmonic base and allows for simple one-finger barre chords to create various inversions and related chords.

Chordal Opportunities:

With the open strings forming an A Major 7th, this tuning naturally lends itself to:

• Open A Major 7th: Play all open strings for a full, resonant A Major 7th sound.
• Open E Major: By focusing on the E notes and possibly muting the A string, or understanding the relationship to E, one can easily find E major tonalities. The presence of E on strings 6, 4, and 1 reinforces the key of E.
• Barre Chords: Moving a single-finger barre up the fretboard allows for instant major 7th chords in different keys. For example, a barre at the 2nd fret (B Maj7/F#), 3rd fret (C Maj7/G), 5th fret (D Maj7/A), etc.
• Drone Notes: The repeated E notes (E2, E3, E4) and A2 can serve as excellent drone notes for melodic improvisation, especially in the key of E or A.
• Slide Guitar: This tuning is exceptionally well-suited for slide techniques, as the open major 7th chord allows for smooth glides into other major 7th voicings or extensions across the fretboard.

Tuning Notes and How to Tune Your Guitar

Here are the target notes for each string, from the thickest (6th) to the thinnest (1st) string:

• String 6 (Low E String): E2
• String 5 (A String): A2
• String 4 (D String): E3
• String 3 (G String): G4#
• String 2 (B String): C5#
• String 1 (High E String): E4

How to Tune Your Guitar:

To achieve the Open A Major 7th tuning from standard E-A-D-G-B-E, follow these specific string movements. Remember that changes of more than 4 semitones up or down typically recommend a different string gauge, though all movements below are within standard playability ranges as described.

• String 6 (Low E String): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The note remains E2.
• String 5 (A String): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The note remains A2.
• String 4 (D String): Tune up 2 semitones from its standard D3 pitch. This moves it to E3.
• String 3 (G String): Tune up 1 semitone from its standard G3 pitch, resulting in G#3.
• String 2 (B String): Tune up 2 semitones from its standard B3 pitch, resulting in C#4.
• String 1 (High E String): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The note remains E4.

Please note that while the provided target notes for String 3 (G4#) and String 2 (C5#) are an octave higher than what the semitone movements from standard tuning would typically produce (G#3 and C#4 respectively), the tuning instructions specified in the string_movements data indicate only small semitone adjustments. For most guitars and string gauges, tuning a string up by an entire octave (12 semitones) or more from its standard pitch is not recommended without specialized strings and setup. Always tune carefully and listen to your instrument, using the specified semitone movements as your primary guide.