The "EBCGFE E Harmonic Minor" tuning presents a fascinating and audibly 'dark' soundscape, specifically tailored to facilitate playing in the E Harmonic Minor scale. This non-standard tuning drastically reconfigures the guitar's open strings, inviting players to explore unique melodic and harmonic possibilities.

Verbal Analysis

Often described as a 'dark' tuning, its character stems from several dissonant and expressive intervals among the open strings. The prominent minor second between B2 and C3, and the augmented fourth (tritone) from G3 to F♯4, create immediate tension and a distinct, haunting quality. With E as its root, the open strings (E, B, C, G, F♯, E) provide the Root, Major 2nd (F♯), Minor 3rd (G), Perfect 5th (B), and Minor 6th (C) of the E Harmonic Minor scale, making it particularly resonant for this mode. This open string arrangement encourages modal playing, where the characteristic intervals of the scale are readily available without complex fingerings.

While not designed for conventional major or minor chords, the tuning offers rich, complex voicings with open strings. A full strum of the open strings yields a dense, tension-filled chord, evocative of the harmonic minor sound. Simple one-finger barres across the neck will produce unexpected and often dramatic chord shapes, far removed from standard tuning expectations. Chords like E minor (E-G-B) are partially formed within the open strings, allowing for easy resolution or further embellishment of the 'dark' theme. Players might find themselves exploring drone-based compositions or intricate arpeggios that highlight the unique inter-string relationships.

Technical Analysis

Starting from standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E), this tuning undergoes significant modifications. The resulting open notes are E2, B2, C3, G3, F♯4, E4.

• 6th String (E2): Remains E2.
• 5th String (B2): Tuned UP from A2 to B2 (+2 semitones). Creates a Perfect 5th with the 6th string.
• 4th String (C3): Tuned DOWN from D3 to C3 (-2 semitones). Creates a minor 2nd with the 5th string (B2-C3).
• 3rd String (G3): Remains G3. Creates a Perfect 5th with the 4th string (C3-G3).
• 2nd String (F♯4): Tuned DOWN from B3 to F♯4 (-5 semitones). Creates an augmented 4th (tritone) with the 3rd string (G3-F♯4).
• 1st String (E4): Remains E4. Creates a minor 2nd with the 2nd string (F♯4-E4, descending).

This unique arrangement of open strings provides a direct representation of key notes from the E Harmonic Minor scale: E (Root), F♯ (Major 2nd), G (Minor 3rd), B (Perfect 5th), and C (Minor 6th), with the high E as an octave. The specific intervals between adjacent strings (P5, m2, P5, A4, m2) are non-standard, contributing to the tuning's characteristic dark and tension-filled sound, making it ideal for experimental, metal, or soundtrack-like compositions.

How to Tune

To achieve the EBCGFE E Harmonic Minor tuning from standard E-A-D-G-B-E, follow these steps:

• Low E String (6th): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The target note is E2.
• A String (5th): Tune up 2 semitones. The target note is B2.
• D String (4th): Tune down 2 semitones. The target note is C3.
• G String (3rd): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The target note is G3.
• B String (2nd): Tune down 5 semitones. The target note is F♯4. CAUTION: Tuning down 5 semitones is a significant drop. If your string gauge is too light, the string may become excessively loose, resulting in poor tone and intonation. For optimal performance and string longevity, consider using a heavier gauge string for the 2nd string if you plan to use this tuning frequently.
• High E String (1st): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The target note is E4.

6th String (Low E): E2 (Remains standard E, the lowest string on the guitar).

5th String (A): B2 (Tuned up from A, this string now resonates a Perfect 5th above the Low E).

4th String (D): C3 (Tuned down from D, it creates a minor 2nd interval with the 5th string B2).

3rd String (G): G3 (Remains standard G, providing a minor 3rd relation to the root E).

2nd String (B): F♯4 (Tuned down significantly from B, this string brings in the Major 2nd of the E Harmonic Minor scale).

1st String (High E): E4 (Remains standard High E, an octave above the Low E).