Verbal Analysis: Edom(sus4)13 Tuning

The Edom(sus4)13 tuning, as its name suggests, unlocks a rich and expansive harmonic landscape, immediately presenting an E dominant 13th chord with a suspended 4th right from the open strings. This sophisticated voicing is perfect for genres like jazz, fusion, contemporary folk, or ambient music, offering a sound that is both complex and beautifully resonant. The open chord itself creates a broad sonic texture, making it ideal for lush arpeggios, intricate fingerstyle arrangements, and creating spacious soundscapes. The unique interval spread across the strings encourages creative chord shapes and melodic exploration, inviting players to discover fresh voicings and progressions. The high C# string, acting as a 13th, adds a sparkling, melancholic, or yearning quality that can be incredibly evocative, expanding the emotional palette of your playing. As the description notes, it can also function effectively as an E minor 11 or 13 (without the 3rd), allowing for versatility between dominant, suspended, and minor tonalities.

Technical Analysis: Edom(sus4)13 Tuning

This tuning significantly departs from standard EADGBe, creating an open chord voicing that resolves to an E Dominant 13(sus4) or E Minor 11/13 (no 3rd). Let's examine the notes and their intervals relative to the low E string (E2):

• 6th String: E2 (Root)
• 5th String: B2 (Perfect 5th above E2)
• 4th String: D3 (Minor 7th above E2)
• 3rd String: A3 (Perfect 4th/11th above E2, Perfect 4th above D3)
• 2nd String: B3 (Perfect 5th/12th above E2, Perfect 5th above D3)
• 1st String: C5# (Major 6th/13th above E2, Minor 2nd/9th above B3)

The core harmonic structure is built around E (root), B (5th), D (minor 7th), A (4th/11th), and C# (13th). The absence of a major or minor third (G#/G) in the open tuning makes it harmonically ambiguous yet versatile, allowing it to imply both dominant and minor qualities depending on context and added fretted notes. The doubled B notes (5th and 2nd strings) add density and resonance. The intervals are widely spaced in the lower register (E2-B2-D3) and become tighter in the higher register (D3-A3-B3-C5#), offering a balanced blend of openness and harmonic richness. Chords that become readily available beyond the open voicing include various extended E chords (Emin7, E11, E13) and potentially D dominant 7th voicings or A major suspended 2nd/4th chords, due to the inherent intervals.

How to Tune: Edom(sus4)13

To achieve the Edom(sus4)13 tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these string adjustments:

• The 6th string (low E string in standard tuning) is kept as is; no change (0 semitones), remaining at E2.
• The 5th string (A string in standard tuning) is tuned up 2 semitones to B2.
• The 4th string (D string in standard tuning) is kept as is; no change (0 semitones), remaining at D3.
• The 3rd string (G string in standard tuning) is tuned up 2 semitones to A3.
• The 2nd string (B string in standard tuning) is kept as is; no change (0 semitones), remaining at B3.
• The 1st string (high E string in standard tuning) is tuned down 3 semitones to C5#.

6th String: E2

5th String: B2

4th String: D3

3rd String: A3

2nd String: B3

1st String: C5#