The Resonant Open E Minor 7 Tuning

This intriguing tuning, also known by some as 'Greensky' or E-7, immediately presents a full E minor 7 chord (E-B-D-G-B-E) when all strings are played open. It's a rich, soulful, and somewhat melancholic sound that resonates deeply, making it a fantastic foundation for blues, folk, indie rock, and even atmospheric or cinematic music. The inherent harmonic complexity offers a vast soundscape for creative exploration, allowing guitarists to easily evoke emotive textures and powerful drones.

Technical Analysis:

• Open Chord Structure: The open strings form a complete E minor 7 chord (E-G-B-D). Specifically, the notes are E2 (root), B2 (perfect fifth), D3 (minor seventh), G3 (minor third), B3 (perfect fifth, octave higher), and E4 (root, octave higher). This arrangement provides a powerful and harmonically complete voicing from the lowest to the highest strings.
• Chordal Opportunities:
  • Minor 7 Chords: A single finger barre across any fret will instantly yield a minor 7 chord (e.g., barre at the 3rd fret produces a G minor 7 chord). This makes playing in different minor keys incredibly intuitive.
  • Dominant 7 Chords: By fretting the G string (minor third) up one semitone, you can easily transform the minor 7 chord into a dominant 7 chord, opening up blues and jazz possibilities.
  • Drones and Pedals: The repeated root (E) and fifth (B) across different octaves create a natural bed for sustained drones and pedal tones, allowing for intricate melodic lines to be played over a stable harmonic foundation.
• Melodic Freedom: The open chord structure simplifies accompaniment, freeing up the fretting hand for more complex melodic or slide guitar work. The consistent minor 7 interval across the neck invites fluid blues and slide techniques.

This tuning is a playground for guitarists looking to break away from standard voicings and discover new harmonic possibilities with ease.

Tuning Notes:

Each string's note in this Open E Minor 7 tuning is as follows (from lowest to highest pitch):

• String 6 (Low E): E2
• String 5 (A): B2
• String 4 (D): D3
• String 3 (G): G3
• String 2 (B): B3
• String 1 (High E): E4

How to Tune Your Guitar:

To achieve the Open E Minor 7 tuning from standard E Standard (E-A-D-G-B-E), follow these specific adjustments for each string:

• String 6 (Low E): Current note is E2. Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). This string remains at its standard E2 pitch.
• String 5 (A): Tune your A string up 2 semitones to B2. As this is a movement of 2 semitones, it is generally safe for most string gauges, but always exercise caution when tuning up.
• String 4 (D): Current note is D3. Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). This string remains at its standard D3 pitch.
• String 3 (G): Current note is G3. Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). This string remains at its standard G3 pitch.
• String 2 (B): Current note is B3. Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). This string remains at its standard B3 pitch.
• String 1 (High E): Current note is E4. Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). This string remains at its standard E4 pitch.

Important Note on String Gauge: When tuning strings significantly up or down (exceeding 4 semitones in either direction), it is generally advisable to consider using a different string gauge to maintain optimal tension and prevent string breakage or damage to your instrument. For this particular tuning, only one string is altered by a minor amount (+2 semitones), which is typically safe for standard string gauges.