E Minor 6th Drone Tuning: An 8-String Odyssey

The "E Minor 6th Drone Tuning" for the 8-string guitar (EBEACEAE) is a captivating and unique alternate tuning designed for creating rich, resonant soundscapes. This tuning, as described in the original JSON, opens up possibilities for interesting chords and atmospheric textures, particularly on an 8-string instrument.

Verbal Analysis: Sound and Feel

This tuning immediately strikes with its deep, powerful low end, anchored by the E1 and B1 strings. The repeated E and A notes across various octaves create a beautiful, sustained 'drone' effect, giving compositions a sense of spaciousness and depth. The inclusion of the C (minor 6th) note adds a touch of melancholic complexity and sophistication, moving away from a simple major or minor sound into something more ambiguous and expressive. It's an excellent choice for genres like progressive metal, ambient soundscapes, post-rock, or experimental music where unique harmonic structures and resonant open strings are desired. Players will find that traditional chord shapes are largely re-imagined, encouraging exploration of new voicings and wide, arpeggiated figures that leverage the open string intervals. The inherent resonance makes it ideal for sustained notes, delay, and reverb effects.

Technical Analysis: Structure and Chordal Possibilities

The open strings of this tuning (E1-B1-E2-A2-C3-E3-A3-E4) collectively form an E minor 6th chord with a suspended 4th. Specifically, the notes present are E (root), B (perfect 5th), A (perfect 4th), and C (minor 6th). This unique combination of intervals creates a rich harmonic foundation.

• The intervals between adjacent strings are varied:
  • String 8 (E1) to String 7 (B1): Perfect 5th
  • String 7 (B1) to String 6 (E2): Perfect 4th
  • String 6 (E2) to String 5 (A2): Perfect 4th
  • String 5 (A2) to String 4 (C3): Minor 3rd
  • String 4 (C3) to String 3 (E3): Major 3rd
  • String 3 (E3) to String 2 (A3): Perfect 4th
  • String 2 (A3) to String 1 (E4): Perfect 5th
• This mix of 3rds, 4ths, and 5ths allows for innovative chord voicings and melodic patterns not typically found in standard tunings.
• The open strings themselves offer a complex E minor 6th (add4) or E suspended 4th (add b6) chord. This means powerful, resonant open chords are readily available.
• Chords like E minor, E sus4, E minor 6, and even certain inversions of C major will find natural voicings due to the open string relationships. The open C3, E3, A3, E4 strings, for instance, hint at an A minor chord.
• The tuning provides an excellent canvas for modal exploration, particularly E Aeolian (natural minor), E Phrygian, or E Dorian, given the presence of the C natural.

How to Tune Your 8-String Guitar

To achieve the "E Minor 6th Drone Tuning" (EBEACEAE) from a standard 8-string tuning (typically F# B E A D G B E, low to high), follow these steps carefully. Please note the recommendations for string gauge for significant changes.

• String 8 (Lowest): Tune down 2 semitones to E1. (Movement: -2 semitones. This is within typical limits.)
• String 7: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to B1.
• String 6: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to E2.
• String 5: Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to A2.
• String 4: Tune down 2 semitones to C3. (Movement: -2 semitones. This is within typical limits.)
• String 3: Tune down 3 semitones to E3. (Movement: -3 semitones. This is within typical limits, but tune carefully.)
• String 2: Tune down 2 semitones to A3. (Movement: -2 semitones. This is within typical limits.)
• String 1 (Highest): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to E4.

Important Note on String Gauge: When tuning strings up or down by more than 4 semitones (either positive or negative), it is generally advised to consider using a different gauge string. Significant changes in tension can affect string longevity, intonation, and even neck stability over time. For this particular tuning, all movements are within a reasonable range for standard gauges, though careful tuning is always recommended.

Here are the notes for each string of the E Minor 6th Drone Tuning:

• String 8 (Lowest): E1
• String 7: B1
• String 6: E2
• String 5: A2
• String 4: C3
• String 3: E3
• String 2: A3
• String 1 (Highest): E4