Tuning Analysis: EBEEBD#

This distinctive guitar tuning, named EBEEBD#, is notably used in the song ''Pavimento'' by the band Lupe de Lupe. It creates a resonant and somewhat open sonic landscape, primarily rooted in the key of E.

Verbal Description

The EBEEBD# tuning offers a deep, rich, and highly resonant open sound, centered around E. The low strings (E2, B2, E3, E3) provide an incredibly solid and powerful foundation, essentially forming an open E power chord with an octave doubling on the third and fourth strings. This creates a natural drone effect and enhances the sustain. The B3 on the second string further reinforces the perfect fifth, maintaining a strong E major tonality, even in the absence of a G#. The most striking and unique element of this tuning is the very high D5# on the first string. This note is exceptionally bright and piercing, adding a distinct major seventh (D#) to the overall E chord, giving it an Emaj7 flavor. This configuration makes the tuning highly suitable for drone-based music, slide guitar, and open-string melodic work where the resonance and unique harmonic character can be fully exploited. Standard chord shapes will be entirely recontextualized, encouraging players to discover new voicings and fingerings that leverage the open string intervals.

Technical Analysis

The open string notes for the EBEEBD# tuning are: E2 (6th String), B2 (5th String), E3 (4th String), E3 (3rd String), B3 (2nd String), and D5# (1st String). Analyzing the intervals relative to the lowest E (E2):

• 6th String (E2): Root
• 5th String (B2): Perfect 5th
• 4th String (E3): Octave
• 3rd String (E3): Octave
• 2nd String (B3): Perfect 5th (one octave above B2)
• 1st String (D5#): Major 7th (two octaves above E3)

This tuning essentially outlines an E Major 7th chord (E-B-D#) with a strong emphasis on the root and perfect fifth. The duplication of E and B notes across different octaves creates immense internal resonance and a robust harmonic foundation. While the major third (G#) is absent, the prominent major seventh (D#) gives the tuning a bright, almost ethereal quality, distinct from a standard Open E tuning. Barring across frets will produce rich E-based voicings, and the lack of a G# on an open string provides flexibility for minor or bluesy inflections against the strong E-B framework. The very high D5# on the first string allows for bright melodic lines or chiming harmonics that cut through the mix.

How to Tune

To achieve the EBEEBD# tuning, starting from standard guitar tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E), follow these specific adjustments for each string:

• 6th String (Low E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The target note is E2.
• 5th String (A): Tune up 2 semitones. The target note is B2.
• 4th String (D): Tune up 2 semitones. The target note is E3.
• 3rd String (G): Tune down 3 semitones. The target note is E3.
• 2nd String (B): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The target note is B3.
• 1st String (High E): Tune down 1 semitone. The target note is D#4.

Note on String 1: The provided string movements indicate tuning the high E string down 1 semitone to D#4. However, the tuning's defined notes state the 1st string as D5#. Achieving D5# from a standard E4 would require a significant upward tuning of 23 semitones (nearly two full octaves), which is far beyond safe limits for standard string gauges and bridge/neck tension. The 'How to Tune' section strictly follows the 'string_movements' data provided, resulting in D#4 for the 1st string. Please be aware of this discrepancy if attempting to replicate the D5# pitch.

E2 (6th String)

B2 (5th String)

E3 (4th String)

E3 (3rd String)

B3 (2nd String)

D5# (1st String)