EDAEDB Guitar Tuner

EDAEDB Broadbandconnection - Guitar tuning, chords & scales

Description - Broadbandconnection

made for our original indie slow rock songs

The E Drone 7sus4 Tuning

Verbal Analysis

This unique tuning, which we've named "E Drone 7sus4," is crafted for a sound that is both expansive and introspective, perfectly suited for the indie and slow rock genres. It creates a rich, resonant drone effect, with a particularly deep and slightly melancholic character in its lower registers. When strummed open, the strings coalesce into an E7sus4 chord (E-A-B-D), but with an intriguing twist: a low D string (D2) placed directly below the foundational E string (E2). This minor second interval at the bottom offers a thick, brooding quality, adding a layer of tension and depth that's ideal for atmospheric and heavy riffs. The strategic repetition of E and D notes across different octaves (E2/E3, D2/D3) contributes to a full, cohesive sound that sustains beautifully. This tuning is not only great for powerful open chords and drone-based patterns but also opens up creative avenues for fingerstyle playing, where individual notes can ring out to form lush textures, or for expressive slide guitar techniques. As the original creators noted, it's "made for our original indie slow rock songs," truly delivering a distinctive sonic palette for emotive compositions.

Technical Analysis

The tuning layout is E2 D2 A2 E3 D3 B3. This is an open tuning centered around an E7sus4 chord with a distinctive bass extension. The intervallic structure from the lowest E2 string is as follows:

String 6 (E2): Root
String 5 (D2): Minor 7th relative to E2 (a minor 2nd below the E2)
String 4 (A2): Perfect 4th relative to E2
String 3 (E3): Octave relative to E2
String 2 (D3): Minor 7th relative to E3 (Octave + Minor 7th relative to E2)
String 1 (B3): Perfect 5th relative to E3 (Octave + Major 7th relative to E2)

The open notes available are E, D, A, and B. These collectively form an E7sus4 chord (E-A-B-D). The unique element is the D2 string, which sits a minor second below the E2, creating a powerful low-end cluster. The duplication of E and D notes across octaves (E2/E3 and D2/D3) enhances the drone effect, providing harmonic richness and sustain. While traditional E-shaped or A-shaped barre chords will require significant adaptation due to the non-standard intervals, the open perfect fifth between E2 and B3, and the octave pairings, allow for very resonant and full-sounding open chords and drone-based melodic lines. The close proximity of D2 and E2 means that careful muting or specific two-string voicings might be needed to avoid unwanted dissonance, but this proximity can also be intentionally exploited for heavy, sludgy textures. This wide intervallic spread and the unique bass register truly make it a "broadband" tuning, offering a broad spectrum of harmonic possibilities.

How to Tune

To achieve the E Drone 7sus4 tuning, follow these precise string adjustments from standard E Standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E):

String 6 (Low E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The string remains at E2.
String 5 (A String): Tune down 7 semitones to D2. (Note: Tuning down 7 semitones is a significant adjustment; considering a different gauge string for this string is advised for optimal tension and tone.)
String 4 (D String): Tune down 5 semitones to A2. (Note: Tuning down 5 semitones is a significant adjustment; considering a different gauge string for this string is advised for optimal tension and tone.)
String 3 (G String): Tune down 3 semitones to E3.
String 2 (B String): Tune down 9 semitones to D3. (Note: Tuning down 9 semitones is a very significant adjustment; considering a different gauge string for this string is highly advised for optimal tension and tone.)
String 1 (High E): Tune down 5 semitones to B3. (Note: Tuning down 5 semitones is a significant adjustment; considering a different gauge string for this string is advised for optimal tension and tone.)

Please take care when making these adjustments, especially for strings requiring significant detuning. Ensure your guitar's intonation is checked after applying this tuning.

String 6 (Lowest E): Tuned to E2. This serves as the primary root and anchor for the tuning, providing a deep foundation.
String 5 (A String): Tuned to D2. This string is a whole step below the standard A string, and a minor second below the low E string, creating a distinct, deep, and somewhat dissonant bass foundation.
String 4 (D String): Tuned to A2. This note forms a perfect fourth with the lowest E string, and a perfect fifth with the D2 string, adding harmonic depth.
String 3 (G String): Tuned to E3. This is an octave higher than the lowest E string, reinforcing the root and providing a bright, ringing quality.
String 2 (B String): Tuned to D3. An octave higher than the fifth string's D2, this note maintains the open D quality across the tuning.
String 1 (Highest E): Tuned to B3. This note forms a perfect fifth with the third string's E3, completing the E7sus4 harmony with a clear, high voice.