Tuning Overview: Easy Esus2

The "Easy Esus2" tuning is a highly accessible and sonically rich guitar tuning, perfect for players looking to explore open tunings with minimal string adjustments. It creates an Esus2 chord (E-B-F#) across the open strings, offering a shimmering, open sound ideal for folk, rock, and ambient styles.

Verbal Analysis

This tuning is ingeniously designed for ease of use, requiring only three strings to be altered from standard tuning. The open E, B, and F# notes naturally resonate to form an Esus2 chord, providing a beautiful, full-bodied foundation without needing to fret any strings. The higher strings feature a repeating pattern of B and E notes across octaves, which facilitates intuitive melodic and arpeggiated playing. This arrangement makes it straightforward to discover stacked scale patterns and create impactful power chords with minimal effort. Furthermore, the 5th string being tuned down to F# opens up possibilities for crafting more complex barre chord shapes with relative ease, enhancing the harmonic vocabulary available to the player.

Players will find this tuning particularly inspiring for strumming open chords, as the inherent Esus2 provides a bright, open quality that can sound expansive. Fingerstyle guitarists can leverage the repeated notes and open intervals to create compelling drones and intricate arpeggios that shimmer with natural resonance. It's an excellent tuning for songwriters looking for a fresh sonic palette without the steep learning curve often associated with more radical tunings.

Technical Analysis

The Easy Esus2 tuning is derived from standard EADGBe tuning through specific alterations to the middle strings. The final open notes for this tuning are E2 F#3 B2 E3 B3 E4. Let's break down the intervals and relationships of these open strings:

• 6th String (E2): This is the lowest E, serving as the root note of the Esus2 chord and the tonic of the tuning.
• 5th String (F#3): Tuned to an F#, this note is a Major 2nd above the root E, providing the 'sus2' characteristic to the chord.
• 4th String (B2): This B functions as the Perfect 5th of the E chord (or a Perfect 4th relative to the E on the 3rd string), grounding the harmony.
• 3rd String (E3): An octave above the low E (6th string), reinforcing the root.
• 2nd String (B3): Another B, an octave above the 4th string B, adding harmonic depth and shimmer.
• 1st String (E4): The highest E, two octaves above the 6th string, completing the open Esus2 chord with brightness.

The collective open notes E, F#, and B precisely form an Esus2 chord, providing a consonant and resonant open sound. The arrangement of E-F#-B on the lower strings, followed by E-B-E on the higher strings, creates interesting harmonic possibilities and makes certain chord voicings, such as power chords and arpeggios, very accessible. The presence of multiple E and B notes across different octaves provides a strong, harmonically rich anchor.

Chords within Reach

• Open Esus2: Strumming all open strings yields a full, rich Esus2 chord, perfect for immediate sonic gratification.
• E Major / E Minor: By simply fretting the F# on the 5th string to G# (2nd fret) or G (1st fret), you can quickly resolve the suspended 2nd to an E Major or E Minor triad, respectively, adding tension and release to your compositions.
• Power Chords: The lower strings (6th, 5th, 4th) are tuned to E-F#-B, which facilitates easy and resonant power chords. For example, barreing all strings at the 2nd fret will yield an F#sus2, or at the 7th fret for a Bsus2.
• Barre Chords: The F# on the 5th string (originally the A string) makes it easier to adapt and play various barre chord shapes, especially on the lower frets, allowing for quick transitions between different suspended 2nd chords.
• Drones and Pedals: The multiple E and B notes scattered across the fretboard and open strings make it incredibly easy to create drone-like textures and pedal tones, adding a sustained, atmospheric quality to your playing.

How to Tune to Easy Esus2

To achieve the Easy Esus2 tuning from standard EADGBe, follow these precise string movements:

• 6th String (Low E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• 5th String (A): Tune down 3 semitones to F#.
• 4th String (D): Tune down 3 semitones to B.
• 3rd String (G): Tune down 3 semitones to E.
• 2nd String (B): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• 1st String (High E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).

Note: All string movements for this tuning are within a safe range for standard string gauges, making it a reliable choice for your instrument.

String 6 (Low E): E2

String 5 (A string): F#3

String 4 (D string): B2

String 3 (G string): E3

String 2 (B string): B3

String 1 (High E): E4