Overview: G6 / Em7 Lap Steel Tuning

This tuning, officially named "G6 / Em7", is a classic and highly versatile setup, particularly favored for lap steel or slide guitar. As the original description notes, it's designed to provide a rich harmonic foundation, allowing players to access major, minor, 6ths, and minor 7 chords simply by using a straight bar.

Technical Analysis

The open strings are tuned to E2 G2 B2 G3 B3 D4 (from lowest to highest). Analyzing these notes reveals a complex yet harmonious structure:

• The notes G, B, D, E form a G6 chord (G-B-D-E). With the lowest string also an E (E2), this tuning emphasizes the root and 6th, creating a full and resonant sound.
• Alternatively, viewing the notes as E, G, B, D forms an Em7 chord (E-G-B-D). The presence of multiple Gs and Bs across the octaves gives this Em7 voicing a lush, open quality.

This dual nature makes it incredibly flexible, as the same open chord can be interpreted and used as both a G6 and an Em7, depending on the musical context and the desired root.

Playing Potential & Accessible Chords

The strength of this tuning lies in its ability to facilitate complex harmonic structures with ease. When playing with a slide or straight bar, simply moving the bar up or down the neck will produce different inversions or transpositions of the fundamental G6/Em7 chord. For instance:

• A straight bar at the 1st fret will yield a G#6 / Fm7 chord.
• A straight bar at the 2nd fret will yield an A6 / F#m7 chord.

The repeating G and B notes across different octaves (G2, G3 and B2, B3) add depth and richness, making voicings fuller. The open string configuration naturally lends itself to creating 6th and minor 7th harmonies, crucial in genres like jazz, blues, and country slide playing.

The tuning also works nicely in a reentrant configuration. The original description suggests a variation "with E4 instead of E3". While this specific tuning has an E2 and no E3, this remark generally implies raising a lower octave E string (perhaps the E2) by two octaves to E4, or substituting another string with E4, creating a higher-pitched string in a position where a lower one would typically be found, which can dramatically alter the feel and melodic possibilities for slide playing.

Tuning Notes: G6 / Em7

Here are the target notes for each string of your Guitar:

• String 6 (Lowest): E2
• String 5: G2
• String 4: B2
• String 3: G3
• String 2: B3
• String 1 (Highest): D4

How to Tune Your Guitar to G6 / Em7

Follow these instructions carefully to adjust each string from standard EADGBe tuning:

• String 6 (Lowest E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The target note is E2.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 2 semitones. The target note is G2.
• String 4 (D): Tune down 3 semitones. The target note is B2.
• String 3 (G): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The target note is G3.
• String 2 (B): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The target note is B3.
• String 1 (Highest E): Tune down 2 semitones. The target note is D4.

Important Note on String Gauge: For tunings that involve movements of 4 semitones or more (either up or down), it is generally advised to consider using a different string gauge to ensure proper tension and prevent potential damage to your strings or guitar. In this specific tuning, the maximum movement is 3 semitones down, which is within generally safe limits for standard string gauges. However, always exercise caution and listen to your strings when making significant tuning adjustments.