This unique tuning, known as "Tobias Rauscher - Stil Awake," transforms the guitar from standard E-standard tuning into a versatile sonic landscape, particularly rich in resonant, open voicings. It's built around an open E minor 7th chord, offering a darker, more melancholic foundation than many open tunings, while still providing strong tonal centers for melody and harmony.

Verbal Analysis

At its core, this tuning provides a full E minor 7 chord when played open, with the notes E-G-D-G-B-D from low to high. The arrangement of notes, particularly the repeated G and D across the middle strings, creates a wonderfully rich and resonant sound ideal for fingerstyle, slide, and drone-based compositions. The low E string acts as a strong root for the E minor 7, while the D-G-B-D section creates an open G-like feel in the higher strings, but with a D as its lowest note. This combination allows for both minor and major tonalities to be easily accessible. For instance, you can easily achieve a rich G major chord by simply muting the low E string, or by incorporating it for a G6/E sound.

Chords are often simplified; barre chords become very effective across this tuning. For example, moving the entire open Em7 shape up the neck will yield other minor 7th chords. Sliding into positions or using a capo will unlock a vast array of harmonic possibilities with minimal effort, making complex voicings very approachable for various musical styles, from blues to ambient soundscapes.

Technical Analysis

The tuning features the following notes from the 6th string (lowest) to the 1st string (highest): E2, G2, D3, G3, B3, D4.

• The open strings lay out the notes: E (Root), G (minor 3rd), D (minor 7th), G (octave of the minor 3rd), B (major 5th), D (octave of the minor 7th).
• This clearly spells out an E minor 7th chord (E-G-B-D), providing a melancholic but full harmonic foundation.
• The arrangement of the middle and higher strings (D-G-B-D) is reminiscent of an open G major chord structure, providing a flexible harmonic center for melodic development and chordal inversions.
• The interval structure features two perfect fifths (E-B implied through G-D and B-D), a major third (G-B), and a minor third (E-G), creating a harmonically stable yet emotionally evocative sound suitable for intricate compositions.

How to Tune

To achieve this tuning from standard E Standard (E-A-D-G-B-e), follow these specific adjustments:

• 6th String (Low E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). It remains E2.
• 5th String (A): Tune down 2 semitones. This will change its pitch from A2 to G2. (This is a moderate drop and should be suitable for most standard gauge strings).
• 4th String (D): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). It remains D3.
• 3rd String (G): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). It remains G3.
• 2nd String (B): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). It remains B3.
• 1st String (High e): Tune down 2 semitones. This will change its pitch from E4 to D4. (This is a moderate drop and should be suitable for most standard gauge strings).

Note on String Gauge: The required string movements (tuning down 2 semitones for the 5th and 1st strings) are well within the safe range for standard gauge strings. No specific change in string gauge is strictly advised for these adjustments, though always ensure your guitar is properly set up for any non-standard tuning to maintain optimal playability and intonation.

String 6 (Low E): E2

String 5 (A): G2

String 4 (D): D3

String 3 (G): G3

String 2 (B): B3

String 1 (High e): D4