Verbal Analysis: The Sonic Youth Drone

This unique tuning, famously utilized by experimental legends Sonic Youth, transforms the guitar into a resonant, droning soundscape. The open strings create a rich, slightly dissonant, yet harmonically intriguing texture. Predominantly featuring notes from an E minor 7 chord (E, G, D) across multiple octaves, it establishes a deep, resonant foundation. The repetition of G, E, and D gives it a vast, open quality, perfect for sustained notes, shimmering arpeggios, and percussive, rhythmic exploration without relying on traditional chord shapes. It lends itself well to slide playing, creating a wall of sound, or exploring abstract harmonic ideas.

Players can easily achieve drone-like effects by strumming all open strings, and the close proximity of D and E on the highest strings, combined with the low E, G, and D, allows for interesting melodic interplay. Chords can be found by barreing across frets, yielding various suspended or minor-seventh voicings. The overall feel is open, expansive, and somewhat melancholic, inviting a more experimental approach to guitar playing.

Technical Analysis: E Minor 7 Resonances

The EGDGED tuning provides a distinct harmonic landscape:

• Open Chord: The open strings E2-G2-D3-G3-E4-D4 essentially form an E minor 7 chord (E, G, D) with repeated notes across octaves. This creates a powerful, ready-made drone.
• Intervals: The tuning features interesting intervals such as a minor third (E to G), perfect fourths (G to D, D to G), and a major sixth (G to E), followed by a descending minor seventh (E to D). This combination contributes to its unique, slightly unsettled yet resonant quality.
• Harmonic Potential: While not a standard tuning, the open Em7 structure allows for easy exploration of E minor tonalities. Barre chords at different frets will yield variations of minor 7th, 9th, or suspended chords, depending on the fret. For instance, a barre at the 2nd fret would give an F#m7-like voicing (F#-A-E-A-F#-E).

How to Tune: From Standard EADGBe to EGDGED

Follow these instructions carefully to transform your standard-tuned guitar into EGDGED. Standard tuning is E2-A2-D3-G3-B3-E4 (low to high).

• String 6 (Low E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). This string remains E2.
• String 5 (A): Tune down 2 semitones to G2. (A2 → G2)
• String 4 (D): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). This string remains D3.
• String 3 (G): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). This string remains G3.
• String 2 (B): Tune up 5 semitones to E4. (B3 → E4). Caution: This is a significant upward tension increase. Proceed slowly and carefully. If your guitar or strings are not designed for such tension, consider using a lighter gauge string or consult a luthier.
• String 1 (High E): Tune down 2 semitones to D4. (E4 → D4)

String 6: E2

String 5: G2

String 4: D3

String 3: G3

String 2: E4

String 1: D4