Tuning Analysis: E G# F# G# B C#

This unique guitar tuning, which you've named simply by its open notes, offers a bright and expansive sound palette. As you mentioned, you often play it without the first string (C#), focusing on the E G# F# G# B configuration. This emphasizes a rich, open E Major harmony with added color.

Verbal Analysis

The tuning presents a very open and bright character. The core of an E Major triad (E, G#, B) is strongly present across the strings, giving it a resonant, almost choir-like quality when strummed open. The inclusion of F# and C# (or just F# when omitting the 1st string) adds beautiful extensions, leaning towards an Emaj6/9 or Emaj13 sound without a dominant seventh. This makes it incredibly well-suited for ambient soundscapes, fingerstyle playing, or genres that benefit from lush, sustained chords. The spread of notes across octaves also provides a wide harmonic canvas, excellent for arpeggiated figures and melodic exploration. The decision to often play without the high C# string suggests a preference for a slightly less dense, perhaps more melancholic or focused sound on the E6/9 harmony.

Technical Analysis

The open string notes are E2, G3#, F4#, G4#, B3, C5#.

• Open Chord (full tuning): Strummed open, this tuning presents a complex harmony. Focusing on the unique pitch classes (E, F#, G#, B, C#), it outlines an E Major Scale without the 7th (D#), or specifically, an Emaj13 (E, G#, B, C#, F# - with F# as the 9th, C# as the 6th/13th, no 7th). This results in a very clear, major-leaning, and consonant sound.
• Open Chord (without 1st string): E2, G3#, F4#, G4#, B3. This configuration strongly emphasizes an Emaj6/9 harmony (E, G#, B, F#). The doubled G# (G3#, G4#) adds depth and resonance, making for a rich, full, and bright E chord.
• Intervals: The tuning is characterized by a mix of wide and close intervals. For example, the interval from the 6th string E2 to the 5th string G3# is a Major 10th (octave + Major 3rd), providing a spacious feel. The 4th string F4# and 3rd string G4# are a Major 2nd apart, creating a tight cluster that can be easily manipulated for melodic runs or voicings. The drop from G4# (3rd string) to B3 (2nd string) is a Perfect 4th down, which is a common and harmonically stable interval.
• Chord Shapes: Due to the strong E Major foundation, barre chords starting on the 6th string will likely yield variations of major or extended major chords. The presence of two G#s at different octaves means that moving a single fret can often create interesting suspended or minor colorations. The close proximity of F# and G# on the middle strings allows for easy formation of sus2 or sus4 chords with a single finger.

How to Tune

To achieve this tuning from standard E Standard (E A D G B E), follow these steps carefully:

• 6th String (Low E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The target note is E2.
• 5th String (A): Tune down 1 semitone. Change from A3 to G#3.
• 4th String (D): Tune up 4 semitones. Change from D4 to F#4. Please exercise caution here. Tuning up 4 semitones is a significant increase in string tension. Consider using a lighter gauge string for this position or tune very slowly and carefully to prevent string breakage and undue stress on your guitar's neck.
• 3rd String (G): Tune up 1 semitone. Change from G4 to G#4.
• 2nd String (B): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones). The target note is B3.
• 1st String (High E): Tune down 3 semitones. Change from E5 to C#5.

Tuning Notes

Here are the target notes for each string:

• 6th String: E2
• 5th String: G3#
• 4th String: F4#
• 3rd String: G4#
• 2nd String: B3
• 1st String: C5#