Verbal Analysis

The Open G6 Tuning transforms your guitar into a vibrant, resonant instrument, immediately presenting a full G6 chord when strummed open. As its creator describes it, this tuning has a "gnarly" character, suggesting a powerful, driving sound that's equally at home with energetic rhythms, intricate open-string arpeggios, or expressive slide guitar. The combination of G, B, D, and E notes across the strings creates a rich harmonic landscape, giving the tuning a bright, yet slightly introspective, feel.

Technical Analysis

This tuning sets up a comprehensive G6 chord (G-B-D-E) across all six strings. The specific notes are G2-B2-E3-G3-D4-E4. This strategic arrangement places the root (G) on both the lowest 6th string and the 3rd string, while the major third (B) occupies the 5th string. The perfect fifth (D) is found on the 2nd string, and the major sixth (E) is present on both the 4th and 1st strings. This distribution creates a balanced, full-bodied chord that provides a strong harmonic foundation.

Chordal Possibilities

• Open Chord: The most immediate benefit is the powerful G6 chord that rings out when all strings are strummed open.
• Barre Chords: By barring all strings at any given fret, you can easily transpose the open G6 chord. For example, barring at the 5th fret will yield a C6 chord.
• Partial Chords & Drones: The doubled G (G2, G3) and E (E3, E4) strings lend themselves well to droning notes and creating interesting partial chord voicings with minimal fretting.
• Slide Guitar: The open G6 is particularly well-suited for slide guitar, allowing for smooth, melodic glides while maintaining the chordal harmony.
• New Shapes: Standard chord shapes will require complete re-learning, encouraging exploration of new, unique voicings and progressions.

How to Tune

To achieve the Open G6 Tuning, you'll be adjusting several strings from standard EADGBe tuning. Please proceed with caution, especially when tuning strings up, and use a reliable tuner.

• String 6 (Low E to G2): Tune up 3 semitones.
• String 5 (A to B2): Tune up 2 semitones.
• String 4 (D to E3): Tune up 2 semitones.
• String 3 (G to G3): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 2 (B to D4): Tune up 3 semitones.
• String 1 (High e to E4): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).

Important Note: Tuning strings up, even by a few semitones, increases tension. Always tune slowly and check string tension regularly. While none of the individual string movements in this tuning exceed the threshold of 4 semitones up or down, which would strongly advise a different string gauge, prolonged use or existing instrument conditions might warrant a check-up with a luthier.

String 6: G2 (The lowest G note, two octaves below middle C).

String 5: B2 (A B note, an octave and a major third below middle C).

String 4: E3 (The E note just below middle C).

String 3: G3 (The G note just below middle C).

String 2: D4 (The D note just above middle C).

String 1: E4 (The E note just above middle C, also known as the high 'e' string in standard tuning).