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Ultimate Guide to Open E Tuning
– Chords, Scales, Tab and Songs
May 23, 2021 Gustavo Pereira 13 min read
Open E is a tuning that makes your open strings spell out an
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E Major chord.
It is different from tunings such as open D or G in the sense
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that open E requires you to tighten some of your strings, Guitars?
while most of the open tunings consist of down tuning February 5, 2022
certain strings.
What strings come on an
Because of this, you might actually benefit from a lighter
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string gauge. replacements?
July 16, 2022
It is usually recommended to upgrade to heavier gauges
when you experiment with the other open tunings just
mentioned such as Open D or G, so take this into account if
you’re curious about trying open E.
Having your lowest string tuned the same as in standard
tuning and being able to play major chords with a one finger
barre shape will feel comfortable right off the bat, as you
don’t need to relearn that string.
One of the most popular Open E players nowadays is Derek
Trucks. He’s arguably the best slide player around, and he’s
been playing in this tuning since he was a kid, heavily
influenced by his idol, Duane Allman from The Allman
Brothers Band.
Be sure to check out our full guide to alternative tunings, as
well as our guides to open D, open G and drop c tuning.
Want to learn more about music theory?
Check out our ultimate guide to music theory to find more
jumping off points.
Contents [show]
How to Tune Your Guitar in Open
E Tuning
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The E Major triad has the notes E (root), G# (major rd
) and B
(perfect 5th).
That means that instead of the usual EADGBE you have in What Happened to Firefly
Guitars?
standard tuning, you’ll have the following notes (starting
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from the lowest string):
E What strings come on an
B Epiphone Les Paul? Best
E replacements?
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G#
B
E
You might have noticed already that the notes on the 5th, 4th
and 3rd strings are actually higher pitched than they usually
are in standard tuning. This will increase the tension on your
neck, so be aware that you may need to make truss rod
adjustments.
If you’re planning on keeping a guitar in Open E for extended
periods of time, take it to a professional who can set it up
perfectly for this tuning. You don’t want to damage the neck
on your guitar by increasing the tension from the strings.
Also, if the strings feel too stiff, consider lighter strings.
If you haven’t got a tuner handy, you can go from standard
tuning to Open E by ear by going through the following
steps:
Pluck the 6th string (E), and then the 4th string (D). Now,
tighten the 4th string until its pitch matches the low E
string.
Next, pluck the 2nd string (B), and then the 5th string (A).
Now, tighten the 5th string until it matches your B string.
This leaves you with EBEGBE. However, this spells an E
minor chord. You still need to raise the 3rd string by a
semitone.
If you can identify intervals by ear, pluck the 4th string
(now tuned to E), and then the third string. Now, tighten
it until those 2 strings together form a majorRead Next
third
interval.
Alternatively, play the 4th string on the 4th fret (G#) and
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tighten the 3rd string until their pitches match.
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February 5, 2022
Despite the fact that it’s possible to tune a guitar this way, a
tuner is still recommended, as tuning stability isn’t perfect
What strings come on an
when changing tunings, and you most likely need to readjust Epiphone Les Paul? Best
all the strings after you finish tuning for the first time. replacements?
July 16, 2022
How to Play Chords in Open E
Tuning
Major Chords in Open E Tuning
Major chords consist of a root note, a major third and a
perfect fifth.
The Open E tuning makes playing major chords a breeze
because you can literally play them with one finger across
the neck, just like in the other open tunings you might have
tried out.
Since the 6th string is still an E, it is even easier to find your
root notes than it is in Open G or D, since you do have to drop
that string to a D in those tunings.
Here are a couple of examples of how you play major chords
in Open E:
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February 5, 2022
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Epiphone Les Paul? Best
replacements?
July 16, 2022
Minor Chords in Open E Tuning
Minor chords contain a root note, a minor third and a perfect
fifth – drop the 3rd by a semitone on a major chord and you
now have its minor counterpart.
Because of this, you can’t play them with a one finger barre
shape, but they aren’t super challenging to play either.
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Here are some examples to get you started:
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Guitars?
February 5, 2022
What strings come on an
Epiphone Les Paul? Best
replacements?
July 16, 2022
Read Next
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Seventh Chords in Open E Tuning
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Seventh (or dominant) chords contain a root, major third, What strings come on an
perfect fifth and a minor seven. The tritone interval found in Epiphone Les Paul? Best
replacements?
them makes them dissonant, which is why they sound great
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when you resolve them into their corresponding first degree
chord (for instance, resolving G7 into C Major).
They appear all the time in all music genres, but you’ll find
them even more frequently in blues. Since this tuning is
quite blues oriented, these are a must know!
Find some suggestions on how you can play these chords in
Open E.
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February 5, 2022
What strings come on an
Epiphone Les Paul? Best
replacements?
July 16, 2022
Open Chords in Open E Tuning
In some contexts, nothing beats the sound of a full bodied
chord with open strings ringing. This is something that
guitarists should take advantage of when they can.
Here you have a few examples of open chords you can play in
Open E:
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Guitars?
February 5, 2022
What strings come on an
Epiphone Les Paul? Best
replacements?
July 16, 2022
Scales in Open E Tuning
Since we don’t have our strings tuned by fourths anymore
when we’re in Open E, the finger patterns that worked to
play scales before have to be relearned in this new tuning.
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This section will show you where you can find the notes for
the most commonly used scales in Open E.
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E Major Scale Guitars?
February 5, 2022
The major scale’s formula is: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7.
In E Major, this means we need to sharpen F, C, G and E, What strings come on an
Epiphone Les Paul? Best
giving us the notes E, F# G# A B C# D#.
replacements?
July 16, 2022
Here’s where you’ll find all of these notes on your fretboard
when you tune your guitar to Open E:
E Natural Minor Scale
The natural minor scale has the following formula: 1 2 b3 4 5
b6 b7.
In E Major, this translates to the notes E F# G A B C and D.
The following diagram illustrates where those notes are
found in Open E:
E Minor Pentatonic Scale
A tried and tested scale for melodic ideas and solos across
any genre, the minor pentatonic scale uses the following
notes: 1 b3 4 5 b7.
In E, this gives us E G A B and D.
Here’s the location of those notes on the fretboard
Readof a guitar
Next
in Open E:
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February 5, 2022
What strings come on an
E Minor Blues Scale Epiphone Les Paul? Best
replacements?
The minor blues is another great choice for soloing,
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especially in a blues context.
Its formula is: 1 b3 4 b5 5 b7.
In summary, it is the same as the minor pentatonic scale, but
with an added note, which we call the blue note (b5 of the
scale).
In E, this translates to the following notes: E G A Bb B and D.
Find those notes on the following frets after tuning to Open
E:
E Major Blues Scale
Another popular choice is the major blues scale.
It is basically the same as the major pentatonic scale, but
with an added b3 (the blue note in major blues).
Its formula is: 1 2 b3 3 5 6.
In E, that means we’ve got the notes E F# G G# B and C#.
Here are the frets that correspond to those notes in Open E
tuning:
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Popular Songs In Open E Tuning February 5, 2022
The Allman Brothers Band – What strings come on an
Statesboro Blues Epiphone Les Paul? Best
replacements?
You’ll notice that The Allman Brothers Band has an
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extensive catalog of songs written in Open E, the tuning that
the legendary guitarist Duane Allman mainly used for his
classic riffs and slide licks.
Statesboro Blues is a great starting point to learn some blues
language in Open E.
Joe Walsh – Rocky Mountain Way
Joe Walsh also played in Open E in some songs such as Rocky
Mountain Way.
This song features easy to learn phrases that you could apply
to other songs with ease, making it a great choice to start
with.
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The Rolling Stones – No Expectations Guitars?
February 5, 2022
The Rolling Stones used open tunings on almost every song
in their discography, and although most are in Open G, some
other tunes like No Expectations are played in Open E. What strings come on an
Epiphone Les Paul? Best
Remember, you can always use a capo to transpose your replacements?
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favorite riffs to other keys. For instance, place it on the
second fret and you’ve got Open D.
Joni Mitchell – Big Yellow Taxi
A classic song by Joni Mitchell, Big Yellow Taxi uses very
simple one finger barre voicings and other easy chord shapes
that will get you used to this tuning in no time.
Rush – Headlong Flight Read Next
The heaviest sounding song on this list, Headlong Flight by
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Rush proves that Open E is useful for more genres of music
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other than blues and classic rock! February 5, 2022
What strings come on an
Epiphone Les Paul? Best
replacements?
July 16, 2022
More Songs In Open E Tuning
Bo Diddley – Bo Diddley
Glen Hansard – Say it to Me Now
Bob Dylan – Blood on the Tracks (full album recorded in
Open E)
Billy Gibbons – Just Got Paid
Derek Trucks – Midnight in Harlem
Dave Mason – We Just Disagree
The Smiths – The Headmaster Ritual
Hoobastank – Crawling in the Dark
Conclusion
Open E is a fantastic choice if you’re curious about open
tunings. One of the main reasons is that you don’t need to
relearn your lowest string, which will help when you need to
quickly find the root notes of your chords.
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However, take into account that you’ll be subjecting your
guitar to a higher tension on its neck, so be careful not to
damage it – especially if you’re playing a vintage or
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particularly valuable guitar. Guitars?
February 5, 2022
Make sure to experiment with a slide, your guitar action,
string gauge and you might find that this is the tuning for
you! What strings come on an
Epiphone Les Paul? Best
replacements?
Looking for more? Check out:
July 16, 2022
Complete guide to reading guitar tab
Our primer on the circle of fifths
Unlock the fretboard with the CAGED system
How to memorize the notes on the fretboard
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Gustavo Pereira
Gustavo is a Portuguese musician based in
Barcelona, where he’s studying jazz & modern
music interpretation on the electric guitar. Favorite
genre: blues, jazz, funk, soul
Gustavo Pereira has 44 posts and counting.
See all posts by Gustavo Pereira
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