Open E Tuning Guide: Songs, Chords, Scales & More | TunedStrings (2024)

As I don’t only write about great tuners but also great guitar tunings, I couldn’t wait to reach one of my favourites — Open E tuning.

In the following guide, I’ll show you how to tune your guitar to open E, how to play it, which songs to listen to (and learn) in open E, and more. Read on!

What Is Open E Tuning?

Open E tuning is a guitar tuning where the strings are adjusted to play an E major chord when strummed open, without fretting any notes.

This tuning alters the standard tuning of a guitar, which is typically E-A-D-G-B-E, to E-B-E-G#-B-E.

One of the key features of Open E tuning is that it allows for easier playing of certain chords and melodies, particularly those in the key of E. This is because the open strings themselves form a full E major chord, making it simpler to play chord shapes and allowing for rich, resonant sounds.

Open E tuning is popular in blues, folk, and rock music. It facilitates slide guitar playing, where the slide can be placed straight across the strings to form chords, since the open strings already create a harmonious chord. This tuning is also favored for its ability to produce a fuller, more vibrant sound compared to standard tuning.

Is Open E Tuning Bad for a Guitar?

Open E tuning can potentially pose some risks to a guitar, particularly if the instrument is not properly adjusted or if the tuning is used extensively over a long period. The primary concern with Open E tuning is the increased tension it places on the guitar’s neck and strings.

Over time, the extra tension can cause the guitar’s neck to warp or bow, especially if the guitar is not regularly maintained or if it’s an older or less sturdy instrument.

Strings tuned higher than their standard pitch are more prone to snapping, which could be inconvenient and potentially dangerous if a string breaks while playing.

To counteract the increased tension, it might be necessary to adjust the truss rod. This is a delicate process and is best done by a professional or an experienced player to avoid damaging the instrument.

Still, nothing is going to happen to your guitar (unless it’s really really old) if you decide to play Open E for a couple of days. Ideally, you should tune down the strings after playing and not leave your guitar in Open E after your session is over.

A snapping string is the only potential immediate risk, so be careful when tightening them.

If you are a touring musician who will often use Open E for some songs, it is best to have a separate guitar that is adjusted for this tuning.

How to Tune to Open E Tuning

To play open E, the sixth, fifth, and first strings remain the same as in standard tuning. However, the fourth string (D) is tuned up a whole step to E, the third string (G) is tuned up a half step to G#, and the second string (B) remains the same.

Here’s the overview of which strings need to go up:

A ↑ B

D ↑ E

G ↑ G#

Therefore, the tuning now looks E-B-E-G#-B-E, as opposed to the standard E-A-D-G-B-E.

Be mindful of the increased tension on the strings, especially when tuning the D and G strings higher. Tune slowly and carefully to avoid breaking the strings.

For more accuracy, especially if you’re new to this tuning, use an electronic tuner. It will help you reach the correct pitches without straining your strings too much.

Since you’re tightening strings more than their standard tuning, the will likely detune shortly after that, so you might have to check your tuning a bit more regularly.

Open E Tuning Guitar Chords

Playing chords in Open E tuning can be both rewarding and straightforward, as the tuning naturally forms an E major chord when played open. This tuning allows for easier fingerings for many chords, especially major ones. Simply put, to play a major chord, just press their barre position with one finger and you’ll form it.

For example, if you want to play F major, press all six strings of the first fret, as follows:

E|———-1————-|

B|———-1————-|

G#|———1————-|

E|———–1————-|

B|———–1————-|

E|———–1————-|

For F#, move to the second fret, for G to the third, and so on.

Here are some common chords in Open E tuning, along with a brief description of how to play each:

Playing Minor Chords in Open E

Since you only need one finger to play major chords, playing minors is a bit more different. Basically, you have to plat that one third-step major note for half a fret lower. For Em, it would look something like this:

E|———-0————-|

B|———-0————-|

G#|———3————-|

E|———–3————-|

B|———–0————-|

E|———–0————-|

However, in most cases, playing barre chords would look something like this. Let’s take A minor for example.

E|———-X————-|

B|———-X————-|

G#|———4————-|

E|———–5————-|

B|———–5————-|

E|———–5————-|

In other words, you shouldn’t play the first and second strings. Technically, it would be best to play 5-5 on them as well, in this case, but it’s physically impossible with one hand.

Another variation of playing a more treble-friendly version of A minor is actually playing the first two strings, but not the 5th and 6th

E|———-5————-|

B|———-5————-|

G#|———4————-|

E|———–5————-|

B|———–X————-|

E|———–X————-|

Move your hand up and down the neck to play minor chords based on the standard root note.

Songs in Open E Tuning

• She Talks to Angels by The Black Crowes — Notable for its haunting acoustic riff, this song is a great example of how Open E can be used to create emotive and resonant music.
• Little Martha by The Allman Brothers Band — This instrumental piece is a classic example of the use of Open E in a more melodic Southern rock composition.
• Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones — Another classic from The Rolling Stones that utilizes Open E tuning to create its memorable riff. Richards is known for exploring the open tunings.
• Statesboro Blues by The Allman Brothers Band — A blues standard, this song makes excellent use of slide guitar in Open E tuning. Duane Allman relied on Open E for many slide guitar parts.

One of the guitar players that I really admire and rely heavily on the slide and open E tunings is Derek Trucks and one of his iconic solos in this live performance.

Open E Scales

This tuning, which aligns your guitar to an E major chord when played open, offers unique possibilities for creating melodies and improvisations.

In Open E, the major scale can be played with new fingerings. Here’s an example of an E major scale:

E|——––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––—-0—2—4——-|

B|——––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––—-0—2—4—–––––––––—-|

G#|———––––––––––––––––––––––––––––0—1—–––––––––––––––––——-|

E|——––––––––––––––––––––––—–0—2—–––––––––––––––––––––––——-|

B|——–––––––—––––––––0—2—4——–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-|

E|——–––––—–0—2—4—–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––—-|

The other relevant scale to know here is the pentatonic blues, which can be used for slide blues guitar.

E|——––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––—-0—3—5—–—-|

B|——––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––—-0—3——––––––––––—-|

G#|———––––––––––––––––––––––––––––1—2—––––––––––––––––––——-|

E|——––––––––––––––––––––––—–0—3—––––––––––––––––––––––––——-|

B|——–––––––—–––––––––—0—3——–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-|

E|——–––––—–0—3—5—6––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––—-|

Of course, these are just single positions for the two scales. I encourage you to explore other positions and especially try this with slide.

Here’s the classic by the Allman Brothers, as performed by Derek Trucks and Jerry Douglas.

Conclusion

Open E tuning is a versatile and expressive way to play the guitar. It’s particularly useful for slide guitar, blues, and rock music.

While it may require some adjustments to your guitar and a new approach to chords and scales, the rich and resonant sounds it produces are well worth the effort.

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player, experimenting with Open E tuning can bring a fresh perspective to your guitar playing and expand your musical horizons.

If you are interested in exploring other cool scales, check out my guide to alternate tunings.