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  •  Hi, Rob.  Lots of great info. in response to your question!    EG#BE are the highest four notes used in open E tuning on a 6 string guitar "EBEG#BE" .    You can get a chord book for open tunings for guitar .  Most of the chords will work with out the two lowest sounding strings.   Lessons on riffs and songs on You Tube in open E on a six string can be applied to your 4 string in open E.    That being said, Phrygian Kid's info. is awesome and worth trying to wrap your head around. See his "I see threes" post.   I'm not to bright , so it makes my head hurt !!  

  • I've attached a chord chart with some diatonic chords (chords in the given key), common seventh chords and some moveable chord shapes. It's late, I hope I've got them right, feel free to point out any errors.

    This is a great tuning for 4 string, especially if you're playing slide blues.

    Have a look at my video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGvlAooV7uA

    Cheers

    chords_in_open_E.pdf

    • Thanks Patrick and thanks everyone...nice to get new knowledge going in!!

  • ok.  well before there is three pages of misinformation and name calling ..

    ....................

    your tuning is made of (i) (iii) and (v) notes. (an E major.. or "home")

    ......................

    the first chord you want is (iv) (aka A major or "away from home")

    it is spelled  (iv) (vi) (i)

    so raise the (v) in your tuning to (vi)   -    2 frets..

    and raise the (iii) in your tuning to a (iv) - 1 fret.

    .........................

    the second chord you want is (v) (aka B major or "need to go home" )

    it is spelled  (v) (vii) (ii)

    so raise the (i) in your tuning to (ii)   -    2 frets..

    and raise the (iii) in your tuning to a (iv) - 1 fret.   (this is cheating.  it makes a B7.  but it also makes it much easier ;) 

    .........................

    ok then there is the minors..

    .........................

    the third chord you want is (vi) (aka C# minor or "home")

    it is spelled  (vi) (i) (iii)

    so raise the (v) in your tuning to (vi)   -    2 frets.. (easy huh, thats cos its the 'relative minor' of your home note )

    .........................

    the fourth chord you want is (ii) (aka F# minor or "away from home")

    it is spelled  (ii) (iv) (vi)

    its trickier, the first one with no open strings :(

    so raise the (i) in your tuning to (ii)   -    2 frets..

     raise the (iii) in your tuning to (iv)   -    1 fret..

     raise the (v) in your tuning to (vi)   -    2 frets..

    (try to view this as a variation on your (iv) chord, (it is (iv)'s relative minor..)..)

    .........................

    the fifth chord you want is (iii) (aka G# minor or "need to go home")

    it is spelled  (iii) (v) (vii)

    well we could take the same form / shape as just before and push it two frets further..

    raise the (i) in your tuning to (iii)   -    4 frets..

     raise the (iii) in your tuning to (v)   -    3 frets..

     raise the (v) in your tuning to (vii)   -   4 frets..

    or...

    leave the (iii) and (v) strings be and just raise the (i) string by 11 frets.... 

    (try to view this as a variation on your (v) chord, (it is (v)'s relative minor..)..)

    .........................

    you can pretty much follow this formula with any open tuning eh ;)

    ps. practice your major scale and you'll see how all these fit into it

    • Oh Dear.Im lost thankyou for taking the time to write to me but I dont know this code...also it reads like theres 3 strings...but then I dont know what this all means...really sorry

      Rob

      • Ok well....

        (this is not intended in any way, shape or form as disrespectful, please bear with me....)

        I have honestly laid it out in the simplest terms it possibly can be.  You can seek alternate explanations, look at oily's app, Pat's diagrams etc...    

        or...

        Try to 'get it'   - its close dude.   If you're smart enough to make even a rudimentary cbg then you can follow me.

        The reason it reads like there is only 3 strings is there is only 3 notes; your tuning features E (i) twice...  If your guitar had more strings it may well feature other notes more than once too.  To start try leaving out (muting) one of the E strings and voicing these chords on only 3 strings.  By switching out the E string from top or bottom you'll invert your chord voicing. (i.e. just sounding the notes in a different order)

        In your E tuning the E strings are the (i) strings, the G# is the (iii) and the B is the (v).  If in doubt just count the letters on your fingers. (don't worry about accidentals,  ♭,♯, just count letters. E = (i), F = (ii), G = (iii) etc)  But really, the (letter + accidental) note name format is an unneccesary distraction.  the beauty of working with these romans instead is you get a 'family' of chords, guys who can work well together. (and you can move all your knowledge across to your next tuning without worrying about transposing these names...)

        So...

        if we take 'the first chord you want is (iv)..

        i wrote... 

        so raise the (v) in your tuning to (vi)   -    2 frets..

        and raise the (iii) in your tuning to a (iv) - 1 fret.

        Ive applied those first two recipes to your tuning and I got these 2 results.  I hope that helps you try the remaining ones :)  don't forget you can skip one of the two (i) strings over for an easier fingering...

        306357152?profile=original

        • many thanks for this.... Ill get it down..I want to! need to understand this

      • I'll knock you up a chart when I get home from work tonight.

        • Thanks Patrick

      • Rob,

        Try the ChordGenie app. You can do pretty much any stringed instrument on it, in any tuning, on all 12 frets, with majors, minors, etc. chords, in any key. This will give you a quick visual. Then go back and do what the Kid sez. He's trying to make you learn some basic music theory. Also, read his I See Threes blog, with your git in hand.
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