Guitar tuning

Open E Minor 7 Tuning

E·B·D·G·B·E

Tonal centre E minor 7 — from standard, raise one string Also called Open Em7, EBDGBE Difficulty Trivial — only the 5th string moves

Open on the Canvas → Explore chords in the app

Open E minor 7 is the smallest alternate tuning there is. From standard, raise the 5th string a whole step from A to B — that is the entire change. The open strings, E, B, D, G, B, E, now spell an E minor seventh, and every other string stays exactly where it was.

Because only one string moves, almost everything you know still applies. It is a quick way to get a droning open Em7 under folk and singer-songwriter parts in E minor — strum the open strings and the full chord is there, then move a finger or two around it without losing the drone.

How to tune to Open E Minor 7

From standard tuning:

6th (lowest) E — unchanged
5th A → B (up a whole step)
4th D — unchanged
3rd G — unchanged
2nd B — unchanged
1st (highest) E — unchanged

Open—Shape’s tuner listens for one string at a time and tells you which string it is and how far off — including in alternate tunings like this one.

What Open E Minor 7 does well

A minor seventh from one peg turn. Raise the 5th string a whole step and the open strings are Em7 — nothing else changes.
Standard shapes still work. Five of six strings are unchanged, so most chords, scales and songs carry over almost untouched.
An open-chord drone in E minor. The open Em7 rings under fretted notes, which suits folk and fingerstyle writing in E minor.
Instant to reach and leave. One string, one whole step — the fastest alternate tuning to try mid-set.

Common chords in Open E Minor 7

Only the 5th string differs from standard, so most shapes read normally. The grid shows the easiest voicing the engine finds for each chord; tap to browse the rest.

Em7 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 of 696 → Em 0 0 x 0 0 0 1 of 712 → G 3 0 0 0 0 3 1 of 484 → Am 5 5 x 5 5 0 1 of 237 → C x 1 x 0 1 0 1 of 407 → D x x 0 2 x 2 1 of 204 → Bm x 0 0 x 0 2 1 of 328 → D7 x x 0 2 1 2 1 of 194 →

Numbers read low string to high; 0 is open, × is muted.

A progression to try

An Em7–G–D–C loop over the open strings:

Em7→G→D→C

Songs in Open E Minor 7

Folk and singer-songwriter writing in E minor
A one-string step from standard into an open Em7
Used for a droning minor-seventh backdrop

Where you’ll hear it

Folk and singer-songwriter players who want a droning open Em7 without leaving standard tuning behind. The single-string change makes it the easiest open tuning to reach for.

Open a Open E Minor 7 canvas — a tuning module already set, wired to a starter progression, every shape recalculated for you.

Open on the Canvas → Explore chords in the app

Open E Minor 7 tuning FAQ

What are the notes in Open E minor 7 tuning?

From lowest to highest: E, B, D, G, B, E. It is standard tuning with only the 5th string raised a whole step, from A to B. The open strings form an E minor seventh chord.

Which string changes for Open E minor 7?

Just the 5th string — up a whole step from A to B. Every other string stays at standard pitch, which is why so little has to be relearned.

How is Open E minor 7 different from Open E minor?

Open E minor raises two strings (the 5th and the 4th). Open E minor 7 raises only the 5th, so the 4th stays at D — adding the flat seventh and making the open chord an Em7 rather than a plain Em.

Do my normal chords work in Open E minor 7?

Mostly. Five strings are unchanged, so shapes that do not rely on the open or fretted 5th string transfer directly. Chords using the 5th string shift, often toward a fuller, more open sound in E minor.

Can I use a capo in Open E minor 7?

Yes — a capo raises all six strings and keeps the 5th string a whole step above where standard puts it, so the open minor-seventh sound moves up in key. Open—Shape recalculates every shape for the capo.

Related tunings

Open D Minor Open E Minor Open A Minor Open G Minor Open C Minor Open A Minor 7 Open E7 Open G Major 7