Tonight’s blog post features the the alternate tuning EBCGF#E in the key of E Harmonic Minor. The notes EBCGF#E are not really a chord but could be considered Em add9 (b13) or something like that!

The video below is a song called “Shadows” that I wrote while improvising in EBCGF#E tuning playing in the E Harmonic Minor scale. The screenshot below the video illustrates the notes I’m playing in scale notes, numbers, scale degrees and intervals.

The beginning chord progression is a bit of a challenge to play:

• Hammer on string 2/fret 3
• Pull off to string 2/fret 1
• Hammer on string 2/fret 3
• Pull off string 2/fret 1
• Pull off string 2/open

And then without a pause or break, I strum the chord (string 4/fret 3, string 3/fret 2, string 2/open, string 1/open) and then finish on string 5/open.

Because I’m attempting to write a new song in a new, unique tuning 6 days a week and blog about it, I don’t spend a lot of time perfecting my technique. Most of the videos I post are capturing my initial improvisations and if I don’t make too many mistakes, I upload it as-is.

One of the reasons I love playing in alternate tuning so much is the way my creativity is triggered by simply changing the locations of the notes on the fretboard. The tuning itself guides the direction of each new song.

May these daily alt tunings continue to inspire you as you explore songwriting beyond the limitations of standard tuning. If you’d like to learn more about making alt tuning a part of your songwriting, give me a call at 888-7-GUITAR or reach out to me here.

Until next time…

~Scott Quillin

Did you know? Scott started playing guitar when he was 14 years old back in 1982. A Pittsburgh native, Scott resides in Rhode Island where he teaches guitar, bass, music and songwriting. He also records and mixes songs for local bands and artists as well as his own music. He writes and records nearly every day and has a real passion to help others hear their “inner voice” and express that in songs.

You can listen to more of Scott’s music at https://soundcloud.com/scottquillin.