Open E Minor (Cross-Note) TuningDelta BluesIntermediateNo Capo

Aberdeen Mississippi Blues

Required String Notes:E - B - E - G - B - E

Tune to Open E Minor (Cross-Note) Tuning

How to Tune from Standard to Open E Minor (Cross-Note) Tuning

Start in standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E) and change 2 of 6 strings to play “Aberdeen Mississippi Blues”:

String	Standard	Target	What to do
String 6	E2	E2	Leave as is
String 5	A2	B2	Tune up a whole step
String 4	D3	E3	Tune up a whole step
String 3	G3	G3	Leave as is
String 2	B3	B3	Leave as is
String 1	E4	E4	Leave as is

Recommended string gauge: .010–.046. Tension stays close to standard, so a regular set works without any setup changes.Ernie Ball Regular Slinky (.010–.046) · affiliate link

Song Overview & Tuning Breakdown

Bukka White's driving slide showcase, played in a cross-note Open E minor tuning. The open minor chord and heavy right-hand attack give it the raw, hypnotic groove that influenced generations of blues and rock slide players.

Key Chord Voicings:

Open Em slide riffsEm: 0-0-0-0-0-0

Looking for tabs or chords?Search Ultimate Guitar

Tunings Close to Open E Minor (Cross-Note) Tuning

Already tuned to E - B - E - G - B - E? These tunings are just one small change away.

Open D Minor / Crossnote25 songs

D - A - D - F - A - DSame chord shapes, every string a whole step lower.

Open E Tuning20 songs

E - B - E - G# - B - EOnly string 3 differs: G# instead of G.

Custom Tuning (EAEGBE)8 songs

EAEGBEOnly string 5 differs: A instead of B.

Esus2 Tuning (E B E F# B E)7 songs

E - B - E - F# - B - EOnly string 3 differs: F# instead of G.

Bukka White’s Guitar Tunings

Bukka White plays 2 of 2 songs in our catalog in Open E Minor (Cross-Note) Tuning. Most-used tunings:

Open E Minor (Cross-Note) TuningE - B - E - G - B - E2 songs

Gear for Open E Minor (Cross-Note) Tuning

Strings and tools that make playing "Aberdeen Mississippi Blues" in Open E Minor (Cross-Note) Tuning easier.

Ernie Ball Regular Slinky (.010–.046)

Recommended gauge .010–.046. Tension stays close to standard, so a regular set works without any setup changes.

View strings

D'Addario Universal Micro Headstock Tuner

A headstock tuner makes switching in and out of this tuning quick, even on stage or without a mic.

View tuner

Affiliate links: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

“Aberdeen Mississippi Blues” Tuning FAQ

What tuning is "Aberdeen Mississippi Blues" by Bukka White in?

"Aberdeen Mississippi Blues" is played in Open E Minor (Cross-Note) Tuning: E - B - E - G - B - E, from the lowest to the highest string.

How do I tune my guitar to play "Aberdeen Mississippi Blues"?

Start from standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E). String 5: tune up a whole step (A2 → B2). String 4: tune up a whole step (D3 → E3). Leave the other strings as they are.