Standard E TuningPsychedelic Rock / Blues RockAdvancedNo Capo

Machine Gun

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

Song Overview & Tuning Breakdown

Band of Gypsys' extended anti-war epic is played in standard E tuning. Hendrix's expressive bends, controlled feedback and rhythmic phrasing make it a landmark of electric blues-rock improvisation.

Key Chord Voicings:

Em (0-2-2-0-0-0)Bm7 (x-2-4-2-3-2)Am (x-0-2-2-1-0)

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Tunings Close to Standard E Tuning

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

Drop D Tuning130 songs

D - A - D - G - B - EOnly string 6 differs: D instead of E.

Half-Step Down / Eb Standard109 songs

Eb - Ab - Db - Gb - Bb - EbSame chord shapes, every string a half step lower.

D Standard / Whole-Step Down86 songs

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

AADGBE Tuning19 songs

A - A - D - G - B - EOnly string 6 differs: A instead of E.

Jimi Hendrix’s Guitar Tunings

Jimi Hendrix plays 3 of 7 songs in our catalog in Standard E Tuning. Most-used tunings:

Half-Step Down / Eb StandardEb - Ab - Db - Gb - Bb - Eb4 songs
Standard EE - A - D - G - B - E3 songs

Gear for Standard E Tuning

Strings and tools that make playing "Machine Gun" in Standard E 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.

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“Machine Gun” Tuning FAQ

What tuning is "Machine Gun" by Jimi Hendrix in?

"Machine Gun" is played in Standard E Tuning: E - A - D - G - B - E, from the lowest to the highest string. That is standard tuning, so no retuning is needed.