Sligo River Blues

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

Song Overview & Tuning Breakdown

"Sligo River Blues" by John Fahey is played in Standard E (E - A - D - G - B - E). No retuning is needed if your guitar is already in standard tuning. John Fahey uses this same tuning on 3 other songs in our catalog, so you can stay tuned and keep playing.

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Tunings Close to Standard E

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.

John Fahey’s Guitar Tunings

John Fahey plays 4 of 18 songs in our catalog in Standard E. Most-used tunings:

Standard EE - A - D - G - B - E4 songs
Drop D TuningD - A - D - G - B - E2 songs
Open G MinorD - G - D - G - Bb - D1 song
Custom Tuning (GGDGBD)GGDGBD1 song
DADADD (Tremonti)D - A - D - A - D - D1 song

Gear for Standard E

Strings and tools that make playing "Sligo River Blues" in Standard E 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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“Sligo River Blues” Tuning FAQ

What tuning is "Sligo River Blues" by John Fahey in?

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

What string gauge should I use for Standard E?

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

Which other John Fahey songs use this tuning?

"I'm Gonna Do All I Can For My Lord", "In Christ There Is No East Or West", "Sun Gonna Shine In My Back Door Some Day Blues" — all in E - A - D - G - B - E, so you can play them without retuning.