How to Tune to EEEEEE (All E)

EEEEEE tunes every string to an E across three octaves for a massive, droning unison. It turns the whole guitar into a single ringing chord, perfect for the wide-open, choir-like textures behind certain Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young songs and modern ambient parts.

Start in standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E) and change 4 of 6 strings:

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

Printable EEEEEE (All E) chart (PNG / PDF)

Fun Fact

EEEEEE is the E-based cousin of the D 'ostrich tuning' (DDDDDD) that Lou Reed used in the Velvet Underground — both reduce the guitar to a single droning note across all six strings.

String Tension & Setup Tips

Recommended Gauge:Several strings are pulled well up in pitch to reach E; do it slowly and consider a custom set, as tuning the middle strings up to E4 puts them near their breaking tension.

Gear for EEEEEE (All E)

Tools that make tuning to E - E - E - E - E - E easier.

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

D'Addario Pro-Winder (winder + cutter)

Retuning 4 strings means a lot of turning — a winder speeds it up and trims new strings too.

View winder

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I tune to EEEEEE?

From standard tuning (EADGBE), retune each string low to high: 6th E (unchanged), 5th A→E, 4th D→E, 3rd G→E, 2nd B→E, 1st E (unchanged). Match each string to its exact Hz using the interactive tuner above.

What is all-E tuning good for?

It produces a huge droning unison so that a single fretted finger moves a full chord across all strings. It is used for drone-based writing and open, hymn-like textures.