Open E Tuning Scales: A Playable Fretboard Reference
Open E tuning is E2–B2–E3–G#3–B3–E4 from the 6th string to the 1st, and the two pentatonic scales players use most in it are E major pentatonic (E–F#–G#–B–C#) and E minor pentatonic (E–G–A–B–D). The switcher below shows one precomputed fretboard map at a time, from the open strings to the 12th fret, with the fret positions written out underneath. One fact decides between the two scales: five of the six open strings belong to both, and the 3rd string is the exception, because it is tuned to G# — a note that is in the major pentatonic and not in the minor one.
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Set open E first
Open E is a raised tuning. Three strings stay exactly where they are in standard, and three go up.
| String | Standard EADGBE | Open E | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6th (lowest) | E2 | E2 | Unchanged |
| 5th | A2 | B2 | Raised two semitones |
| 4th | D3 | E3 | Raised two semitones |
| 3rd | G3 | G#3 | Raised one semitone |
| 2nd | B3 | B3 | Unchanged |
| 1st (highest) | E4 | E4 | Unchanged |
Confirm the target pitch of each string against the tuning frequency chart if you want the numbers rather than the note names. The 3rd string is the one to slow down on: it moves by a single semitone, from G to G#, and every scale position on this page depends on it being G#.
Because three strings are tuned higher than standard rather than lower, open E adds tension to the instrument instead of removing it. If a string will not hold pitch, or the instrument starts to buzz or play stiffly after the change, treat that as a setup question rather than a scale question, and have a qualified guitar tech look at it.
Open E and open C are different tunings, and neither the chord shapes nor the scale positions carry across from one to the other. If you also play in open C, its chord shapes are charted separately in the open C tuning chord shapes reference.
Major Chord Check: The six open strings of open E already sound an E major chord — E, G#, and B. Play all six together and listen for a settled major chord before you work on any scale. It is the quickest check that the tuning is right.
Which pentatonic scale?
Pick a scale. The fretboard map and the position chart below both change to match it. Both scales stay in the page, so nothing disappears if the script does not run.
E major pentatonic is E – F# – G# – B – C#. E minor pentatonic is E – G – A – B – D. They share E, B, and the two E strings in between.
Open E fretboard map
Read down the string column, then across the fret numbers. Note names sit in the frets where the scale is playable; a dot means the fret is outside that scale.
E major pentatonic — frets 0 to 12
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6th (lowest) | E | · | F# | · | G# | · | · | B | · | · | · | · | E |
| 5th | B | · | · | · | · | E | · | F# | · | G# | · | · | B |
| 4th | E | · | F# | · | G# | · | · | B | · | · | · | · | E |
| 3rd | G# | · | · | B | · | · | · | · | E | · | F# | · | G# |
| 2nd | B | · | · | · | · | E | · | F# | · | G# | · | · | B |
| 1st (highest) | E | · | F# | · | G# | · | · | B | · | · | · | · | E |
E minor pentatonic — frets 0 to 12
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6th (lowest) | E | · | · | G | · | A | · | B | · | · | D | · | E |
| 5th | B | · | · | D | · | E | · | · | G | · | A | · | B |
| 4th | E | · | · | G | · | A | · | B | · | · | D | · | E |
| 3rd | · | A | · | B | · | · | D | · | E | · | · | G | · |
| 2nd | B | · | · | D | · | E | · | · | G | · | A | · | B |
| 1st (highest) | E | · | · | G | · | A | · | B | · | · | D | · | E |
The 3rd string row is the one that changes between the two maps. In E major pentatonic it starts on G# and the open string is usable. In E minor pentatonic the open string is outside the scale, so that row starts at fret 1.
Three strings in open E are tuned to E — the 6th, 4th, and 1st — and two are tuned to B — the 5th and 2nd. That is why the map repeats. The three E strings carry one pattern, the two B strings carry another, and the 3rd string carries a pattern of its own.
Fret positions for every string
The same maps written out as frets, in case you are working from a tab or a chord sheet rather than a picture.
E major pentatonic — E – F# – G# – B – C#
| String | Fret — note |
|---|---|
| 6th (lowest) | 0 — E2, 2 — F#2, 4 — G#2, 7 — B2, 12 — E3 |
| 5th | 0 — B2, 5 — E3, 7 — F#3, 9 — G#3, 12 — B3 |
| 4th | 0 — E3, 2 — F#3, 4 — G#3, 7 — B3, 12 — E4 |
| 3rd | 0 — G#3, 3 — B3, 8 — E4, 10 — F#4, 12 — G#4 |
| 2nd | 0 — B3, 5 — E4, 7 — F#4, 9 — G#4, 12 — B4 |
| 1st (highest) | 0 — E4, 2 — F#4, 4 — G#4, 7 — B4, 12 — E5 |
E minor pentatonic — E – G – A – B – D
| String | Fret — note |
|---|---|
| 6th (lowest) | 0 — E2, 3 — G2, 5 — A2, 7 — B2, 10 — D3, 12 — E3 |
| 5th | 0 — B2, 3 — D3, 5 — E3, 8 — G3, 10 — A3, 12 — B3 |
| 4th | 0 — E3, 3 — G3, 5 — A3, 7 — B3, 10 — D4, 12 — E4 |
| 3rd | 1 — A3, 3 — B3, 6 — D4, 8 — E4, 11 — G4 |
| 2nd | 0 — B3, 3 — D4, 5 — E4, 8 — G4, 10 — A4, 12 — B4 |
| 1st (highest) | 0 — E4, 3 — G4, 5 — A4, 7 — B4, 10 — D5, 12 — E5 |
Sharps are used throughout because open E is a sharp-side tuning. Fret numbers above 12 repeat the same pattern an octave higher.
Which scale, and which string decides it
Both scales work in open E. The choice is made by the song, not by the tuning.
| If you are playing | Use | Open strings you can use | Where the 3rd string goes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blues or blues-rock in E (E7, A7, B7) | E minor pentatonic | 6th, 5th, 4th, 2nd, 1st | Fret 3 — B, 6 — D, 8 — E, 11 — G |
| Rock, country, or folk in E major (E, A, B) | E major pentatonic | All six | Fret 0 — G#, 3 — B, 8 — E, 10 — F# |
| A minor-key progression in E (Em, Am, Bm) | E minor pentatonic | 6th, 5th, 4th, 2nd, 1st | Fret 3 — B, 6 — D, 8 — E, 11 — G |
| A song that moves between E major and E minor | Switch with the chord | Depends on the chord | Fret 0 for major; frets 3 and 6 for minor |
| A line you want played entirely on open strings | E major pentatonic | All six | Fret 0 — G# |
Rows 1 and 3 are the same scale and the same 3rd-string frets. The only difference is the chords underneath.
A short routine that uses the tuning
- Tune to E–B–E–G#–B–E and check the 3rd string is G#, not G. Every position on this page depends on that one semitone.
- Play all six open strings. That is an E major chord, and in E major pentatonic it is also six scale notes, so nothing needs to move.
- Play the same six strings again thinking in E minor pentatonic. Five of them are still in the scale; leave the 3rd string out.
- Find the E at fret 12 on the 6th, 4th, and 1st strings. Everything between fret 0 and fret 11 repeats one octave higher from fret 12.
- Play the major pentatonic pattern on the 6th string and then the same pattern on the 4th string. The shapes are identical because both strings are tuned to E. The 5th and 2nd strings pair the same way.
- Loop a 12-bar blues in E and stay inside E minor pentatonic, using only the open strings and frets 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 11.
- Loop E, A, and B, and stay inside E major pentatonic. Notice that the 3rd string is now usable open.
What this page does not do
- It does not tune the instrument. Use a tuner, and check the 3rd string first — it is the string that moves by a single semitone from standard.
- It covers two scales. E major (E–F#–G#–A–B–C#–D#) and E natural minor (E–F#–G–A–B–C–D) are the parent scales behind these two pentatonics, but their fret positions are not charted here.
- It covers frets 0 to 12. Everything repeats an octave higher above the 12th fret.
- It assumes six strings. Seven-string, twelve-string, and other extended instruments need their own string list, so work from the instrument's actual string count rather than assuming six.
- It produces no sound. The switcher changes which map is shown and nothing else; no part of this page plays a note.
- It does not cover setup. If the instrument rattles, buzzes, plays stiffly, or will not hold pitch after the change to open E, that is a setup question for a qualified guitar tech or the instrument maker's official manual.
- It does not carry across from standard tuning. A scale shape you know in Standard EADGBE has no reason to land on the same notes in open E, because the intervals between the strings are different.
Tune the six strings before you practice a scale
A scale can only sound right if the strings are at pitch. Set E–B–E–G#–B–E first, with extra attention on the 3rd string, since it sits one semitone above the G it is in standard tuning.
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Frequently asked questions
What notes are in open E tuning?
Open E tuning is E2 – B2 – E3 – G#3 – B3 – E4 from the 6th string to the 1st, written as E–B–E–G#–B–E. The 5th, 4th, and 3rd strings are tuned higher than standard; the 6th, 2nd, and 1st are unchanged. The six open strings sound an E major chord.
Which pentatonic scale should I use in open E?
E major pentatonic (E–F#–G#–B–C#) for major-key songs, and E minor pentatonic (E–G–A–B–D) for blues, rock, and minor-key songs. All six open strings belong to the major pentatonic, and five of the six belong to the minor pentatonic.
Why does the 3rd string sound wrong when I play the minor pentatonic?
Because it is tuned to G#, and G# is not in E minor pentatonic. Leave the open 3rd string out of that scale and use fret 3 (B), fret 6 (D), fret 8 (E), or fret 11 (G) on that string instead. In E major pentatonic the open 3rd string is correct as it is.
Five strings shared, one string decided
E major pentatonic and E minor pentatonic agree on five of the six open strings in open E. The 3rd string is the one that tells them apart, and it is also the string that moved the least on the way here from standard tuning.
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