Open Cmaj7 tuning

The open C major 7th tuning is an alternative tuning for guitar.

To get the open Cmaj7 tuning on your guitar you tune it like this: CGEGBE. The strings that differ from the standard should be turned so the string tension is decreased and not the opposite. The exception is the fourth string which should be tuned up from D to E. This will increase the tension on that string, but on the same time the total tension will decrease.

More info

Including an octave perspective, the tuning is written C2-G2-E3-G3-B3-E4, meaning that the lowest string is a C note on the second octave, the second lowest string is a G note on the second octave and so on. Standard tuning reference: E2-A2-D3-G3-B3-E4.

Chords

Cmaj7

C

C6

Cmaj9

Dm11

Dsus2

Em/B

Em

Fmaj7

Gmaj7

Am

Am7

Comments

There are obviously plenty of possible chord shapes for C major chords, which some are presented above.

Dm chords are more problematic because the open 4th string is E and not D as in standard tuning. The presented Dm chords are correctly written Dm11/C. The fingerings X00231 would result in Dmadd9/G and XX0231 would result in Dm/E. Notice also that the Dsus2 chord can be written as Dsus2/G.

Em chords cannot be played with the 6th open as in standard tuning.

F and G chords are quite hard to find natural shapes for in open position. G7 could however be played as X01003.

Chord voicings

C6/D

Gmaj7/E

Cmaj7/F

Am9

Asus2/C

Emadd9/B

E5

Esus2/F#

Comments

There are only a few of all voicing possibilities with open ringing strings suitable from the Open Cmaj7 tuning.

Additional open chords in this tuning:

Cmaj7: X50500
Asus2: X20200
E5/B: X40400
Bmadd11/D: X70700
Em7/D: X77000
Cmaj13: X55000

See below for pdf chord chart ("Essential Chords in Open Cmaj7 Tuning ebook") for many more voicings, progressions etc.

Chord progressions

Progressions in this specific tuning:

Cmaj7 (000000) - Fmaj7 (555555) - Gmaj7 (777777)

Cmaj7 (000000) - C6/D (220010) - Em7 (440030)

More progressions with fingerings presented by diagrams can be found in the mentioned ebook above.

If you want to go more into depth of this particular guitar tuning, see the Essential Chords in Open Cmaj7 Tuning ebook.