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New Released in April 2026
Open E Tuning Chords and a Safer Way to Get Them
Open E tuning (E B E G# B E) has exactly the same shapes as open D, a whole step higher. Raise the 5th and 4th strings by a whole step and the 3rd by a half step, and open E tuning chords ring bright and loud, a long-time favourite for slide guitar.
No account, no download. The demo has limited content. Advanced features are in ChordRunner Premium.
- MIDI keyboard
- Digital or acoustic piano
- Guitar
- Computer, phone or tablet
Mind the string tension
Open E is one of the few tunings that tunes strings up, which adds tension to the neck and strings. Many players tune to open D instead and put a capo on fret 2: the chords sound exactly like open E with less stress on the guitar. A string set that is not too heavy also helps.
The barre chart
- Fret 0: E
- Fret 2: F#
- Fret 3: G
- Fret 5: A
- Fret 7: B
- Fret 8: C
- Fret 10: D
- Fret 12: E
Open E Tuning Chords and a Safer Way to Get Them
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps.
Play the demoShapes from the open E chord
- Esus4: open strings with the 3rd string at fret 1 (A).
- E7: open strings with the 2nd string at fret 3 (D).
- Emaj7: open strings with the 2nd string at fret 4 (D#).
- Minor: barre a fret and play the 3rd string one fret lower.
Check every string
Open E, 5th fret (A) and 7th fret (B) are I, IV and V. ChordRunner listens through the microphone to the real notes, so if a raised string drifts flat, the chord will not be recognised: a quick tuning check before you play.
The levels in ChordRunner
- Beginner: major, minor, augmented and diminished chords.
- Intermediate: adds sus2 and sus4.
- Advanced: adds 6th, 7th and 9th chords.
- Pro: adds 11th, 13th and altered chords; an adaptive mode adds the next family when you are ready.
Common questions
How do I tune to open E?
From standard, raise the 5th string from A to B, the 4th from D to E and the 3rd from G to G#. The 6th, 2nd and 1st stay.
Is open E bad for the guitar?
Not if the guitar is in good shape, but it adds tension. Open D with a capo on fret 2 gives the same chords with less strain.
How are open E and open D related?
Same intervals between strings; open E is everything a whole step higher.
Which instruments work?
A USB MIDI keyboard, detected automatically, or a piano or guitar through the microphone. Everything runs in Chrome or Edge on a computer, tablet or phone.
How is this different from apps where you tap the screen?
Tapping trains your eyes and fingers on glass. Here you press real keys or fret real strings, and the game hears the actual notes, so what you practise is exactly what you will play on your instrument.
Is everything in the demo?
The demo has limited content. Advanced features are in ChordRunner Premium.
Your instrument is the controller.
ChordRunner is a browser game that teaches piano and guitar chords: a chord appears on screen, you play it on a real instrument, and your runner jumps. MIDI keyboard or microphone, both work.
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