AlChuck Posted June 15, 2001 Share Posted June 15, 2001 Hey all, A bass player friend asked me the other day, "so what is it with the guitar with that major third inetad of a perfect fourth between the third and second strings?" And I opened my mouth and said, "Well, I... uh..." and my jaw hung slack and i scratched my head and I realized... I don't rightly know why. I just kind of accepted from day one that that was how it was and there must be a good reason for it... probably something to do with making certain intervals more readily available in that register... but I honestly don't know why. Can anyone here explain it to me? So I can then explain it to my bass player friend (who thinks its the weirdest thing in the world...)? Thanks! -AlChuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtrmac Posted June 16, 2001 Share Posted June 16, 2001 Your bass player friend doesn't have to play chords. I have a friend who has tuned to fourths for many years. He cannot make a barre chord, Well he can but it sure sounds different than mine. ------------------ Mac Bowne G-Clef Acoustics Ltd. Osaka, Japan Mac Bowne G-Clef Acoustics Ltd. Osaka, Japan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Gauss Posted June 22, 2001 Share Posted June 22, 2001 tune to open g or open d and barre chords aren't even an issue! -d. gauss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted June 22, 2001 Share Posted June 22, 2001 Originally posted by gtrmac@hotmail.com: Your bass player friend doesn't have to play chords. I have a friend who has tuned to fourths for many years. He cannot make a barre chord, Well he can but it sure sounds different than mine. I'm no expert, but I believe this is correct. Most other western stringed instruments are designed to play only 2 strings simultaneously. (violin, viola, cello, double bass) They are tuned to straight 4ths for more consistant linear motion on scales. Any experts want to agree/disagree? ------------------ Neil Reality: A few moments of lucidity surrounded by insanity. It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlChuck Posted June 28, 2001 Author Share Posted June 28, 2001 Thanks for the replies... At first I thought, barre chords? Then I sat down with a neck diagram and wrote some 5-6 string moveable forms and considered how the fingering would have to change to "make" the chord. To play the same voicings with a straight-4ths tuning would be nearly impossible. We would all have to have hands like Allan Holdsworth to play simple E major chords and such... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 I think fiddles are tuned to fifths, aren't they??? At any rate, a fifth sounds good...(falls under table)... "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtrmac Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 I can hardly tune up at all after even one fourth of a fifth. he he....hic! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/eek.gif ------------------ Mac Bowne G-Clef Acoustics Ltd. Osaka, Japan My Music: www.javamusic.com/freedomland Mac Bowne G-Clef Acoustics Ltd. Osaka, Japan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 Originally posted by Tedster: I think fiddles are tuned to fifths, aren't they??? At any rate, a fifth sounds good...(falls under table)... Fiddles are tuned, Ted? ------------------ Neil Reality: A few moments of lucidity surrounded by insanity. It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 Depends on how mush o' that fifththth I'fff f- finished... "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlChuck Posted June 28, 2001 Author Share Posted June 28, 2001 Tedster, Well, if you stand on your head or go downwards or backwards or however you want to express it, a fourth is a fifth... If you tuned from high to low you'd be tuning by fifths... But actually I don't know, maybe fiddles really are tuned in ascending fifths... anyone know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sign Posted June 29, 2001 Share Posted June 29, 2001 Hi Violins are tuned in fifths. Peace. The alchemy of the masters moving molecules of air, we capture by moving particles of iron, so that the poetry of the ancients will echo into the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted June 29, 2001 Share Posted June 29, 2001 Yep, aware of that AlChuck...but I was thinking low pitch to high pitch...whish makesh me want to drink a fiffthh... "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted June 29, 2001 Share Posted June 29, 2001 Probably has something to do with scale length...mandolins are tuned to fifths, too. That'd be a heckuva stretch on something with a scale length as long as a guitar...but on a short mandolin or violin neck it's no problem. "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlChuck Posted June 29, 2001 Author Share Posted June 29, 2001 I'm >>hic<< on my fourthhh fifthhh >>hic< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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