About alternate
guitar tunings...
- The subject of alternate
guitar tunings is a fun, and often controversial one.
- To be clear,
remember that the term "standard" is all relative.
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- Generally the Six-string
E-A-D-G-B-E tuning is considered "standard" in most guitar
contexts,
- however there
are literally hundreds of ways to tune the instrument and make good
music.
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There are also guitars that
have more or less strings in addition to a "non-standard"
tuning format.
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- When approached on the
subject of playing an alternately tuned or say 7-string instrument,
- the average
guitarist will often remark: I can barely play my 6-string
E-A-D-G-B-E,
- why would I want to
increase my headaches?
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This is one way to look at
it, but always keep in mind that there are many ways to
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view any subject and an
open mind can be a valuable thing in life.
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Although obviously not for
everyone, there are some credible reasons why you might want
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to consider
experimenting with alternate
tunings or non-standard instruments.
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1. To expand or change the
available note range on the instrument.
- It is possible that as a
musician, you need (or want) to make music using notes
- that are outside of the
range of a "standard" strung and tuned guitar.
- This is one reason why
7-string B-E-A-D-G-B-E tuned guitars are gaining popularity.
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- The addition of the low
"B" string allows players to create riffs, melodies, and
even chords
- that would not
otherwise be possible. A number of modern "Rock" and "Heavy
Metal" style guitarists
- have adopted the
7-string guitar and this tuning combination as their primary
"standard" instrument.
Jimmy Bruno an awesome jazz
guitarist, plays much trio work and uses a 7-string tuning:
A-E-A-D-G-B-E.
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Interestingly, he uses the low "A" primarily for
"jazz" bass type riffs and lines although the tuning
allows
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for some really unusual and nontraditional low range chords /
harmonies.
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Originally, when I read
about his tuning I wondered about the logic of Jimmy changing the low
"B" to an "A".
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- Once I charted the
tuning using M.A.M.I. it was easy to see the logic and purpose of such
a change
- especially from a
harmonic standpoint. There are a great many practical uses for
this tuning I discovered.
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- As accomplished as Jimmy is
(and he is tops!) I presented him a copy of the M.A.M.I. Scale Atlas with
the
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hope that he might see
some more uses (particularly harmonically) for his a for his unique
tuning.
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2. To allow for easier, or
impossible fingerings on the instrument.
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- If you study the
guitar long enough, you will realize that some chords and lines are very difficult
or not
- possible to
play using the standard
E-A-D-G-B-E tuning. It is possible that you might need (or prefer)
- to arrange the notes
differently on the fingerboard using a non-standard tuning to accomplish
the "impossible".
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There are a number of
interesting tunings to this effect. "Open" tunings are often
used to simplify chordal and harmonic
- playing throughout the range
of the instrument by reducing the amount of hand / finger movement
necessary
- to create the desired
chords. Strange as
it may seem for most guitarists, sometimes an "alternate"
- or different tuning can help
you play better...or play the impossible!
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An open mind
is important in life...if you combine this with a bit of extra study on the
instrument, anything is possible.
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