All fourths
Encyclopedia
All fourths tuning is an alternate tuning for a guitar. It eliminates the major third
between the third and second strings. Thus, the interval between each string is a perfect fourth
, resulting in: E-A-D-G-C-F. It is believed that Bob Bianco pioneered this tuning. One of the most renowned guitar players using this tuning is Stanley Jordan
.
The advantage of this tuning is that it allows most chords to be simply moved down or across the fretboard, dramatically reducing the number of different finger positions that need to be memorized. It also makes playing melodies and solos far faster, since all positions for fingering are exactly the same everywhere. By simplifying the transposition process for scalar patterns and chords, the fourths tuning can be especially useful for jazz guitarists. For instance: fingering for octaves (and other intervals for that matter) remains the same regardless of the pair of strings the octave is being playing on. Another very significant advantage is that all power chords can be played at any two strings as inversed fourths.
Major third
In classical music from Western culture, a third is a musical interval encompassing three staff positions , and the major third is one of two commonly occurring thirds. It is qualified as major because it is the largest of the two: the major third spans four semitones, the minor third three...
between the third and second strings. Thus, the interval between each string is a perfect fourth
Perfect fourth
In classical music from Western culture, a fourth is a musical interval encompassing four staff positions , and the perfect fourth is a fourth spanning five semitones. For example, the ascending interval from C to the next F is a perfect fourth, as the note F lies five semitones above C, and there...
, resulting in: E-A-D-G-C-F. It is believed that Bob Bianco pioneered this tuning. One of the most renowned guitar players using this tuning is Stanley Jordan
Stanley Jordan
Stanley Jordan is an American jazz/jazz fusion guitarist and pianist, best known for his development of the tapping technique for the guitar....
.
The advantage of this tuning is that it allows most chords to be simply moved down or across the fretboard, dramatically reducing the number of different finger positions that need to be memorized. It also makes playing melodies and solos far faster, since all positions for fingering are exactly the same everywhere. By simplifying the transposition process for scalar patterns and chords, the fourths tuning can be especially useful for jazz guitarists. For instance: fingering for octaves (and other intervals for that matter) remains the same regardless of the pair of strings the octave is being playing on. Another very significant advantage is that all power chords can be played at any two strings as inversed fourths.
External links
http://lilytears.com/arts/music/guitar/methods/intro/4ths.htm - Justin Perdue: notes on tuning guitar in fourths
- Guitar Tuning in Fourths - a knol by justin perdue
- Zhille's Guitar Blog: Perfect Fourths (P4) Tuning – Basics and examples