5ths Tuning?

[Metal Ken]

Okay, I saw that thing on the TK guitar page about 5ths tuning. I've tried it on the bass side of a stick, but 34" scale didnt work too hot for me for 5ths.

BUt on a 27" or a 25.5" scale, How the hell could get something like that to work?

I was thinking staggered 5ths... But what would be something good with that?

Alternately, straight 5ths on a 7, you'd need strings like this:

(@27")
F# .007" PL == 11.22lbs
B .011" PL == 12.34lbs
E .019" NW == 14.25lbs
A .030" NW == 15.75lbs
D .046" NW == 15.56lbs
G .070" NW == 16.2lbs
C .115" NW == 16.67lbs
total == 102.0Lbs

Thats way too low to do on a regular guitar isn't it?

 

[JBroll]

Sounds like it would be a bit hard to pull off on a 7. I doubt you'd even fit those strings comfortably across a fretboard, let alone with the nut already on the guitar - I'm getting the feeling that when my 14-90 sets come in I'm going to have some fun doing up a new nut.

I'd honestly go for it with a 6 if I were you - works out much easier. Just don't worry about that low string and you'll be much happier - GDAEBF# or FCGDAE will be much easier to manage.

Jeff

 

[Metal Ken]

Here's the problem -- i dont have a 6 string guitar that has frets

Yeah, thats what i thought. Perhaps some kind of staggered tuning with octaves somewhere in the middle?

 

[Ancestor]

You could toss a fourth in there somewhere... maybe in a couple places, but I think the whole point of fifths is for instruments with four strings. That Celloblaster that Schecter had available was a 5 string instrument. Doesn't seem as necessary with a 7.

Still, I'll bet you could get some amazing metal chord spellings out of something like that. Townsend uses fifths? How does he do it? Strings, etc.

Here's something:

Devin Townsend Tuning [Archive] - John Petrucci Forums

 

[dpm]

Tried it once on a six but the stretch is a bit much for me. Scales become 4 notes/string rather than 3 notes/string. On a longer scale that's going to be even more difficult.

 

[Metal Ken]

Still, I'll bet you could get some amazing metal chord spellings out of something like that. Townsend uses fifths? How does he do it? Strings, etc.

Townsend tuned in alternating 4ths and 5ths... something like CGCGCGE, i think.

DPM-- Well, going from a 34" scale to a 25 or 27" should make it a lot easier to me

I've messed with it on the stick, but it just didnt work there well for me. I Want to try it on a regular guitar though...

 

[JBroll]

Try it on that bass you're trying to sell off.

Maybe try FCGDGBE. Range of an eight-string, lowest strings are in fifths, still a familiar top end - or you could have straight fifths symmetrically and fourths with FCGDGCF.

Jeff

 

[Apophis]

I think the best way to use fifths tuning is to buy/build a fanned frets guitar to avoid that heavy gauges as much as possible.

 

[distressed_romeo]

Maybe something like Devin Townsend's open C tuning on the seven GCGCGCE, which isn't exactly the same, but is a more practical way to do s fifths based tuning. Alternatively, you could try GCGCGCG, whcih is closer.
Another possibility would be variations on New Standard tuning (CGDAEG), like Trey Gunn's tuning for the melody side of his Warr guitars ('Crafty Fifths'), CGDAEGA, or with an extra low string on the bottom (FCGDAEG). I did CGDAEG and CGDAEF# on an acoustic six and it worked really well (with a 10 gauge high G), so it shouldn't be a problem pulling it off on an electric with an 8 on top. If you wanted to add a high A, then you might want to drop the whole thing into a lower register, like BbFCGDFG or AEBFCEbF, unless you use one of Garry Goodman's strings on top.

When I experimented with NST, the minor third on top does take some getting used to, as it breaks the pattern of logical fingerings on the other five strings, but it makes for some interesting chord voicings. Personally, if I was to try it on a seven I'd try the Trey Gunn approach for the same reason rather than adding an extra low string, as I reckon it would be way more versatile. Alternatively, get an eight-string an have both; DAEBFCEbF!

I really ought to experiment with NST/Crafty Fifths again...it was pretty refreshing.
Hmmm...I wonder how AbEbBbFCD would sound on my fretless.

 

[distressed_romeo]

Try it on that bass you're trying to sell off.

Maybe try FCGDGBE. Range of an eight-string, lowest strings are in fifths, still a familiar top end - or you could have straight fifths symmetrically and fourths with FCGDGCF.

Jeff

I used to use CGDGBE a lot on my Les Paul. It's a pretty cool tuning, although I've yet to try a seven-string version.

 

[Metal Ken]

I'm not trying to sell a bass

I was thinking something like

G D A E E(Octave lower)B F#?

But then that puts the E back down to the same as the open e string. the F# is only a half step below the open G on a standard...

 

[OzzyC]

Well, I've got my strat tuned with partially in 5ths- the bottom 4 strings are in ascending 5ths, then there is a M3, another M3, and a m3. That gives me a range of F#(Above a bass's E) - d (Below a guitar's high E)

 

[JBroll]

I'm not trying to sell a bass

I was thinking something like

G D A E E(Octave lower)B F#?

But then that puts the E back down to the same as the open e string. the F# is only a half step below the open G on a standard...

Hmm, got something horribly mixed up.

Try FCGDGCF and tell me what you think. I think most people could go for that one.

Jeff

 

[distressed_romeo]

Hmm, got something horribly mixed up.

Try FCGDGCF and tell me what you think. I think most people could go for that one.

Jeff

You know, I once contemplated that exact tuning as a vehicle for touch-style playing.

On a related note, has anyone ever tried tuning a twelve-string in fifths, a la Karl Sanders/Pat Metheny?

 

[Jongpil Yun]

IMO fifths just won't work on a seven. Fifths on a 6 already gives you more range than an 8 string in fourths.

 

[Wolfv11]

Fifths tuning is absolutley incredible!
Ive attempted it on my 7 a few times, however that low C is just too much.
However I have my charvel 6 string tuned GDAEBF#, occasionally i tune to F#C#G#D#A#E. and when i wanna jam on some meshuggah ill tune to FCGDAEb.

If your willing to tackle the learning curve its definatley worth it IMO.
Theres nothing more fun then playing meshuggah rythm's and solo's on a 6!

Ive recorded with it once on my song "Amber" which can be found here
MySpace.com - Project Pulse (Eric Jackson) - Queens, New York - Experimental / Progressive / Rock - www.myspace.com/projectpulse

I didnt do much except for grab a low A in the break before the solo. I didnt know really how to use the tuning that well at that time.

What is really nice about it is the fact that you can get some really cool melodic riffs that seem to sound nicer than a standard tuned instrument (6 or 7 strings)
Hammering distorted major and minor 3rds sound so much better in the tuning IMO. As well as being able to throw some really kool 1 5 9 triads due to the repeating 5ths cycle.

I plan on doing a TON of recording using my fifths tuned charvel!

 

[ElRay]

Tried it once on a six but the stretch is a bit much for me. Scales become 4 notes/string rather than 3 notes/string.

I think that's part of the point. Most aficionados of 5ths based tunings love it as a rut-breaker, so if playing full scales is too stretchy, you need to come-up with something else.

 

[DeL07]

Sounds like it would be a bit hard to pull off on a 7. I doubt you'd even fit those strings comfortably across a fretboard, let alone with the nut already on the guitar - I'm getting the feeling that when my 14-90 sets come in I'm going to have some fun doing up a new nut.

I'd honestly go for it with a 6 if I were you - works out much easier. Just don't worry about that low string and you'll be much happier - GDAEBF# or FCGDAE will be much easier to manage.

Jeff

Sorry for the kinda semi-threadjacking, but what string sizes would be required for FCGDAE on a 24.75 in scale?? I'm about to get my guitar setup soon and am wondering if I really want to try alternate tunings... Fifths looks as if it sounds awesome for riffing, but that also means bye bye to all cover songs...

 

[JBroll]

Oh... fuck that. Not sure I'd do that on a 24 3/4", an F on my 26.5" Blackjack is pushy enough, but I like a lot of tension so that may be it.

Hmm... I'd go for something like 80-60-42-22-15-10, off the top of my head. Check with an actual calculator, that's just winging it. I'd go a bit higher, honestly - Ab Eb Bb F C G with 70-52-40-18-13-9 would be a little more reasonable.

I'd start by going CGDGBE on it with about 60-40-26-17-13-10, myself, just to see if the riffing were viable - it would suck to spend tons of money on strings and decide you don't like the tuning, so maybe easing into it would be better.

Might be easier to talk this over with instant messaging, so you can try that if you want.

EDIT: Also... your signature becomes completely wrong the moment you start using what this tuning is capable of. Less gain, Tube Screamer to tighten and add mids, less gain, and more discipline will be necessary to get a tenth of what this tuning can bring about. END EDIT

Jeff