Explorer
He seldomly knows...
- Joined
- May 23, 2009
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Back in the 1980s, I experimented with full fifths tuning, but as the highest a 25.5 string could go was G#4, I gave it up. I wanted something a bit normal for my open strings, and my playing wasnt up to playing completely closed. I decided if I couldnt get up to a B4, Id just keep playing in a few other tunings which didnt require restringing, rather than use a crippled fifths tuning. Going that route just kept the discontinuity of an odd interval among the constant intervals of the other strings, so why not stick with standard, for the most part?
(Incidentally, I was using one of the early Ovation collectors editions with the shallow body. I always thought interesting that Bob Fripp decided to go that route as well. Theres something about those guitars which invited exploration, I guess. Beyond that, as Bob was also around quite a few folk instruments in the same area I was in, even making a deal with a local guitar and folks instrument store to get reduced prices on the guitars for the Guitar Craft courses he started some time after, I suspect he was influenced by the same thoughts that I was, upon being able to hear and try so many bouzoukis, mandolins and octave mandolins.)
----
Three years ago, I got to play a friends 5-course mandolin-mandola, which is tuned in full fifths. I had previously thought about getting a 5- or 6-course cittern in full fifths, but they run about $3k for a decent one, and I just couldnt see getting an instrument which seems constrained in terms of sound.
----
More recently, I started thinking more seriously about fifths tuning again, and in looking around, I found that Garry Goodman was making strings of a new material, one which could be tuned to A4 at the 25.5 scale length, and the other capable of reaching B4.
octave4plus.com
(I know theyve been posted about, but I havent read of anyone doing the full fifths thing,by going higher yet. I might have missed it when I went through the archives, though.)
The time was right, and I sent in an order. I did a set-up on one of my guitars, allowing a marginally larger string for the bottom course, and making sure the string path was completely smooth for the expected B4 string. (At $5 a pop, I dont want to spend more on strings than I have to because something bites into the string at full tension.) When the strings arrived, I strung up the guitar, taking a bit more time for the top B4 than they suggest so I wouldnt break it in my impatience.
Voila! I had a six-string tuned C2 G2 D3 A3 E4 B4. By capoing at the fifth fret, the top four strings correspond to the violin, and the middle four strings to a viola. Open, the bottom four strings are pitched as a cello.
----
By using an eBow with a bridge humbucker, one can get amazing tones out of the instrument, and even just using a pick, one can learn quite a bit of fingering technique out of books for bowed instruments. If cello players can play scales with fifth tuning, theres no reason I shouldnt be able to learn at longer scale lengths as well.
----
Im having an Ovation 12-string set up to have unison strings on the bottom courses (normally the strings in the bottom four courses are tuned in octaves), in order to get better tone when played acoustically, compared to a single-strung acoustic six-string.
Now Im looking for more. Ive put in an order for a hardtail Agile Interceptor Pro 828. With the 28 scale length, I am planning on tuning the instrument Ab0 Eb1 Bb1 F2 C3 G3 D4 A4, giving me a range of six octaves. As this will give me more range than a standard bass and a guitar, I think it will keep me busy for quite a while. If I have it set up perfectly, I should be able to slip in a mute and even work on tapstyle/touchstyle, and the range of the instrument will be both higher and lower than the 12-string Stick.
----
Theres quite a few resources out there for learning soloing and chording on mandolin and cittern, all of which apply to full fifths tuning on guitar. Im finding it easy to move everything around the fretboard, especially as the stringing is completely consistent. Ive found quite a few posts about folks using a crippled fifths tuning, but IMO that doesnt allow one to leverage the consistencies across the fretboard, as one still has to learn the exceptions to the patterns.
At the time a lot of folks first started looking at this tuning, the strings just weren't where they are now, and the instruments also didn't have the set-up options of today. I believe that the time is right, and that string and instrument technology have gotten to the point where full fifths tuning is not just possible, but plausible. If it becomes a bit more widespread, I can imagine all those who took violin lessons as kids being able to apply that to guitar; bringing in that body of technique can only help guitar in the long run.
Its cool to read of those who have consistently using full fifths tuning; other than a few folks Ive run into on the mando-instruments forums, this is the only place Ive been able to find others who are interested and working in full fifths. As this is my first post on this forum, thanks for giving me such a cool place to de-lurk.
Cheers!
(Incidentally, I was using one of the early Ovation collectors editions with the shallow body. I always thought interesting that Bob Fripp decided to go that route as well. Theres something about those guitars which invited exploration, I guess. Beyond that, as Bob was also around quite a few folk instruments in the same area I was in, even making a deal with a local guitar and folks instrument store to get reduced prices on the guitars for the Guitar Craft courses he started some time after, I suspect he was influenced by the same thoughts that I was, upon being able to hear and try so many bouzoukis, mandolins and octave mandolins.)
----
Three years ago, I got to play a friends 5-course mandolin-mandola, which is tuned in full fifths. I had previously thought about getting a 5- or 6-course cittern in full fifths, but they run about $3k for a decent one, and I just couldnt see getting an instrument which seems constrained in terms of sound.
----
More recently, I started thinking more seriously about fifths tuning again, and in looking around, I found that Garry Goodman was making strings of a new material, one which could be tuned to A4 at the 25.5 scale length, and the other capable of reaching B4.
octave4plus.com
(I know theyve been posted about, but I havent read of anyone doing the full fifths thing,by going higher yet. I might have missed it when I went through the archives, though.)
The time was right, and I sent in an order. I did a set-up on one of my guitars, allowing a marginally larger string for the bottom course, and making sure the string path was completely smooth for the expected B4 string. (At $5 a pop, I dont want to spend more on strings than I have to because something bites into the string at full tension.) When the strings arrived, I strung up the guitar, taking a bit more time for the top B4 than they suggest so I wouldnt break it in my impatience.
Voila! I had a six-string tuned C2 G2 D3 A3 E4 B4. By capoing at the fifth fret, the top four strings correspond to the violin, and the middle four strings to a viola. Open, the bottom four strings are pitched as a cello.
----
By using an eBow with a bridge humbucker, one can get amazing tones out of the instrument, and even just using a pick, one can learn quite a bit of fingering technique out of books for bowed instruments. If cello players can play scales with fifth tuning, theres no reason I shouldnt be able to learn at longer scale lengths as well.
----
Im having an Ovation 12-string set up to have unison strings on the bottom courses (normally the strings in the bottom four courses are tuned in octaves), in order to get better tone when played acoustically, compared to a single-strung acoustic six-string.
Now Im looking for more. Ive put in an order for a hardtail Agile Interceptor Pro 828. With the 28 scale length, I am planning on tuning the instrument Ab0 Eb1 Bb1 F2 C3 G3 D4 A4, giving me a range of six octaves. As this will give me more range than a standard bass and a guitar, I think it will keep me busy for quite a while. If I have it set up perfectly, I should be able to slip in a mute and even work on tapstyle/touchstyle, and the range of the instrument will be both higher and lower than the 12-string Stick.
----
Theres quite a few resources out there for learning soloing and chording on mandolin and cittern, all of which apply to full fifths tuning on guitar. Im finding it easy to move everything around the fretboard, especially as the stringing is completely consistent. Ive found quite a few posts about folks using a crippled fifths tuning, but IMO that doesnt allow one to leverage the consistencies across the fretboard, as one still has to learn the exceptions to the patterns.
At the time a lot of folks first started looking at this tuning, the strings just weren't where they are now, and the instruments also didn't have the set-up options of today. I believe that the time is right, and that string and instrument technology have gotten to the point where full fifths tuning is not just possible, but plausible. If it becomes a bit more widespread, I can imagine all those who took violin lessons as kids being able to apply that to guitar; bringing in that body of technique can only help guitar in the long run.
Its cool to read of those who have consistently using full fifths tuning; other than a few folks Ive run into on the mando-instruments forums, this is the only place Ive been able to find others who are interested and working in full fifths. As this is my first post on this forum, thanks for giving me such a cool place to de-lurk.
Cheers!
