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Guitar Tuning and the Guitar Fretboard
So, what is the correlation between guitar tuning and the guitar fretboard?
This is actually one of the key points in order to understand how notes are arranged on the fretboard. That is because any change in tuning will produce a completely new array of guitar notes.
Although there are potentially limitless ways of tuning the guitar, the most useful tuning to know (at least at an initial stage) is the standard one: six strings tuned at the interval of a perfect fourth from each other, except for the second and third strings, which are tuned a major third apart.
That is, we have E-F-G-A-B-C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C-D-E:
the standard guitar tuning system.
What a strange tuning system this seems to be! Most of the other string instruments are tuned using the same interval between each pair of adjacent strings:
Violin: perfect fifths Viola: perfect fifths Cello: perfect fifths Double bass: perfect fourths
But the fact is that there is a logic behind guitar tuning. Let's take a look at this: the strings' tuning, from lowest to highest is E A D G B E, spanning two octaves.
If we rearrange all those notes so that they span only one octave, we get the following: E G A B D E.
That is, we have E-(F)-G-A-B-(C)-D-E, or minor 3d, major 2nd, major 2nd, minor 3d, major 2nd.
Wait a minute! That seems just a wee bit familiar! Isn't that a simple minor pentatonic scale?
OK, so we've hit upon an important, or rather fundamental, guitar tuning fact. Actually, everything we look at on the guitar fretboard from now on will acquire new meaning.
But let's not be satisfied: let's explore this a little further!
What relationship is there between string order
and this minor pentatonic scale?
What we have is a minor pentatonic scale, alternating strings, spanning two octaves. Let's number the open strings - E A D G B E - as follows: 6 5 4 3 2 1 (from low to high, as shown above).
We can then rearrange the numbers to get the pentatonic scale in its normal order by skipping two strings upwards, then one downwards, then two upwards, then one downwards, then two upwards: 6 3 5 2 4 1 = E G A B D E
Perfectly logical, what!?
An 8 beneath string number means that the actual open string is an octave below. Note how strings 1, 2 & 3 don't change octaves, whereas strings 4, 5 & 6 do.
Conversely, if we had chosen to start our scale on the 6th string, low E, strings 1, 2 & 3 would change octaves (downwards, this time), and strings 4, 5 & 6 wouldn't.
Isn't that just cool?!
And wonder why
the blues
is so well suited to the guitar...
How does this simple, but far-reaching
guitar tuning fact reflect all over the fretboard?
As is obvious, this fact affects how notes are distributed on the whole fretboard. The pattern recurs at symmetrical intervals giving us the
Complete Guitar Fretboard Chart.
This guitar tuning pattern is the underlying principle of fretboard organization. It is so simple that guitarists have overlooked it so far:
Yet, fully understanding it will eliminate the need to memorize hundreds -if not thousands- of super-specific surface patterns and box diagrams.
That is because all those patterns come from this principle.
Want to know more? Ask Alex!
If what you were looking for was info on how to tune your guitar, try our
free online guitar tuner and tuning methods.
Attention Guitarists!Stay tuned! The Book is coming!
*** an original, in-depth analysis of the guitar fretboard ***
Be the first to find out when it comes out by subscribing to our free eZine:
Guitar Fretboard Articles:
1. Guitar Fretboard in Depth: go back from Guitar Tuning and the Fretboard to section overview
2.Guitar Notes: A view along the Fretboard, and other important points
3. Fretboard Diagram- string by string: still looking along the fretboard, at scales and modes this time
4. Guitar Tuning and the Fretboard: a view across the fretboard
5. The Guitar Fretboard Chart explained afresh -also for Bass players
6. 24 Frets: The full diagram
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