All 4ths, pro's and cons!

Ninjahat · 07-17-2012, 02:28 AM

So I'm tossing up if I wanna tune to all fourths. It makes scales the same everywhere, but it also makes some cool Chicken picking licks (I do alot/am always expanding my chicken picking) impossible to do because of the tuning/makes sweeping REALLY hard as I cant bar a sweep at all.

So what to do bro's?

SchecterWhore · 07-17-2012, 05:36 AM

If it's giving you a problem to tune differently, then leave your guitar at a tuning that is comfortable. Learning to play a scale across the neck isn't hard enough to warrant changing the geography of the entire fretboard.

Demiurge · 07-17-2012, 06:37 AM

Do you want to tune in 4ths so you can say that you tune in 4ths, or do you want to because it suits the music that you play? It seems like you're referring to it as some sort of permanent or defining decision (kind of like how some players here "exclusively play" or "leave" brands that they've never endorsed), yet it takes (on a non-FR guitar) literally seconds to alter your tuning.

There's nothing to lose in trying anything- look at it that way.

Ninjahat · 07-17-2012, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Demiurge

Do you want to tune in 4ths so you can say that you tune in 4ths, or do you want to because it suits the music that you play? It seems like you're referring to it as some sort of permanent or defining decision (kind of like how some players here "exclusively play" or "leave" brands that they've never endorsed), yet it takes (on a non-FR guitar) literally seconds to alter your tuning.

There's nothing to lose in trying anything- look at it that way.

I was tossing it up because it seemed very efficient. But, as you say tuning only takes seconds to alter, but I've decided I'll stay in standard because of a few reasons (chording, doing cool stuff with the major 3rd ontop ect.). But I wouldn't tune to 4ths just to say I tuned to 4ths, that seems alittle silly

Konfyouzd · 07-17-2012, 07:07 AM

What's the advantage to any tuning? Different voicings from what you get with another. I'm not sure how different all 4ths would be from standard since it's pretty damn close, but there's no harm in trying.

Semichastny · 07-17-2012, 10:05 AM

If it suits the music you play go for it! i'm just not sure you'll gain that big an advantage.

nostealbucket · 07-17-2012, 11:45 AM

You have to voice your chords differently, unless they are triads.
Scales are a lot easier, though. Thats the only pro I can think of now...

Konfyouzd · 07-17-2012, 12:29 PM

True... And scales wouldn't even be *that* much easier. Especially if you're already used to that half step gap between G and B

SirMyghin · 07-17-2012, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nostealbucket

You have to voice your chords differently, unless they are triads.
Scales are a lot easier, though. Thats the only pro I can think of now...

Naw, you need to finger your chords differently, on occasion. Voicing is the notes you choose, not the fingers you use. Voicing is completely independent of tuning, yet a different tuning may facilitate an alternative voicing.

Trespass · 07-18-2012, 04:46 PM

If you don't use barre voicings, it's great.

Personally, I see the fretboard becoming more obvious, like a diagonal piano. It really facilitates moving diagonally across the fretboard, de-emphasizing boxes.

Interval relationships become very clear, and constructing voicings on the fly is very easy.

The only reason I don't use it, is because I like the style and sound of voicings I can construct with the G-B relationship in there. 75% of my voicings are strings 1-4 or 1-3, and I dig the shapes and ease of voice leading I get with the close voiced chords I use.

If I ever were to stop using closed voiced chords the way I do, I would immediately commit to all 4ths.

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07-17-2012, 02:28 AM	#1
Ninjahat SS.org Regular Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: ASTRAYA! Posts: 303 Thanked: 6 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	All 4ths, pro's and cons! So I'm tossing up if I wanna tune to all fourths. It makes scales the same everywhere, but it also makes some cool Chicken picking licks (I do alot/am always expanding my chicken picking) impossible to do because of the tuning/makes sweeping REALLY hard as I cant bar a sweep at all. So what to do bro's?

07-17-2012, 05:36 AM	#2
SchecterWhore Theory God Join Date: May 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 4,218 Thanked: 67 Feedback Score: 5 reviews	If it's giving you a problem to tune differently, then leave your guitar at a tuning that is comfortable. Learning to play a scale across the neck isn't hard enough to warrant changing the geography of the entire fretboard. Konfyouzd, Semichastny and Solodini like this.

07-17-2012, 06:37 AM	#3
Demiurge Intrepid Jackass Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Worcester, MA Posts: 2,341 Thanked: 7 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Do you want to tune in 4ths so you can say that you tune in 4ths, or do you want to because it suits the music that you play? It seems like you're referring to it as some sort of permanent or defining decision (kind of like how some players here "exclusively play" or "leave" brands that they've never endorsed), yet it takes (on a non-FR guitar) literally seconds to alter your tuning. There's nothing to lose in trying anything- look at it that way. Solodini likes this. "I like Christian rock. It's very positive. It's not like those real musicians who think they're so cool and hip." -George Costanza

07-17-2012, 07:07 AM	#5
Konfyouzd Dread-I Master Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Mars Posts: 15,665 Thanked: 191 Feedback Score: 4 reviews	What's the advantage to any tuning? Different voicings from what you get with another. I'm not sure how different all 4ths would be from standard since it's pretty damn close, but there's no harm in trying. Solodini likes this. "... and on either side of the river was the tree of life. The leaves of this tree were for the healing of nations." "He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle and the herb for the service of man." "Lifes too short to hate Floyd Roses."

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07-17-2012, 10:05 AM	#6
Semichastny SS.org Regular Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: West Haven, CT Posts: 507 Thanked: 0 Feedback Score: 1 reviews	If it suits the music you play go for it! i'm just not sure you'll gain that big an advantage.

07-17-2012, 11:45 AM	#7
nostealbucket aint no gahdam woman Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Augusta, GA Posts: 894 Thanked: 8 Feedback Score: 1 reviews	You have to voice your chords differently, unless they are triads. Scales are a lot easier, though. Thats the only pro I can think of now... Konfyouzd likes this. I have a MINIWHALE! shirt now. Epic shirt is epic.

07-17-2012, 12:29 PM	#8
Konfyouzd Dread-I Master Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Mars Posts: 15,665 Thanked: 191 Feedback Score: 4 reviews	True... And scales wouldn't even be that much easier. Especially if you're already used to that half step gap between G and B "... and on either side of the river was the tree of life. The leaves of this tree were for the healing of nations." "He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle and the herb for the service of man." "Lifes too short to hate Floyd Roses."

07-18-2012, 04:46 PM	#10
Trespass AEADGBEA Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto, ON, Canada Posts: 2,565 Thanked: 132 $Trespass is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $Trespass is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $Trespass is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $Trespass is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $Trespass is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $Trespass is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ $Trespass is rather kvlt and tr00. \m/$ Feedback Score: 1 reviews	If you don't use barre voicings, it's great. Personally, I see the fretboard becoming more obvious, like a diagonal piano. It really facilitates moving diagonally across the fretboard, de-emphasizing boxes. Interval relationships become very clear, and constructing voicings on the fly is very easy. The only reason I don't use it, is because I like the style and sound of voicings I can construct with the G-B relationship in there. 75% of my voicings are strings 1-4 or 1-3, and I dig the shapes and ease of voice leading I get with the close voiced chords I use. If I ever were to stop using closed voiced chords the way I do, I would immediately commit to all 4ths. TomPerverteau likes this. Pseudo-Jazz Sophisticate -The 7 and ERG Chord Melody [Jazz] Thread- "If Stravinsky's music is that of the Earth, then Meshuggah's music is that of the Machine" Teaching Guitar-Piano Technique/Theory/Jazz & Classical University Prep Ossington & Bloor area in Toronto. I now do Sykpe lessons - Inquire via PM!

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