i Love Guitar

For every tone, every tone holds a numerical space. I call these inventories.

Inventory chart for all 12 tones

Beneath the F inventory, you see U, m2, M2, etc. These are the typical musical interval names (abbreviated).

Abbreviations for Typical Interval Names

• U = Unison
• m = minor
• M = Major
• P = Perfect
• TT = Tritone

It is important to know what every tone means to every other. As we build tuning maps, whatever is Zero sets up the numerical scheme. All of the tones will occupy a particular melodic & harmonic space, and, we can identify them as a numerical equivalent [as well as a traditional music theory name such as Major 3rd or Perfect 4th].

From Standard Tuning, we can make tuning alterations to individual strings to get new tunings. Your guitar can be tuned to roughly 150,000 different tunings. Some useful, some rather ugly. There are a handful of common tunings, with ‘agreed upon’ names. Let’s make a few changes.

The strings we are changing from the previous tuning are in black. The gray letters are strings that stay the same.

Guidelines

1. Always know at least one of your strings at all times [something to measure from].
2. Monitor string tension, don’t turn peg too fast or too far [too tight].
3. Have extra strings with you when experimenting, they can break.
4. You can use a tuner, yet also use your ear. Listen for the ‘beats’ as tones become the ‘same’. The beats [harmonic flutter] will even out when strings match.
5. When changing one string’s tension, other strings may go out of tune. This is because of neck warp [relief]. The neck will move when tension is added or subtracted. Make a couple of passes through the strings to ensure accurate tuning. Even while playing, strings can slip or change. Don’t be surprised if you have to touch up tune along the way. Tunings have to settle in.