History of "Standard Tuning" for guitar?

Who *invented* Standard Guitar Tuning?

e.g. EADGBE


A whacky lute player?

Segovia?

Seriously, is there a  answer? Where does Standard Tuning come from?

Thanks,
mike

The only thing I can add to James' reply is this quote from Gruhn/Carters Acoustic Guitar and Other Fretted Instruments (p. 10):

Despite the guitar's status as an instrument of the common people, it had gained enough respect and popularity by 1546 to merit publication of a book of guitar music. By that time, five-course guitars were coming into vogue, and modern tuning had been introduced. Chord positions were the same as they are today (without the lowest string)...

The 6 string guitar is relatively logical.

Look at my Pedal Steel's E9th Chromatic Tuning (what many consider the Nashville tuning)  The first two strings are lower than the 3rd and 4th strings.

1. F# (same as 1st string 2nd fret on a 6 string guitar)
2. D# (same as 2nd string 4th fret on a 6 string guitar)
3. G# (same as 1st string 4th fret on a 6 string guitar)
4. E   (same as 1st string Open E on a 6 string guitar)
5. B   (same as 2nd string Open B on a 6 string guitar)
6. G# (same as 3rd string 2nd Fret on 6 string guitar)
7. F# (same as 4th string 4th Fret on 6 string guitar)
8. E   (same as 4th srting 2nd Fret on 6 string guitar)
9. D   (same as 4th string Open D on 6 string guitar)
10. B  (same as 5th string 2nd Fret on 6 string guitar)

Janet


What I don't get is 'where are the black notes?!'

When I studied piano, those black keys always threw me for a loop..... on the guitar there are none..... that makes it easier to play.

What always throws me is all this equal temperament used in western scales.  When did that come about I wonder?

It was obviously designed to accommodate the technical limitations of not being able to change key on a keyboard without having to retune the whole keyboard, and since pretty much every fretted instrument has followed suit.

So basically we've now learned that slightly out of tune sounds right and would hear something played in a just temperament as being out of tune.

Now that the adjustments required to use a just temperament on keyboard in different keys could be automated at the press of a button through software will we ever get back to hearing music how it should sound with natural harmonics rather than mathematically imposed approximations made up so that we could all sing from the same hymn book as the piano player so to speak?

http://www.phy.mtu.edu/~suits/scales.html

And why did the 7th harmonic get such a bad press that most instruments are designed to remove it as much as possible. (i.e. the hammers on a piano are set to strike where the 7th harmonic would naturally occur thus damping its effect)?

These are the things that keep me awake at night.

Janet


What on earth are you talking about?!

No, don't tell me.  Until tonight.  Maybe it will make me fall asleep.  LOL

Check the link when you are tired, it will work better than hot milk I would think...

just tune it the way you want - it's all Bullsh***! 

So, when did Standard Tuning become Standard?

When did open become "alternate"?

Just curious.

Thanks,
mike

What I don't get is 'where are the black notes?!'

Guitars have black dots instead.

bapu


What is this tuning you speak of and why should I get me some?

Don't worry about it ED you do not need it.
 
Besides it would not make a lot of difference.
 
 

Guitarhacker


Music is art...it's also science, math, and physics... but thank God it's Art!

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There!
 
I really think the mechanics are secondary, but they are necessary for the most part. The problem is getting people to play past the mechanical part, and this is the part that music folks are usually not trained on and are not capable of living through it.
 
And this is why I sometimes say that there are musicians and then there are artists. It's not quite the same thing, but very good technicians are quite capable of making you believe!

fireberd


The 6 string guitar is relatively logical.

Look at my Pedal Steel's E9th Chromatic Tuning (what many consider the Nashville tuning)  The first two strings are lower than the 3rd and 4th strings.

1. F# (same as 1st string 2nd fret on a 6 string guitar)
2. D# (same as 2nd string 4th fret on a 6 string guitar)
3. G# (same as 1st string 4th fret on a 6 string guitar)
4. E   (same as 1st string Open E on a 6 string guitar)
5. B   (same as 2nd string Open B on a 6 string guitar)
6. G# (same as 3rd string 2nd Fret on 6 string guitar)
7. F# (same as 4th string 4th Fret on 6 string guitar)
8. E   (same as 4th srting 2nd Fret on 6 string guitar)
9. D   (same as 4th string Open D on 6 string guitar)
10. B  (same as 5th string 2nd Fret on 6 string guitar)

And that's why the pedal steel player has to be the smartest guy in the band.  Part musician and part aircraft mechanic. 

Tarsier...good one.  lol

Craig...yeah, simple, isn't it?  lol

Phrasing?  Voice?  Harmonics?

I'm just trying to find middle C!  :-)

I'm talking about a bass guitar, if you MUST know!