Quick Note: Terz Guitar Stringing
I just wanted to share something I've done with some of my shorter-scale steel-string guitars from time to time. I happen to always have a "parlor" size guitar on hand for recording, and sometimes I string it as a "terz" guitar, tuned a 3rd higher than the standard EADGBE, which means it's at GCFBbDG.
I like to use short-scale instruments with smaller bodies (24" to 24 1/2") as this lets me use a slightly thicker high G string than normal. To accomplish this tuning, I use the ADGBE of a regular light-gauge steel set and add a plain 010 to the high end. You could easily do this on a regular 25"+ scale guitar, though I'd suggest using a plain 009 or 008 (which feels wimpier, unfortunately) so as to avoid string breakage. Tension rockets up every little bit you lengthen your scale.
For example, a 12-string with a 24"-24 1/2" scale has the same tension (more or less) as a 6-string with a 26" scale.
At any rate, despite the obvious no-capo-for-higher-tuning that this change gives you, it opens up one of my favorite open tunings: GDGBDG, which is essentially open D tuning taken up to G. The shimmery sound of having 3 plain strings as opposed to only 2 also makes a guitar strung this way sound somewhere between an autoharp and a 12 string... very sweet and fresh sounding.
And for uke players, this means you only need to capo on the 2nd fret to get "uke tuning" (or quart tuning as it really is) -- ADGCEA.
I like to use short-scale instruments with smaller bodies (24" to 24 1/2") as this lets me use a slightly thicker high G string than normal. To accomplish this tuning, I use the ADGBE of a regular light-gauge steel set and add a plain 010 to the high end. You could easily do this on a regular 25"+ scale guitar, though I'd suggest using a plain 009 or 008 (which feels wimpier, unfortunately) so as to avoid string breakage. Tension rockets up every little bit you lengthen your scale.
For example, a 12-string with a 24"-24 1/2" scale has the same tension (more or less) as a 6-string with a 26" scale.
At any rate, despite the obvious no-capo-for-higher-tuning that this change gives you, it opens up one of my favorite open tunings: GDGBDG, which is essentially open D tuning taken up to G. The shimmery sound of having 3 plain strings as opposed to only 2 also makes a guitar strung this way sound somewhere between an autoharp and a 12 string... very sweet and fresh sounding.
And for uke players, this means you only need to capo on the 2nd fret to get "uke tuning" (or quart tuning as it really is) -- ADGCEA.
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