Re: Tuning guitar in fifths for wider orchestration options

[Rainer Straschill <moinsound@googlemail.com>]

Per asked:
> Anyone here on the list having tried tuning a guitar in fifths for
> wider orchestration options? Or even wider intervals?

I used to play a bass guitar tuned 'A-E-B-f#-d'-a' (basically using
the interted intervals from a guitar tuning). And yes, custom string
sizes for this one. It gave me a tonal range of 5 octaves (meaning one
more than normal).
It can be seen as a combinatin of the tonal range of a baritone guitar
on the top four strings with some kind of inverted lute tuning
(meaning 5-6-5 instead of 4-3-4), so you can work with similar
fingerings for chordal work, and an extension to the range of a
five-string bass guitar with the two bottom strings.

An example available online are the tracks "The Milkey Way" on
http://www.jamendo.com/en/album/7494

To this day, the best "general" tuning for me to tune a stringed
instrument. I used that in a variation on a four-string fretless as
D-A-f-c'.


Best,

            Rainer