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Thursday, April 23, 2020

308. THE INVERTED TUNING 5-6m-5 OF THE UKULELE OR VENEZUELAN CUATRO AND GREEK BOUZOUKI AND ITS ADVANTAGES.


We do not describe this tuning just because iti  s the inverse of a well known tuning inherited by the standard guitar, in ukulele, venezuelan  cuatro ,and Greek  Bouzouki.


It is that after searching for a better (overtones)  tuning for the 4-string instruments we fell upon it surpisingly.

E.g. the Standard ukulele (without re-entrance) tuning is  G3-C4-E4-A4, with interval structure

4-3M-4 (4th major 3rd and 4th). The Ukulele tuning is symmetric and  rather balanced as far as the one-fret  triad-chords major and minor. But it has the one-fret minor chords at the higher strings and the one-fret major chords at the lower strings , thsu favors a bit the minor chords songs in playing.

If we require

1) to have an interval (among strings) of 5th at the high two strings because it sounds better than an interval of 4th
2) to be symmetric and balanced as far as the one-fret  triad-chords major and minor.
3) To have the one-fret triad major  chords at higher strings and the one-fret triad minor chords at the lower strings
4) to be close to the familar ukulele tuning in playing

then the inverse tuning seems to be the only solution . That is

A2-E3-C4-G4 with interval structure 5th-6thminor-5th.

It has all the above properties and because it is the reflection-mirror of the ukulele tuning it is familar and easy to learn it to play it.

One bonus advantage is that because of the middle large interval of 6th minor and the 5ths it has large range than the usual ukulele tuning.

After trying it we realize that

1) The A-shape  triad-chords are plaid easier because of the ergonomy ofthe finger in the hands
2) The E-shaped barre chords are plaied easier because of the ergonomy ofthe finger in the hands


Thus in total the advantages of thsi inverse tuning relative to the standard are the next

1) It has two intervals of 5th among the strings that it sounds better in open and barre chords compared to intervals of 4th. 
2) It has larger range
3) It has the one-fret triad major  chords at higher strings and the one-fret triad minor chords at the lower strings,  thus  favors a bit mor joyfull music of major chords
4) It is more ergonomic in the fingers when playing the A-shape and E-shape chords The D-shape triad chords are almost the same difficulty. (the minor triad D-shape is slightly more difficult).
5) The 4-strings  chords span 2 octaves and have more magical and reach sound.