Exploring available chords in Full Fifths Tuning

  1. Explorer
    Explorer
    A while ago, I pulled out the venerable "Chord Chemistry" by Ted Greene. It's application might not be for everyone, but I was rereading the beginning when I went past the section where all the chords are spelled out.

    As a result, I made a chart of the fretboard which lists various scale degrees (Root, 9, b3, 3, 11, 5, 13, b7, 7) for C for two octaves. I then slide a cut-out 3x5 card around on it, looking to see what chords are easily achieved. I also use the edge of the card to see how I can use the open notes as useful tones in open-string chords. It's my poor man's version of a chord calculator, but there's no versions for full fifths tuning, and even the ones I've made for full fifths don't let me easily construct open-string chords.

    There are a surprising number of easily achieved six-string barre chords and open-string chords (both jazzy and straight) for full fifths tuning. Although I'm not inclined at the moment to just give away the work into which I've invested so much time, I wanted to offer some words of encouragement to those who are thinking of undertaking the tuning.

    Or, if you want a clearer path than the poorly blazed and poorly marked trail I'm pushing you onto, you can get the excellent Cittern Explorer available here. *laugh* (I have no financial interest, incidentally.) It's for a five-course/string instrument instead of six, and has a different emphasis, but it will help you unlock the tuning....
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