Tenor Guitar GDAE tuning and beginner in Jazz

[69Yanks]

Hi,

I found this great forum and all of the material from the site. I am new to jazz and love the sound of smooth jazz standards that Dirk provides tutorials to.

I said to myself, wow, maybe I can learn this on the Fender Tenor Tele I have. Unfortunately, there is not much in music notation/tabs and lessons for my GDAE tuned instrument. I have Guitar Pro 8 for pc which can transpose from 6 strings to 4 strings. It is a bit of work.

I see Dirk provides guitar pro files as part of the package which I may do the annual subscription to. Then there are the other courses too. Can anyone suggest a path for me for learning jazz on the gdae tenor? Thanks.

[pecktime]

‘Normally’ tenor guitars are tuned in 5ths from low to high (C G D A like a tenor banjo), or like the four high strings on a guitar (D G B E low to high) like Tiny Grimes.

with your tuning it’s all fourths like a bass up an octave, so any material that doesn’t use the top two strings of a guitar will work.

alternatively, you could investigate ‘P4’ tuning guitarists- the ones who tune all in fourths.

However- and this advice is coming from someone who owns and has played tenor guitar and experimented with fourths tuning, your best option is to tune like the high pitch strings on a guitar (‘Chicago tuning’).

[Rob MacKillop]

You have the same tuning as the so-called Irish tenor banjo. Jazz tenor banjoists tune CGDA, and there is a lot of jazz help for that tuning.

I agree with Pecktime, Chicago tuning might be your best bet, then you can - with some editing - read guitar books.

[GuyBoden]

Hi,

I found this great forum and all of the material from the site. I am new to jazz and love the sound of smooth jazz standards that Dirk provides tutorials to.

I said to myself, wow, maybe I can learn this on the Fender Tenor Tele I have. Unfortunately, there is not much in music notation/tabs and lessons for my GDAE tuned instrument. I have Guitar Pro 8 for pc which can transpose from 6 strings to 4 strings. It is a bit of work.

I see Dirk provides guitar pro files as part of the package which I may do the annual subscription to. Then there are the other courses too. Can anyone suggest a path for me for learning jazz on the gdae tenor? Thanks.

So, you have Four strings tuned G-D-A-E, I'd say that is tuning in fifths.

Suggestions:

1.) I would keep creating your own chord/scale charts.

2.) Start by using three note chords. 1st-7th-3rd(10th) for Major, 1st-b7th-b3rd(b10th) minor and 1st-b7th-3rd(10th) Dominant chords, sometimes these are called shell voicings.

3.) All Jazz music notation is good for any tuning, but sometimes you may need to transpose it for your instrument's range.

[pecktime]

Also- there’s a really good b*njo forum :

Banjo Hangout - banjo forum, lessons, videos, jukebox, and more - Banjo Hangout

that will have heaps of resources for your tuning.

[Mick-7]

there is not much in music notation/tabs and lessons for my GDAE tuned instrument. I have Guitar Pro 8 for pc which can transpose from 6 strings to 4 strings. It is a bit of work.

Why are you tuning it like that? The most common tuning for a tenor guitar is in fifths, C-G-D-A, like the tenor banjo, viola, and cello. And as others have mentioned, a common alternate tuning is D-G-B-E, like the top four strings of a 6 string guitar or a baritone ukulele.

P.S. - Violins are also tuned as you've tuned your guitar: G-D-A-E.

[69Yanks]

I have it tuned GDAE because I switched over from the mandolin to tenor or octave mandolin.

[alltunes]

So why not look to jazz material written for mandolin? I play mandolin also and lessons by Isaac Eicher are some of my favorite in the jazz mandolin style. He also has a few on his own website you can download. Some of the chord stretches will be a little tough on tenor, but you can adapt…trim the chords down to 3rds and 7ths.


In The Style Of Isaac Eicher, Vol. 1 | DC Music School

[69Yanks]

Thanks! I was not aware of his material. Was using peg head nation Aaron Weinstein but he was a bit advanced for me.

Thank you all for your help.

[frabarmus]

My latest buy:

[Rob MacKillop]

Give us a short review when you can, please.

[frabarmus]

It's a Musoo (MIC), got it through Ali express, I dont' usually buy instruments on line, but this is a rare thing you can hardly find in a shop or second hand.

Had some work done on the nut and frets to improve the action and general set up, had the dots moved from tenth fret to the ninth fret (both on the fretboard and side of the neck), placed a piece of foam under the tail piece as it vibrated, making an annoying noise while playing. Now it plays nice and easy. The tuning is a cluster (cause that's how I like it!): EGAB form low to high, so each and every chord has got at least one second interval. String gauge (low to high) 24. 18. 16. 14. Scale length is 23 inches.

The stock P90 sounds good enough to my ears. Has a nice old fashioned vibe...

All in all I would recommend it, but be reminded that it does take some work by your trusted luthier.

Will post a video, soon or later...

[Rob MacKillop]

Interesting tuning. Your own invention, or is it a 'thing'? I can see its advantages.

[frabarmus]

Interesting tuning. Your own invention, or is it a 'thing'? I can see its advantages.

My own invention, as far as I know. It's the upper four strings of the tuning I've figured out (while sitting at the piano with a guitar on my lap) back in 1995. The 6 string version is (low to high) DAEGAB, which I exclusively use, having abandoned Standard Tuning (to avoid confusion). You might also notice that the 6 string tuning is also a cello tuning, only a maj second higher (DAEB), therefore you can even play J.S. Bach Cello Suites (provided you skip the second and third strings).

[GuyBoden]

My latest buy:

Interesting....................................... ............



£353 free shipping
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004739299275.html?

[frabarmus]

Interesting....................................... ............



£353 free shipping
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004739299275.html?

Curiously, mine has no inner lable and no serial number (unless I've looked in the wrong places)...

[GuyBoden]

Curiously, mine has no inner lable and no serial number (unless I've looked in the wrong places)...

But, I was tempted to get a 4 string Beatle bass and change to guitar strings. (30inch 76cm scale)

[joe2758]

If you don't want to change the tuning, the only thing I can think of is to take an approach such as Barry Harris' which is for all instruments. You would need to be able to play basic scales and arpeggios, and read some music. If you can't do that yet, you might just need to do some basic fundamentals on the instrument.

However, I prefer a lick based approach and unless you change your tuning, it would be hard to find some without transcribing your own

[frabarmus]

But, I was tempted to get a 4 string Beatle bass and change to guitar strings. (30inch 76cm scale)

I'm comfortable with a short scale length (for chords, at least).

[frabarmus]

@the OP: you might be interested in this (and may apply it to your tenor guatar tuned GDAE

Free Jazz Chord Charts 2-5-1

Jazz Chording For Mandolin PDF | PDF

[frabarmus]

I have it tuned GDAE because I switched over from the mandolin to tenor or octave mandolin.

You can also find, on line, books such as this one:

[Petimar]

Can anyone suggest a path for me for learning jazz on the gdae tenor? Thanks.

I have a ton of mandolin GDAE stuff on my web site

PETE MARTIN.INFO - Pete Martin Home Page