[Jove d'Ark]

That "KINK" as Kirk calls it, in the Tuning between the Open strings of a guitar.
I have long wanted to understand why the guitar has 4ths between all strings except that major 3rd between strings 3 and 2?

[Fretsource]

Originally Posted by Jove d'Ark

That "KINK" as Kirk calls it, in the Tuning between the Open strings of a guitar.
I have long wanted to understand why the guitar has 4ths between all strings except that major 3rd between strings 3 and 2?

One reason is to make the first string and sixth string both E. That makes it possible to play barre chords and move them all the way up the neck.

Tuning in fourths would be more logical for scales and single notes (like a bass guitar) but pretty useless for chord shapes.

[6string]

Playing guitar is kinky

[st_jo]

Fretsource

Tuning in fourths would be more logical for scales and single notes (like a bass guitar) but pretty useless for chord shapes.

I think were a guitar tuned to Perfect 4ths from its onset, we would all be able to play any chord invented because we would have developed fingering to suit those chords.
We might have differently shaped hands afterwards.

Hmmm, tones for thought..... well, food at least.

[Fretsource]

Yeah, I dread to think what our hands would have ended up like trying to play an E minor chord as 022042, or even worse, E major as 022142. It hurts my hand just thinking about it.

[st_jo]

they would look like monkey feet with Nosferatu phalanges

i'm quoting myself in case anyone wanted to use these words as a song title or band name. teehee

[AX7221]

the guitar was originally a rhythm instrument (I'm not sure how far back original goes when the person told me), guitar were exclusively played as chords before Django Reinhardt, where std tuning comes from.