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Baritone Guitar Tuning: A Complete Guide to Traditional & Alternative Tuning (Part One)

3/26/2016

14 Comments

 
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Baritones: the Magic is in the Tuning.

When you get right down to it, a lot of the magic of the baritone guitar is in the tuning. The reason one creates music on a baritone is because of the deep and rich tones created by playing in a lower register.

Sadly, the average baritone player never ventures beyond standard tuning and thus never experiences the instrument's full potential.

However, if you're reading this article, you are not the average baritone player.

So, check the batteries in your chromatic tuner. Its time to twist some pegs and adjust some strings. Here is part one our complete (or, nearly complete) guide to traditional and alternative baritone tuning.

B Standard Tuning (AKA: Perfect Fourth)

Strings, Low to High: B E A D F♯ B

This is quite possibly the most popular baritone tuning. Its a perfect fourth lower than a standard guitar and offers a perfectly divine playing experience, providing a dramatically different tonal pallet when compared with a standard guitar while also providing more string tension than A standard tuning (see below). On many baritones, the increased string tension will permit more aggressive playing.

A Standard Tuning (AKA: Prefect Fifth)

Strings, Low to High: A D G C E A

A standard tuning is a popular option for baritone guitar players and as low as some will dare go. A prefect fifth lower than a standard guitar, this tuning sounds particularly glorious when used for finger picking or with drone tones. 

On some baritone guitars, this tuning may result in in buzzing when strummed aggressively.  Others, such as the Taylor Special Edition 326e, are a little more forgiving of A standard tuning.

Open Major Tunings: A Major, B Major, and Beyond

For Open A: Strings, Low to High, A E A E A C#

For Open B: Strings, Low to High, B F# B F# B D#

Open chord tunings are perhaps most commonly thought of as being used for playing with a slide or for finger picking. However, artists ranging from Mumford and Sons to The Rolling Stones have used open chord tunings.

As the name implies, strumming the guitar in the open position will create a major chord because the strings are tuned to only include the first (root), third, and fifth notes. Thus, when using open B tuning, strumming the open strings will create a B major chord.

To achieve open B tuning from B standard (perfect fourth) tuning, walk through the following five steps:

1. Raise the 5th string to match the tone when you fret the 6th string at the 7th fret (F#).
2. Raise the 4th string to match the tone when you fret the 5th string at the 5th fret (B).
3. Raise the 3rd string to match the tone when you fret the 4th string at the 7th fret (F#).
4. Raise the 2nd string to match the tone when you fret the 3rd string at the 5th fret (B)
5. Raise the 1st string to match the tone when you fret the 2nd string at the 4th fret (D#)

Note: This simple tuning guide gives you the tools you need to dial up any open major tuning on a baritone or standard guitar. Just set your lowest string to the desired root tone and then adjust your strings accordingly.

Half-Nashville Tuning

Strings: Low to high, B E A^ D^ F# B ("^" symbol denotes strings raised one octave above standard baritone tuning)

This alternative baritone tuning was popularized by Pat Metheny. It adds brightness and breadth to the baritone guitar, creating interesting voicing possibilities.

Check out the following video for an example of Pat's half Nashville tuning in action.

Pat Metheny's half Nashville tuning requires that you sub out the 3rd and 4th strings in your typical baritone string set for standard-gauge guitar strings and tune both one active up from normal baritone tuning.

NOTE: Don't try this with your standard baritone string set - your strings and neck weren't designed for that kinda tension.

Thus, your typical baritone would be tuned (low to high) B, E, A^, D^, F#, and B. Note: the "^" symbol denotes the raised octave.  Pat tunes his baritone A to A, so if you want to follow more precisely in his sonic footsteps, try tuning your baritone to A, D, G^, C^, E, A.

Note: We previously featured half-Nashville tuning in a post on 1/3/16.

Check out Part Two...

That's it for part one of our Complete Baritone Guitar Tuning Guide. Click here to check out part two, in which we explore some baritone versions of dropped tunings and a DADGAD alternative for baritone players.

You might also want to check out our guide to baritone strings or our complete list of electric and acoustic baritone reviews.


As always, please comment on this post or share it with a friend. We appreciate your thoughts, comments, and questions.
Sources:
  • Open Tunnings, Fingerstyle.Com
14 Comments
Michael
3/18/2017 05:40:39 pm

I've recently picked up the black squier Jazzmaster baritone, which, as a side note, actually sounds pretty darn good, and a great deal for anyone looking to duo their toe into baritone guitars.

Anyway...

I've been using mine tuned ACGCFA. It's an adaptation of a tuning I've been using on my regular guitar (FACGAE), and I've found it a fun tuning to play in.

Reply
Matt@baritoneguitar.org link
3/20/2017 09:41:41 am

Michael,

Thanks for your comment! Two questions: what do you enjoy about the squire jazzmaster baritone? I am am interested in posting a review or at least a product profile on the Jazzmaster, because entry-priced baritone electrics are hard to come by.

Second, where did you come cross the ACGCFA tuning and how do you typically use ACGCFA tuning?

Thanks,

Matt

Reply
Noel willhite
8/3/2017 07:07:07 pm

Before diving into open tuning try playing songs that were originally too high a register for you. For example, every Alabama shakes song ever made, now you can sing along without harsh falsetto simulating Brittany's tone ..
Also, if you're purchasing, I recommend the PRS semi hollow 277 SE, it gets incredible sound and he dual p90 pickups allow for a beefy yet mellow and clean tone

Reply
Matt link
8/7/2017 08:00:46 am

Great comment Noel. Alt tunings should be considered after you have explored what the baritone has to offer.

Also, what you said is so true about how the baritone opens up vocal options for performers. I touched on this in my post, "5 reasons to own a baritone" http://www.baritoneguitar.org/blog/the-baritone-guitar-5-reasons-you-need-to-own-one

Finally, I do love the PRS SE baritone - I have been meaning to write up a profile or review.

Thanks again for your comment and thanks for reading!

Reply
Ron
10/21/2017 05:31:41 pm

Nicesote, I am a newbie with baritone and have. Alverez. Sure would be a great help to find real knowlagable baritone players that can help me. I play jams 7 days a week and now starting to use my baritone but I almost as to how to Capri for different chirping. Can anyone help with a chart or ??

Reply
Ronald gross
9/3/2017 10:56:58 am

HELP! I am learning acustic baritone, and would like to find out the proper capo use for playing in diff. Keys. Any help will be m appre

Reply
Ronald gross
9/3/2017 10:59:53 am

Can anyone help with a chart for capo positions on my baritone acoustic guitar? HELP !

Reply
Matt link
10/31/2017 10:21:29 pm

Ronald,

I don't have a chart for you, but I think the answer will depend on if you tune your baritone to A standard or B standard tuning.

If you tune to B standard, a open "E shape" chord (the E major on a standard guitar) will be a B major chord.

Capo at the first fret, the same chord shape will be a C major.

Capo two frets up (third fret) and your open E major shape will be D major.

Two more (5th fret) and you are at a standard guitar tuning. The standard open e major chord shape will play E major.

Reply
Chris Young link
10/30/2017 05:17:00 pm

I love and use baritone slack A on my tricone and the guitar of my 21 string harp guitar.Since I lost the contract for Ron Middlebrook and the e music for guitar would not pitch below D,my McTell method I guess I have to give away-E B E G# C# F# or 1 5 1 3 2 6,octo baritone!!!!Chris Young

Reply
Matt link
10/31/2017 10:29:12 pm

Thanks for your comment. Could you share a little more on the "octo baritone." Are you referring to a Taylor eight string?

Reply
Scott link
4/5/2019 02:22:35 pm

Great tuning tips, thanks!

Reply
Filip
7/20/2019 04:31:50 pm

Hi! Can somebody tell if I tune electro-acoustic baritone guitar from B to C#, 2 semitones higher, will that be ok in general with the strings also maybe with less buzzing? And how will be for bending the strings?

Reply
Atom
8/21/2021 04:25:09 pm

I have a Dean Acoustic Baritone. It was originally an acoustic bass but I bought on eBay from a guy who converted it. Well the neck is so big thats it hard to play cords on. So I got a nut riser and converted it to an acoustic slide baritone. This site has helped me tune it to open A. That way It's easier for me to jam with regular guitars in standard E tuning. Thanks

Reply
Amd
10/1/2021 08:12:36 am

Hi!
How would it sound if I replace the lowest 2 strings of a standard guitar with Baritone B strings?
1 tuned a tone down to an A ( to replace the A strong if standard string. The 2nd tuned down to E( to replace the E string)
I assume tuning down to E wouldn't work, as B to E Is too far apart.
My goal here is to get the Lowest two strings to sound somewhat like a bass guitar, or get more low end on those two strings.

Reply



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    Matt is a musician, educator, and baritone guitar enthusiast living in Washington state.

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