Kite Guitar: Difference between revisions

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Tuning the Kite guitar to EADGBE doesn't work, because the conventional chord shapes create wolves. For example, the usual E major chord shape 0 2 2 1 0 0 would translate to either 0 3 3 2 0 0 = E vB vE G# B E, or else 0 4 4 2 0 0 = E ^B ^E G# B E. Either way, the chord contains 3 wolf octaves and two wolf fifths. In addition, the major 3rd isn't 5/4 but 81/64.

The standard tuning is the '''downmajor tuning''', in which adjacent open strings are tuned a downmajor 3rd apart. Alternative tunings use an upminor 3rd or an upmajor 3rd. All three tunings are isomorphic, thus there is only one shape to learn for any chord. A "semi-isomorphic" tuning alternates downmajor and upminor 3rds, and every chord has two shapes.

The standard tuning is the '''downmajor tuning''', in which adjacent open strings are tuned a downmajor 3rd apart. Alternative tunings use an upminor 3rd or an upmajor 3rd. All three tunings are isomorphic, thus there is only one shape to learn for any chord. A "semi-isomorphic" tuning alternates downmajor and upminor 3rds, and every chord has two shapes. In addition, there are open tunings such as DADGAD.

* [http://tallkite.com/misc_files/The%20Kite%20Tuning%20downmajor%20fretboard.pdf Fretboard chart for the downmajor tuning]

In addition, there are open tunings such as DADGAD. ~~These~~ become more playable with the use of a "half-fret capo". From Jason Yerger's liner notes (see the "Recordings" section):

* [http://tallkite.com/misc_files/The%20Kite%20Tuning%20upminor%20fretboard.pdf Fretboard chart for the upminor tuning]

* [http://tallkite.com/misc_files/The%20Kite%20Tuning%20DADGAD%20fretboard.pdf Fretboard chart for the DADGAD tuning]

Open tunings become more playable with the use of a "half-fret capo". From Jason Yerger's liner notes (see the "Recordings" section):

"A couple of improvisations on a guitar loaned to me by Kite Giedratis. The guitar is fretted to 41 notes per double-octave, i.e. every other note of 41 notes per octave, using movable cable ties. On these tracks I modified the fretting slightly by moving the 2nd fret down one step of 41edo and then put a capo behind it, effectively moving all the frets above it UP by one step of 41edo, so that the frets all give odd-numbered pitches from 41edo instead of even-numbered ones. This gives frets for approximations to the ratios 21/20, 12/11, 9/8, 7/6, 6/5, 5/4, 9/7, 4/3, 11/8, and 10/7 relative to the open strings, which makes it possible to let the open strings ring out against pitches fretted low on the neck when the open strings are tuned to DADGAD or DGDGAD, my two favorite open tunings.

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== Fretboard Charts (downmajor tuning) ==

This chart is in relative not absolute notation, meaning it shows intervals, not notes. Down at the bottom is P1, a perfect unison. This is the tonic of the scale, or the root of the chord. This chart shows all the intervals within easy reach of this note, up to an octave. There are four "rainbows": one of 2nds, one of 3rds, one of 6ths, and one of 7ths. These plus the 4th, 5th, 8ve, and a few other notes add up to 25 of the 41 notes. Every single ratio of [[odd-limit]] 9 or less appears here.

This chart is in relative not absolute notation, meaning it shows intervals not notes. Down at the bottom is P1, a perfect unison. This is the tonic of the scale, or the root of the chord. This chart shows all the intervals within easy reach of this note, up to an octave. There are four "rainbows": one of 2nds, one of 3rds, one of 6ths, and one of 7ths. These plus the 4th, 5th, 8ve, and a few other notes add up to 25 of the 41 notes. Every single ratio of [[odd-limit]] 9 or less appears here.

[[File:The Kite Tuning.png|none|thumb|416x416px]]

This chart is the same, but extends much further. Some ratios change in the higher octaves, e.g. 16/15 becomes not 32/15 but 15/7.

[[File:The Kite Tuning 2.png|none|thumb|~~1048x1048px~~]]

[[File:The Kite Tuning 2.png|none|thumb|1000x1000px]]

This chart extends even further, showing the "rainbow zones" and the "wolf zones". When two guitarists play together, it's very natural for one to play chords in the lower rainbow zone, and another to solo in the higher rainbow zone. The open strings tend to be in a wolf zone, unless the tonic is fairly close to the nut, or else up around the 14th fret. [[File:The Kite Tuning 3.png|none|thumb|1113x1113px]]

This chart shows the actual notes of an 8-string Kite guitar. A 6-string is usually tuned to the middle 6 strings of an 8-string. The ideal string gauges for this tuning are discussed in the "For Luthiers" section. Every 4th fret has a dot, and every 12th fret has a double dot. Three dots equals a 5th.

@@ Line 100: / Line 100: @@
 Tuning the Kite guitar to EADGBE doesn't work, because the conventional chord shapes create wolves. For example, the usual E major chord shape 0 2 2 1 0 0 would translate to either 0 3 3 2 0 0 = E vB vE G# B E, or else 0 4 4 2 0 0 = E ^B ^E G# B E. Either way, the chord contains 3 wolf octaves and two wolf fifths. In addition, the major 3rd isn't 5/4 but 81/64.
-The standard tuning is the '''downmajor tuning''', in which adjacent open strings are tuned a downmajor 3rd apart. Alternative tunings use an upminor 3rd or an upmajor 3rd. All three tunings are isomorphic, thus there is only one shape to learn for any chord. A "semi-isomorphic" tuning alternates downmajor and upminor 3rds, and every chord has two shapes.
+The standard tuning is the '''downmajor tuning''', in which adjacent open strings are tuned a downmajor 3rd apart. Alternative tunings use an upminor 3rd or an upmajor 3rd. All three tunings are isomorphic, thus there is only one shape to learn for any chord. A "semi-isomorphic" tuning alternates downmajor and upminor 3rds, and every chord has two shapes. In addition, there are open tunings such as DADGAD.
+* [http://tallkite.com/misc_files/The%20Kite%20Tuning%20downmajor%20fretboard.pdf Fretboard chart for the downmajor tuning]
-In addition, there are open tunings such as DADGAD. These become more playable with the use of a "half-fret capo". From Jason Yerger's liner notes (see the "Recordings" section):
+* [http://tallkite.com/misc_files/The%20Kite%20Tuning%20upminor%20fretboard.pdf Fretboard chart for the upminor tuning]
+* [http://tallkite.com/misc_files/The%20Kite%20Tuning%20DADGAD%20fretboard.pdf Fretboard chart for the DADGAD tuning]
+Open tunings become more playable with the use of a "half-fret capo". From Jason Yerger's liner notes (see the "Recordings" section):
 "A couple of improvisations on a guitar loaned to me by Kite Giedratis. The guitar is fretted to 41 notes per double-octave, i.e. every other note of 41 notes per octave, using movable cable ties. On these tracks I modified the fretting slightly by moving the 2nd fret down one step of 41edo and then put a capo behind it, effectively moving all the frets above it UP by one step of 41edo, so that the frets all give odd-numbered pitches from 41edo instead of even-numbered ones. This gives frets for approximations to the ratios 21/20, 12/11, 9/8, 7/6, 6/5, 5/4, 9/7, 4/3, 11/8, and 10/7 relative to the open strings, which makes it possible to let the open strings ring out against pitches fretted low on the neck when the open strings are tuned to DADGAD or DGDGAD, my two favorite open tunings.
@@ Line 113: / Line 115: @@
 == Fretboard Charts (downmajor tuning) ==
-This chart is in relative not absolute notation, meaning it shows intervals, not notes. Down at the bottom is P1, a perfect unison. This is the tonic of the scale, or the root of the chord. This chart shows all the intervals within easy reach of this note, up to an octave. There are four "rainbows": one of 2nds, one of 3rds, one of 6ths, and one of 7ths. These plus the 4th, 5th, 8ve, and a few other notes add up to 25 of the 41 notes. Every single ratio of [[odd-limit]] 9 or less appears here.
+This chart is in relative not absolute notation, meaning it shows intervals not notes. Down at the bottom is P1, a perfect unison. This is the tonic of the scale, or the root of the chord. This chart shows all the intervals within easy reach of this note, up to an octave. There are four "rainbows": one of 2nds, one of 3rds, one of 6ths, and one of 7ths. These plus the 4th, 5th, 8ve, and a few other notes add up to 25 of the 41 notes. Every single ratio of [[odd-limit]] 9 or less appears here.
 [[File:The Kite Tuning.png|none|thumb|416x416px]]
 This chart is the same, but extends much further. Some ratios change in the higher octaves, e.g. 16/15 becomes not 32/15 but 15/7.
-[[File:The Kite Tuning 2.png|none|thumb|1048x1048px]]
+[[File:The Kite Tuning 2.png|none|thumb|1000x1000px]]
 This chart extends even further, showing the "rainbow zones" and the "wolf zones". When two guitarists play together, it's very natural for one to play chords in the lower rainbow zone, and another to solo in the higher rainbow zone. The open strings tend to be in a wolf zone, unless the tonic is fairly close to the nut, or else up around the 14th fret. [[File:The Kite Tuning 3.png|none|thumb|1113x1113px]]
 This chart shows the actual notes of an 8-string Kite guitar. A 6-string is usually tuned to the middle 6 strings of an 8-string. The ideal string gauges for this tuning are discussed in the "For Luthiers" section. Every 4th fret has a dot, and every 12th fret has a double dot. Three dots equals a 5th.

Kite Guitar: Difference between revisions

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