5th tuning, benefits and drawbacks

Classical

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Hello, I recently bought a custom string set which is tuned in 5ths (Linear tuning - CGDA) and I absolutely fell in love with it. I'm a newer ukulele player and this particular tuning isn't very widespread by the looks of it. I wanted to share my thoughts and hear your thoughts on this tuning.

I want to start with what I don't like about this tuning, there doesn't seem to be a lot of resources out there for chord shapes which is a blessing and a curse. The chord shapes I've discovered so far are not overly difficult to play but can be stretchy.

I have a lot of positive things to say too. Firstly, the range is truly amazing coming from a reentrant Uke. I have (I think) an octave more notes I can play below Middle C. Chords. It sounds richer and fuller with this tuning. I found that it shines when it comes to soloing and single notes. I struggled to visualize the tuning of the traditional ukulele. However, with 5ths tuning I'm really able to see what notes I'm playing because they are logically laid out. The last point I wanted to raise is that through the lack of resources on this tuning, I'm learning to read sheet music and adapt it to this style of ukulele. I'm having a lot of fun doing this and I'm learning a lot about music.

Let me know if you use 5ths tuning and your takes on it.

Thanks!
 
Look for mandolin resources. Mandolins are typically tuned in 5ths (GDAE) so the learning material is keyed to that.

Stretchy chords are the trade-off for the extra range. There are generally less stretchy options if you barre or drop to three string or open string chords.
 
Yes there are many materials for mandolin and also tenor guitar, both tabs and chord sheets. I have also strung an extra concert uke with a fifth set to learn scales and chords as I have many Fiddle and Mando friends that inspire me. Alas I don't like it at all. The two wound strings are too floppy and the uke is too small to produce reasonable resonance for the C and G strings. I take it out every few months and noodle around a bit but eventually I will likely put a regular set of strings on it again. And yeah some of the chords require a lot of stretch even on concert neck, and I don't know how tenor guitar players can do it. The fourth interval sure is a lot more comfortable to play.
 
Classical,

PM me (click on my name and "start conversation") and I will send you my "ukulele friendly" 5ths chart.

I developed it for soprano GDAE, but the chord shapes are exactly the same as for CGDA. You will need to transpose.

<edit> About drawbacks: Because I play GDAE on a soprano scale, the reach is doable.
I don't know how far a reach it would be with CGDA on a concert or tenor.

It is a .xls file and looks like this:

<Edit: 30 Dec, 2023> I now have GDAE on 3 concerts. The chords are still comfortably reachable. I think CGDA on tenor might still be approachable, but on baritone, chords were beyond my limits of "stretch." It may be OK for some, all you can do is try.
 

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Welcome to the forums, Classical.
 
Classical,

PM me (click on my name and "start conversation") and I will send you my "ukulele friendly" 5ths chart.

I developed it for soprano GDAE, but the chord shapes are exactly the same as for CGDA. You will need to transpose.

It is a .xls file and looks like this:
What did you change from standard mandolin chords to make this “ukulele friendly”? (I can’t make out the attachment)
 
What did you change from standard mandolin chords to make this “ukulele friendly”? ...
So that I could actually form and play the chords. Nothing above the 7th fret. This is quite different from normal mandolin charts which (for me) are nearly impossible. I play strum and finger-pick it like a ukulele, not using a pick as if it were a mandolin.

Disclaimers: I didn't care which string has the root; the same about inversions. I just wanted chords I could easily play that included all the notes in each chord wherever possible. Here is a closer shot. The "o" means optional fingering.

Main resources: Jethro Burns Mandolin Player, and scales-chords dot com.
 

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So that I could actually form and play the chords. Nothing above the 7th fret. This is quite different from normal mandolin charts which (for me) are nearly impossible.

Disclaimers: I didn't care which string has the root; the same about inversions. I just wanted chords I could easily play that included all the notes in each chord wherever possible. Here is a closer shot. The "o" means optional fingering.

Main resources: Jethro Burns Mandolin Player, and scales-chords dot com.
Clever use of Excel for chords. Hadn't thought of that.
 
So that I could actually form and play the chords. Nothing above the 7th fret. This is quite different from normal mandolin charts which (for me) are nearly impossible. I play strum and finger-pick it like a ukulele, not using a pick as if it were a mandolin.

Main resources: Jethro Burns Mandolin Player, and scales-chords dot com.
Cool. Most of what you have there looks familiar as standard simple mando-chords. I find the wider neck on my 5ths soprano pulls the stretchier chords out of range. On the bari I definitely keep them simpler. I expect that's standard for tenor guitar players, but I haven't looked at any pedagogy specifically for that instrument.

I'm not sure if using Excel for chord charts is clever or horrifying :) At least you're not using it as a database! :) :)
 
It is just text in boxes.

Many mandolin chords require you to not play a string or two. I never had that much control.

With all chords in the spreadsheet, you can strum or arp with all 4 strings.

The headers are:
Major
Dom7
Min (another key's Maj7 - i.e. for practical purposes Emin=CM7)
Min7
Dim7 (still working on these, but getting there...)
Min7b5
 
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I only have one experience with CGDA. I bought a tenor guitar and it came tuned that way. I was like, WTH, and I retuned the strings to DGBE so that I could play it. So I would say one drawback is the time investment. It takes all my time to be a mediocre player of ukuleles, so why would I want to invest more time in learning a new fretboard?
 
I only have one experience with CGDA. I bought a tenor guitar and it came tuned that way. I was like, WTH, and I retuned the strings to DGBE so that I could play it. So I would say one drawback is the time investment. It takes all my time to be a mediocre player of ukuleles, so why would I want to invest more time in learning a new fretboard?
Because I like the way it sounds. That high E string (in GDAE) is pretty addictive :) It is tuned an octave higher than a guitar high E. The low G is the same as a ukulele low G.

Oddly, I went to mandolin tuning on a soprano after failing to be able to reach 5ths chords on a Blueridge BR40T.
 
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I have a Mainland concert uke that's tuned GDAE with the Aquila soprano set of strings. It's the only concert sized uke I have that doesn't break the high E string when tuned up to pitch. I really love the tone of this uke in 5ths but it needs a compensated saddle to help the intonation and I don't have one yet.

There is also a piccolo mandolin being made for me at the moment that is tuned cgda - one octave higher than the tuning you're using. Needless to say, I anxiously await its arrival.

Learning to read music & 5ths tuning are mates made in heaven! Musical structure makes much more sense and shapes and patterns are omni-appicable.

The trade-offs are less 'meaty' chords (intervals are wider and not as lush as in standard uke tuning), and learning to use violin fingering where the fingers skip frets, as opposed to guitar style fingering where it's one finger per fret.

You're on the right path.

Keep playing!
 
... 5ths tuning ... makes ... sense... Keep playing!
This^

Yes, I had to learn the fingerings of two different (uke vs mandolin) instruments. But I manage to go back and forth as each is unique and works in a different tonal range.
 
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Just an update, I found a website for a "Mandola" which is tuned to my instrument. This old website is gold.

I'd also like to note that my version of a Bb is the stretchiest thing in the history of the world. Omg I feel like a champ when I can switch to it.


85690586c047c42bca7ff7a6b67539cc.png

You see this!! wow!
 
Just an update, I found a website for a "Mandola" which is tuned to my instrument. This old website is gold.

I'd also like to note that my version of a Bb is the stretchiest thing in the history of the world. Omg I feel like a champ when I can switch to it.


85690586c047c42bca7ff7a6b67539cc.png

You see this!! wow!
I use this shape for 13 chords for the uke. It is pretty easy. I just barre the entire bottom of the chord and use my pinky for the 4th string and ring finger for the 3rd string. It is kind of like a B chord on the uke but you intercalate a fret after the barre.
 
I‘ve been whistling or humming Pavane by Faure’ all morning. I usta like to play it on my flute. It’s a beautiful haunting, minor piece. I have it on CD too and love to listen to it.

Now, after reading this thread and since it’s in GDAE (it’s Violin music in F# minor), I think I’ll give it a try on a mandolin or even my Irish banjo.
 
I had thought that a pavane was derived from Pavo, Latin for peacock, because everyone is prancing around like a peacock in mating season, but it is just derived from the adjectival form of Padua whence the dance emanates. The more you learn, the more you need to re-learn.
 
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