"Tenor" refers to the vocal range of an instrument, right? I'm too lazy and dumb to figure out if GDAE is still in the tenor range, but I doubt it. Is it still a tenor?
"Tenor" refers to the vocal range of an instrument, right? I'm too lazy and dumb to figure out if GDAE is still in the tenor range, but I doubt it. Is it still a tenor?
Would you call it an "octave" guitar?
I think it might confuse folks! Keep it simple
My name is Rob, and I am Lord of All Badgers
Tenor Guitars: Acoustic: Mcilroy ASP10T, ‘59 Martin 0-18t. Electric: ‘57 Gibson ETG-150, ‘80s Manson Kestrel
Mandolins: Davidson f5, A5 "Badgerlin".
Bouzouki: Paul Shippey Axe
My band's website
Eh, I think the etymology that led to a 'tenor' guitar being called 'tenor' comes from the tenor banjo, the origin of which is equally convoluted and hotly disputed among banjo nerds. I think if it's got four strings tuned in fifths and is played with a pick, you can safely call it a tenor. If you're playing Irish, you could just call it an Irish banjo and people will know what you mean. Nobody I know plays a soprano or alto banjo.
Dear Corgi and Badger,
WWEZMPD?
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All the Best,
MdJ
As SincereCorgi has said, four strings, tuned in fifths, are important. A true tenor guitar should have a scale length of 22 7/8 inches or less.
Tenor banjos have historically had standard scale and short scale (17 fret) banjo's. Tenor guitars are tenor banjo scale necks set into a guitar shaped body.
If the scale is longer it is then a plectrum guitar.
Charley
A bunch of stuff with four strings
In my experience, there are three common 4-string guitar tunings: CGDA (like the tenor banjo), GDAE, and DGBE (the so-called "Chicago" tuning). I personally call them all tenor guitars, even though DGBE is not in fifths. In my experience, most Texas-style TG players use CGDA. I personally use GDAE most often.
EdSherry
"We must respect the other fellow's religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart." – H. L. Mencken
This chart purports to show the ranges for the human voice and numerous instruments. The tenor guitar is tuned the same as mandola and viola, which is indicated. Hopefully this will help.
It's worth noting that some instruments with "tenor" in their names have different ranges than others. The term may be more relative than absolute, a means of putting instrument families in order within themselves yet not necessarily relative to others. This is something that someone with more familiarity with music theory should be able to clarify.
But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller
Furthering Mandolin Consciousness
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Just like the "Tenor" with the TB never made strictly logical sense, register-wise, it will evade serious prodding with the TG. You might call the GDAE-tuned TG an Irish Tenor Guitar to clear things up for few, but deepen confusion for many.
If change of tuning would call for a different name, DADGAD and Drop-D guitar players were in for trouble about what exactly it is they are playing.
the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world
The term "tenor" was not always where it is so it's not surprising it gets shuffled about in the modern era.
19fret is the standard tenor banjo, 17 is the short scale one favoured in Irish music and that gets tuned in GDAE.
The instrument doesn't stop being what it is just because you stick slightly fatter strings on or give the tuners a twist one way or another. There's a long standing practice of tuning the tenor guitar in Chicago tuning too.
Eoin
"Forget that anyone is listening to you and always listen to yourself" - Fryderyk Chopin
A notorius musician whose bad reputation precedes him wherever he goes, once said in my presence that,
"an instrument is never defined by the manner in which it is tuned"
this was said relative to the dgbe/cgda/gdae schism which always seems to flare up when more than 3 TG folks gather in one location. I dismissed this statement because of my prejudice against the speaker but it stayed in my head.... Keith Richards learns open G from Ry Cooder and even jettisons the bass string, but he is obviously still playing guitar. John Cage 'prepares' a piano for a performance, but the instrument is not re-named.....
The whole idea of 'standard' vs 'alternate' tunings for specific instruments seems slippery at best and likely to shift around with individual players, genre of music, or changing popular taste. After some reflection, I now find myself in reluctant agreement with Mr. Notorious.
Best always,
MdJ
Last edited by MdJ; Nov-12-2015 at 9:07am.
Indeed. And why confuse the poor sod who asks you what your instrument is (when you're not in CGDA)?
Currently my tenor is actually a four string octave fifths & a fourth guitar!
My name is Rob, and I am Lord of All Badgers
Tenor Guitars: Acoustic: Mcilroy ASP10T, ‘59 Martin 0-18t. Electric: ‘57 Gibson ETG-150, ‘80s Manson Kestrel
Mandolins: Davidson f5, A5 "Badgerlin".
Bouzouki: Paul Shippey Axe
My band's website
In my experience as well. I know some who experimented with other tunings but always came back to CGDA. It really fits nicely in between the 6 string guitar and the fiddle! To my ears octave mandolin tuning GDAE is too much in guitar range for Texas Fiddle accompaniment.
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Good stuff in here, thanks guy.
And then there is 'Chicago' tuning , DGBE.. but its still being done on a Tenor Guitar, not a Baritone Uke.
Though it is also an optional tuning on those too ..
writing about music
is like dancing,
about architecture
Regarding not liking instruments in the same family based on tuning, over at a banjo website some of the hardcore bluegrassers get angry when anything other than the bluegrass banjo is referred to as a banjo.
Since Django Reinhardt immediately taught himself to play banjo guitar when he received one as a gift in 1922 at the age of 12, and recorded on one by 1927-1928, it leads to grumbling among those who don't want facts to interfere with their view of either history or nomenclature.
----
In a nutshell, yes, a 4-string guitar can safely be called a tenor guitar.
For the record, even Bach wrote music for violin in alternate tunngs, not just fifths.
----
Playing a funky oval-hole scroll-body mandolin, several mandolins retuned to CGDA, three CGDA-tuned Flatiron mandolas, two Flatiron mandolas tuned as octave mandolins,and a six-course 25.5" scale CGDAEB-tuned Ovation Mandophone.
Love mandola?
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That's odd, because the bluegrass style banjo wasn't developed as we know it until after the tenor banjo craze brought metal strings and resonators to the banjo world - which prior to the early 20th century was gut strings and open backs played either "stroke" style or classically fingerpicked. Also the tenor guitar had been developed before Earl Scruggs and Don Reno hit the scene.
Guitar banjos have been around since the late teens/early 20's for sure, Johnny St. Cyr used one in early jazz recordings.
Long history of the Tenor CGDA banjo in trad dixieland Jazz , the GDAE Irish tenor banjo has a more recent history ,
but has taken a pretty firm place in Sessions. tenor guitars are of course cousins for both..
writing about music
is like dancing,
about architecture
----
Playing a funky oval-hole scroll-body mandolin, several mandolins retuned to CGDA, three CGDA-tuned Flatiron mandolas, two Flatiron mandolas tuned as octave mandolins,and a six-course 25.5" scale CGDAEB-tuned Ovation Mandophone.
Love mandola?
Join the Mandola Social Group!
I use GDAE Tuning on the Tenor Guitar w/ John Pearse 450 Strings cause it allows me to get a much deeper & mellower sound.
CGDA is an Alto Voice, on the other hand GDAE is the true Tenor for both Tenor Guitar & Tenor Banjo.
I'll go along with this definition. It may not be 100% accurate, but it rings true. What Charles E. said back in post #5
also rings true. I've always thought tenor guitars were tuned in fifths - which is why I own one (a steel one)and can play it.
The notion of the term "tenor" meaning the same thing when applied to the guitar or the voicing was dispelled earlier in the thread.
But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller
Furthering Mandolin Consciousness
Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!
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