My theory why open chords do not play in tune when fretted on a guitar is that in the case of the first three strings, (the smallest ones), the strings being a different diameter from each other, will stretch at a different rate from each other due to the different mass per unit lengths of each string. I need a way to prove this. Any ideas?
Asked
Active
Viewed 31 times
0
-
Is the nut too high? The height difference from the nut to the top fret should be the same as the difference between each preceding fret. Having to push the strings down too far on the top frets could have an undesired effect. – Adrian Howard Jan 26 '20 at 20:40
-
what if your theory is wrong? – ZeroTheHero Jan 26 '20 at 21:00
1 Answers
2
It is true that if the nut is cut too shallow, the first fret position will play sharp due to the tensions effect you mention. However, the basic issue is as follows.
The 12-fret scale as used on this class of stringed instruments represents a compromise in getting every string to play the correct pitch in all fretted positions. This compromise means that the intervals in a chord will never be pure, in any position on the neck, and for all chords.
This means that if you deliberately tune the guitar to produce, say, an A major chord in the open position with perfect pitch intervals, the guitar will be completely out of tune when you then play (for example) an open C major.
Most guitars have a intonation adjustment in the bridge which allows the length of the string to be changed slightly in order to get the octave harmonic on each to coincide precisely with the location of the 12th fret, but this does not compensate for the pitch errors still present in all other playing positions.
niels nielsen
- 92,630