An augmented tuning is a
musical tuning system for musical instruments that is associated with
augmented triad
Augment or augmentation may refer to:
Language
* Augment (Indo-European), a syllable added to the beginning of the word in certain Indo-European languages
*Augment (Bantu languages), a morpheme that is prefixed to the noun class prefix of nouns ...
s, that is a
root note
In music theory, the concept of root is the idea that a chord can be represented and named by one of its notes. It is linked to harmonic thinking—the idea that vertical aggregates of notes can form a single unit, a chord. It is in this sense ...
, a
major third
In classical music, a third is a Interval (music), musical interval encompassing three staff positions (see Interval (music)#Number, Interval number for more details), and the major third () is a third spanning four semitones.Allen Forte, ...
, and an
augmented fifth
In classical music from Western culture, an augmented fifth () is an interval produced by widening a perfect fifth by a chromatic semitone.Benward & Saker (2003). ''Music: In Theory and Practice, Vol. I'', p.54. . For instance, the interval f ...
. The augmented fifth is constructed by
stacking the major third with another major third. Consequently, all of the
intervals
Interval may refer to:
Mathematics and physics
* Interval (mathematics), a range of numbers
** Partially ordered set#Intervals, its generalization from numbers to arbitrary partially ordered sets
* A statistical level of measurement
* Interval e ...
are major thirds.
Augmented tunings are used for stringed instruments, especially guitars, and for wind instruments. For guitars, augmented tunings are called
major thirds tuning
Among alternative tunings for guitar, a major-thirds tuning is a regular tuning in which each interval between successive open strings is a major third ("M3" in musical abbreviation). Other names for major-thirds tuning include major-third tuni ...
s.
Instruments
Guitar
Major-thirds (M3) tunings are unconventional
open tunings, in which the open strings form an
augmented triad
Augment or augmentation may refer to:
Language
* Augment (Indo-European), a syllable added to the beginning of the word in certain Indo-European languages
*Augment (Bantu languages), a morpheme that is prefixed to the noun class prefix of nouns ...
; in M3 tunings, the
''augmented'' fifth replaces the
''perfect'' fifth of the
major triad of conventional open-tunings. Consequently M3 tunings are also called (open) ''augmented-fifth tunings'' (in French "''La guitare #5, majeure quinte augmentée''").
Unfortunately, the open augmented-chord sounds dissonant to audiences who are accustomed to standard tuning.
Wind
For a
diatonic wind instrument
A wind instrument is a musical instrument that contains some type of resonator (usually a tube) in which a column of air is set into vibration by the player blowing into (or over) a mouthpiece set at or near the end of the resonator. The pitc ...
(such as a
harmonica or
accordion), the blow notes repeat a sequence of
:
C E G♯
(perhaps shifted to begin with E♭ or with G) and draw notes follow a repeating sequence of
:
E♭ G B
though perhaps with a different initial sequence.
For example:
:
See also
*
Diminished tuning
Diminished tuning is a system of choosing the reeds for a diatonic wind instrument (such as a harmonica or accordion) in which the blow notes repeat a sequence of
: C E♭ F♯ A
and draw notes follow a repeating sequence of
: D F G♯ B
( ...
*
Richter tuning
Richter tuning is a system of choosing the reeds for a diatonic wind instrument (such as a harmonica or accordion). It is named after Joseph Richter, a Bohemian instrument maker who adopted the tuning for his harmonicas in the early 19th century ...
*
Solo tuning
Notes
References
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*
Musical tuning
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