Major thirds tuning

By definition, a major-third interval separates two notes that differ by exactly four semitones (one-third of the twelve-note octave).

The Spanish guitar's tuning mixes four perfect fourths (five semitones) and one major-third, the latter occurring between the G and B strings: This tuning, which is used for acoustic and electric guitars, is called "standard" in English, a convention that is followed in this article.

For guitars with six strings, every major-third tuning repeats its three open-notes in two octaves, so providing many options for fingering chords.

By repeating open-string notes and by having uniform intervals between strings, major-thirds tuning simplifies learning by beginners.

[6][10] The middle tunings are a compromise, each losing a note or two off both the top and the bottom of the range.

[8] Regardless of which note is chosen to start the tuning sequence, there are only four distinct sets of open-note pitch classes.

[12] Every major-thirds tuning is regular and repetitive, two properties that facilitate learning by beginners and improvisation by advanced guitarists.

[note 1] Only two or three frets are needed for the guitar chords—major, minor, and dominant sevenths—which are emphasized in introductions to guitar-playing and to the fundamentals of music.

[19] The repetition of the major-thirds tuning enables notes and chords to be raised one octave by being vertically shifted by three strings.

In M3 tunings, the augmented fifth replaces the perfect fifth of the major triad, which is used in conventional open-tunings.

[14] Beginning players first learn open chords belonging to the major keys C, G, and D. Guitarists who play mainly open chords in these three major-keys and their relative minor-keys (Am, Em, Bm) may prefer standard tuning over an M3 tuning.

[25] In particular, hobbyists playing folk music around a campfire are well served by standard tuning.

Intermediate guitarists do not limit themselves to one hand-position, and consequently open chords are only part of their chordal repertoire.

He was studying with Gunther Schuller, whose twelve-tone technique was invented for atonal composition by his teacher, Arnold Schoenberg.

[4] Patt was also inspired by the free jazz of Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane.

The fretboard of major-thirds tuning is segmented into four-fret intervals, frets 0–3, 4–7, and 8–11; the natural notes are labeled.
M3 tuning partitions its fretboard into four-fret segments.
Minor, major, and seventh chords are played with the same shape on two to three consecutive frets.
Shifting a chord by three strings raises it by one octave.
The C major chord and its first and second inversions. In the first inversion, the C note has been raised 3 strings on the same fret. In the second inversion, both the C note and the E note have been raised 3 strings on the same fret.
Chords are inverted by shifting notes by three strings on their original frets .
Sevenths chords, constructed in closed position by stacking third intervals on the C-major scale, are played on three frets in M3 tuning.
In standard tuning, the closed-voicing root-bass C7 chord on frets 3–8 is difficult to play, and so an open voicing is conventional. [ note 2 ]
A guitar fretboard with line-segments connecting the successive open-string notes of standard tuning
Standard tuning's mixture of one major-third and four perfect-fourths did not meet Ralph Patt's needs for improvisation, so he invented M3 tuning.