Musical tuning to the fundamental note of the unstopped, full string. The strings of a guitar are normally tuned to fourths (excepting the G and B strings in standard tuning, which are tuned to a third), as are the strings of the bass guitar and double bass. Violin, viola, and cello strings are tuned to fifths. However, non-standard tunings (called scordatura) exist to change the sound of the instrument or create other playing options. To tune an instrument, often only one reference pitch is given. This reference is used to tune one string, to which the other strings are tuned in the
Contrabass guitar Contrabass guitar A contrabass guitar is a low-register plucked string instrument in the guitar family with four, five or six strings. It is often called, simply, a "six string bass guitar". The "five string bass guitar" is rarely called a contrabass guitar, even though it typically has the same lowest note. Contrabass guitars have been around since 1899, when a "Grand Concert Contra Bass Guitar" was listed in Joseph Bohmann's catalogue. Bohmann, a violin, mandolin, guitar and zither manufacturer from Chicago, developed a large 6-string guitar. While some logically speculate that this instrument was tuned one octave lower than a