New standard tuning

New standard tuning (NST) was invented by guitarist Robert Fripp of the band King Crimson in September 1983. Fripp began using the tuning in 1985 before beginning his Guitar Craft seminars. In 2012, Fripp suggested that Guitar Circle members experiment with an A string (0.007) from Octave4Plus of Gary Goodman; if successful, the experiment could lead to "the NST 1.2", C2G2D3A3E4-A4, according to Fripp. ==Properties==

The lowest five strings are tuned in perfect fifths from a low C. The first string is a minor third up from the E to a G. Since the lowest five strings are tuned in fifths, guitars with NST can be played with the fingerings for chords and scales used on the violin, cello, and mandolin. The distinct open notes are from the major pentatonic scale on C, which contains only consonant intervals. The C-pentatonic scale omits the open B of standard tuning and all-fifths tuning, which forms a dissonant second-interval with C. With the 1980s King Crimson, Fripp had used pentatonic harmony in "Discipline", "Thela Hun Ginjeet", and "Sartori in Tangier". Harmonics: Overtones New standard tuning lists four notes (C,G,E,G) from the harmonic sequence (overtones) for the note C. Persichetti's book influenced Fripp. In new standard tuning • C is the fundamental overtone, • G as a fifth reinforces C, • D as a fifth reinforces G, • A as a fifth reinforces D, • E both as a fifth reinforces A and as the fifth overtone reinforces C, and • G as the sixth overtone reinforces C. Range . Like all-fifths tuning, Quartal and quintal harmony was stressed from the beginning of Fripp's teaching of Guitar Craft. Fripp began a 1986 course with these directions: "Now, pick a note from the following series—[it was a series of fourths or fifths]. When you are ready—do not be in any hurry, but when you are ready play your note, then pick others and play them as the situation demands it. Your first note will be the first intentional note you have played in a week." It is a challenge to adapt conventional guitar chords to new standard tuning. Historical background Modern quartal and quintal harmony revives the polyphonic traditions of medieval Europe. Before the common practice period, European polyphony emphasized unison intervals and octaves and also perfect fifths. From the Renaissance to 1900, Western symphonic music was diatonic, emphasizing the tertian harmony of major and minor scales, keys, and chords. Much popular music, especially rock, retains diatonic harmony. ==String gauges==

With traditional guitar strings, the low C may be loose and the high G may be too tight. Special gauges are therefore more suitable for NST. For steel-stringed acoustic-guitars, many Guitar Craft participants use either an .011–.058 inch set string-sets may be purchased as a set from a manufacturer or purchased singly and assembled by the guitarist. In 2012, a 0.007 inch gauge was being evaluated by Fripp and other members of Guitar Circle, who are considering replacing the first string's G note with an A note, the better to approximate the B note of all-fifths tuning. The 0.007 inch gauge was produced by Octave4Plus of Gary Goodman. Robert Fripp uses lighter strings for electric guitar. ==Artists who use new standard tuning==

Robert Fripp currently uses the new standard tuning, beginning in 1984. Fripp has taught new standard tuning in his Guitar Craft courses. In Guitar Craft and in the 2010 successor Guitar Circles, students use only new standard tuning. Having to use a new tuning challenges students to approach their playing with greater mindfulness and to explore new ways of musical expression. Guitar Craft alumni who continue to practice new standard tuning are called "crafty guitarists" or "crafties". Some crafty guitarists formed the League of Crafty Guitarists, which toured with Robert Fripp and have released multiple albums. Guitar-Craft and the League of Crafty Guitarists have trained guitarists who went on to form new bands, such as the Trey Gunn and the California Guitar Trio; Gunn and the California Guitar Trio have toured with Fripp as the Robert Fripp String Quintet. Other alumni of the League of Crafty Guitarists include members of Los Gauchos Alemanes, such as U.S. guitarist Steve Ball; Ball is associated with the Seattle Guitar Circle, along with League of Craft Guitarists alumnus Curt Golden. The collection A Plague of Crafty Guitarists features many NST players including Nigel Gavin. New standard tuning has been adapted for instruments besides guitar. Trey Gunn (Crimson's warr guitar player from 1994 to 2003) and Markus Reuter have adapted new standard tuning for their 8- and 10-string instruments; in 2007 Reuter used a B-F-C-G-D-A-C-D tuning. ==See also==