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Definition of the Marlow Method Tunings for Ten-String Guitar
by Steven Bastien
All Marlow tuning methods use a standard guitar tuning on string 1 through 6.
The 7-th string is up a fifth (inverted fourth) to create a reentrant tuning. The remaining 3 strings then typically decend in fourths.
Marlow tunings can be defined by three traits: (i) strings 1-6 are in standard tuning, (ii) all strings are related by perfect fourths (or one augmented fourth may be present), and (iii) a one octave reentrance is placed between the 7'th and 6-th string. A corollary of the definition is that all 7 wound strings (4-10) cover all notes of a major scale.
This definition results in 5 possible tunings.
2. The standard "Marlow Alternate Tuning" is also a reentrant tuning in fourths, however
the interval from the 8'th to 7'th string is an augmented fourth as follows;
(note that this tuning provides all notes of the C major scale on the wound bass strings).
E B G D A E B F# C# G#
E B G D A E B F C G
3. The "Marlow D Tuning" requires that the open strings be in the Marlow Method
tuning, with the exception that the 10'th string is tuned to G as follows.
E B G D A E B F# C# G
1. The standard "Marlow Method Tuning" is a reentrant tuning in all perfect fourths as follows:
(note that this tuning provides all notes of the A major scale on the wound bass strings.)
4. The "Marlow G Tuning" requires that the open strings be in the Marlow Method
tuning, with the exception that the 10'th string is tuned to G and 9'th to C as follows.
E B G D A E B F# C G
5. The "Marlow F Tuning" requires that the open strings be in the Marlow Method
tuning, with the exception that the 7'th string is tuned to Bb as follows.
E B G D A E Bb F C G
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