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fourths tuning for guitar
 Intervals

When you look at the fretboard of a Warr guitar, it is useful to visualize relative movement in intervals. You already know the strings of a War guitar are arranged in fourths. What exactly is a fourth? A perfect fourth could be described as an interval five semitones (half steps or frets) up from the original pitch.

The relationship of C up to F is not the same as F up to C. Moving from F to C would be a perfect fifth, or seven semitones away. We say a perfect fifth and perfect fourth are reciprocal intervals. Because they are reciprocal, their conjoined patterns are symmetrical on the fretboard.
perfect fourth
perfect fifth
P4+P5
The relationship of the fourth and fifth to the tonic strongly defines your tonal center. The movement of I IV V defines the blues and rock idioms. As you can see, moving from I to IV or V is simple to remember – move across a string.

Possibly the most important interval pattern to visualize is the octave. In some cases, like minor sevenths, it is much quicker to count down from the octave, than up from the root. Knowing where your octave is gives you bookends to construct the rest of your frame of reference. With octaves, fourths and fifths visualized, you are ready to build on this foundation.
minor second
major seventh
m2+M7

major second
minor seventh
M2+m7

minor third
major sixth
m3+M6

major third
minor sixth
M3+m6

All intervals have their reciprocal. B to C is a single semitone, or minor second (m2) C to B is a major seventh (M7) You'll notice that all reciprocal intervals always add up to nine. 2+7=9. 4+5=9. Major intervals become minor intervals, minors become majors. Perfect intervals stay perfect, augmented becomes diminished and vice versa.

semitones intervals
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
 unison
m2
M2
m3
M3
P4
aug4 or dim 5th
P5
m6
M6
m7
M7
oct

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