Editing Musical tuning (section)

===Open strings===<!--[[Open string (music)]] redirects directly here.-->
{{unreferenced section|date=October 2014}}
{{Main|Stringed instrument tunings}}
[[File:Violin - open strings notes.PNG|thumb|The pitches of open strings on a violin. {{audio|Violin open strings.mid|Play}}]]

In [[music]], the term '''open string''' refers to the fundamental note of the unstopped, full string.

The strings of a [[guitar]] are normally tuned to [[perfect fourth|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 [[perfect fifth|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 desired intervals. On a guitar, often the lowest string is tuned to an E. From this, each successive string can be tuned by fingering the fifth fret of an already tuned string and comparing it with the next higher string played open. This works with the exception of the G string, which must be stopped at the fourth fret to sound B against the open B string above. Alternatively, each string can be tuned to its own reference tone.

[[File:Violoncello open strings actual.png|thumb|right|Cello open strings. {{audio|Violoncello open strings actual.mid|Play}}]]
Note that while the guitar and other modern stringed instruments with fixed frets are tuned in [[equal temperament]], string instruments without frets, such as those of the violin family, are not. The violin, viola, and cello are tuned to [[beat (acoustics)|beatless]] just perfect fifths and ensembles such as string quartets and orchestras tend to play in fifths based [[Pythagorean tuning]] or to compensate and play in equal temperament, such as when playing with other instruments such as the piano. For example, the cello, which is tuned down from [[A440 (pitch standard)|A220]], has three more strings (four total) and the just perfect fifth is about two [[Cent (music)|cents]] off from the equal tempered perfect fifth, making its lowest string, C−, about six cents more flat than the equal tempered C.

This table lists open strings on some common string instruments and their standard tunings from low to high unless otherwise noted.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Instrument
! Tuning
|-
|[[violin]], [[mandolin]], [[Banjo#Four-string banjos|Irish tenor banjo]]
|G, D, A, E
|-
|[[viola]], [[cello]], [[tenor banjo]], [[mandola]], [[mandocello]], [[tenor guitar]]
|C, G, D, A
|-
|[[double bass]], [[mando-bass]], [[bass guitar]]*
|(B*,) E, A, D, G, (C*)
|-
|[[guitar]]
|E, A, D, G, B, E
|-
|[[concert harp]]
| C{{music|flat}}, D{{music|flat}}, E{{music|flat}}, F{{music|flat}}, G{{music|flat}}, A{{music|flat}}, B{{music|flat}} (repeating)
|-
|[[ukulele]]
|G, C, E, A (the G string is higher than the C and E, and two half steps below the A string, known as [[reentrant tuning]])
|-
|[[5-string banjo]]
|G, D, G, B, D (another [[reentrant tuning]], with the short 5th string tuned an octave above the 3rd string)
|-
|[[cavaquinho]]
|D, G, B, D (standard Brazilian tuning)
|}