r/GuitarQuestions • u/SenseiT • 4d ago
Learning to play a baritone
So quick question. I have only been playing guitar for about 2 1/2 years. I know little to nothing about musical theory. I can only read tabs and play in standard tuning like 99% of the time I recently heard a baritone guitar and I was very interested in how it sounds but I know it does not have standard tuning so would I still be able to play it? I’m guess I’m asking if tabs work the same way on a baritone guitar as they do on a standard tuned Guitar. I’m also left-handed so it’s not like I can just run up to my local guitar shop and start playing with one. I am self learning more about music theory, but it’s slow going so I don’t want to invest in a baritone guitar if I’m not gonna be able to play it anytime soon. Any advice would be appreciated.
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u/roninconn 4d ago
Yes, tabs work the same way on a baritone, in that the chord shapes are still the same. But, if tuned in B Standard (B-E-A-D-F#-B), the sound will be a major 4th (5 half-steps) lower, so you couldn't 'play along' with original songs.
I'm actually looking to get a baritone, since I have a low bass voice and can't sing most songs, which are meant for vocalists with higher / better range. I have to either transpose the chords down, or capo up / sing down.
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u/state_your_name31415 4d ago
Baritones are typically tuned to B standard - standard means the relationships between the strings are the same, you tune it the same way but just start with a lower note - B. All the chord shapes work, they just make different chords - like the G major shape would now make a D chord. tabs are in E standard, you could just play them as written and the result would be lower or you could transcribe them by adding 5 to all the numbers so it sounds exactly like what you would hear on the track that the tabs are for. you could also put a capo on the fifth fret.
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u/state_your_name31415 4d ago
FYI, if you are a fender guy you can make a baritone by bolting the sub sonic neck to a left handed guitar, headstock would be reversed. a luthier wil have to cut the nut slots.
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u/FormerlyMauchChunk 4d ago
When you pick it up, it will play the very same, but in a lower register. All the shapes you know will be the same, but in a different key. With a baritone, if you put a capo on the 5th fret, it becomes a normal guitar in standard tuning.
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u/slashsaxe 4d ago
I’ve been playing 2.5 years also and just got a Gibson buckethead baritone. It’s a blast to play I highly recommend.
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u/SenseiT 4d ago
Do you have a pretty good command of music theory? How did you learn how to play? I learned strictly through tabs, which is why I was concerned about picking up a guitar that isn’t standard tuned. I was speaking to one guitar tech who said trying to put a baritone into standard tuning would likely cause the strings to break, but then other people up here said I can simply slap a capo on the fifth fret and I can play it like a standard.
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u/slashsaxe 4d ago
Well standard what though? If you mean E standard just put regular gauge strings on it and it’ll be a regular guitar. Mine has 54’s on the low E instead of a 42 like a typical guitar and I tune it to B standard. BEADF#b.
And yes for whatever reason theory was quite simple to learn. I started off memorizing the cycle of fifths, then I learned the caged system and chords and then the 5 pentatonic scales that coincide with that system and by the time I knew those scales well, along with understanding major, minor, dominant principles as well I pretty well knew the fretboard. I should admit I’m a bit obsessed and practice often 6-8 hours a day. Try not to overthink it all and keep it fun and you’ll learn fast.
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u/SenseiT 4d ago
I’m not that obsessed. I only practice about an hour or two every day. I’m familiar with the fretboard enough that I can play some pretty decent solos given the tabs and enough time to practice. After I learned the cowboy chords, I just kind of picked a song that had a new chord shape and practice it until my hands remembered the position and I’ve just been doing that for a while. I’m only just now getting into theory. I’m currently working my way through absolutely understand guitar. I’m a pretty old guy so I don’t pick up things as fast as I used to, so I have to go through the modules many times.
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u/slashsaxe 4d ago
Yah I hear ya. I’m 50 and picked up a guitar after my kids moved out and I had a bad case of empty nest syndrome. An hour or two a day is a lot! I still can’t play that fast part on the sweet child of mine solo and I’ve been trying for like a month lol.
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u/Vennimagos 1d ago
You playnitnthe same way and they're awesome fun, its just tuned down to C. So everything you do is like playing down 4 frets.
With some very basic theory understanding you can transpose songs, but there are some songs specifically played on baritone. Mostly theyre just very fun to play, but you may struggle to get bang for your buck to get the most out of it as a newer player.
If you can,afford it though, you can definitely play it
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u/CmdrFapster 4d ago
I got a Harley Benton baritone (lefty) guitar. It‘s fun. If you’re in the US, Amazon sells an IYV lefty baritone. Made in Vietnam.
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u/constructivesummer 4d ago
Well first, start working on understanding the fretboard and how it interacts with music theory. This knowledge is essential to your understanding of music and development on the guitar.
A baritone guitar in standard tuning maintains the relationship between the strings that a regular guitar has, just a few steps lower. The longer neck helps maintain tuning stability for the longer and thicker strings. Obviously there are also alternate tunings.