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STRING-COURSES

MUSIC CHORD
TERMS DICTIONARY

 

 
   

STRING-COURSES

String-Courses refer to multiple stringed stringed instruments.  By that we mean that some stringed instruments instead of having one string for a fingering position may have 2 or even 3 sets of strings that are played as one.

One example of this is a 12 string guitar.  A 12 string guitar is mostly played the same as a 6 string guitar.  The reason that we can do this is each "pair" of strings (referred to as a course of strings) are tuned to either the same exact note, or the same note one octave away.  For example, if one string is tuned to "E" the second string will also be tuned to an "E" - even if it might be the same "E" or one octave higher or lower.  In either case, the 12 string guitar is played as a 6 string guitar.  The 12 string guitar then has string pairs and it might be stated that it has 6 "course" of strings.

Mandolins are similar.  They have string pairs.  So an 8 string mandolin is played as a 4 stringed instrument as far as fingering is concerned.  Even more confusing is the "Tiple" which can be 12 total strings, but each string "course" having 3 strings.  So a 12 string tiple is played as a 4 stringed instrument.

Musicord Software Note

The Musicord Software shown below for Windows, actually shows fingering for string "courses" rather than the strings themselves.  Even though no more than 6 string courses are shown, this is not only fine for 4 string, 5 string and 6 string instruments, but also will work for 8 string mandolins played as a 4 stringed instrument), 12 string guitars (played as a 6 string instrument) and 12 string tiples (played as a 4 stringed instrument.)  The program screen will display the number of string courses.


 
   

Now Available !  Musicord Version 3 software for Windows
Shows chords and chord fingerings for
Keyboard and many stringed instruments

screen shot of musicord software ehowing E major chord

(note: actual screen size is larger in usage)

Click Here for More Musicord Information

Click Here for eBook Info on One Person Band Recording

Click here to visit the main rpsoft 2000 software site

Click here to view more music chord terms and definitions

     
One person band techniques book   Book: Becoming a One Person Band (click for info)
eBook Available from Google Play, Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook

If you have some instrument skills, particularly with a keyboard instrument such as piano, organ, accordion, or keyboard itself or similar, you can do multiple track recording and create you own band recording of perhaps 4 or 8 or 16 or more pieces. This book focuses on music theory on help for determining what some of those other band parts might play, such as strings, bass or other instruments.