Name - Standard

Standard tuning has evolved to provide a good compromise between simple fingering for many chords and the ability to play common scales with minimal left hand movement. The interval between one string and the next is mostly kept consistent, with the first (e) to second (b) string as well as the third (G), fourth (D), fifth (A) and sixth (E) all being a five-semitone interval (a perfect fourth). This allows notes of the chromatic scale to be played with each of the four fingers of the left hand controlling one of the first four frets (index finger on fret 1 little finger on fret 4 etc.). It also yields a symmetry and intelligibility to fingering patterns. The exception of this is the relation of second string (b) to the third (G), where the interval is only four semitones (a major third). This exception is there to make barre chords possible.