Why Tom Quayle uses all 4ths tuning for his fusion style | Guitar.com

With his buttery legato style and precision picking, Tom Quayle has established himself at the forefront of fusion. We caught up with the British guitarist to chat about his gear, influences and why he prefers an eccentric tuning known as “all 4ths”.

[@DaveRucci]

Man this guy plays like butter.

[@jadeowenhamblyn4405]

soooo... all salty and nice with toast?

[@DouggieDinosaur]

He's playing the BUTTER NOTES !! Miles Davis would be proud ^_^

[@drbreeden4093]

Dave Rucci Check out Guthrie Govan, Thomas McRicklin and Nick Johnston too! I’m sure you’ll dig’m all!

[@fredmachine]

Seriously. I thought Tim Miller had some buttery legato licks going on...

[@DaveRucci]

Derek Breeden the Aristocrats are coming to Orlando soon. I really want to see Govan shred! 🙌🏻

[@XLBiker13]

I'd never heard of Tom Quayle. Now I'l never forget him. Wow. What an incredible musician. And seems like such a humble, nice guy. Refreshing.

[@metalliholic]

He's amazing but I personally prefer Martin Millers playing.

[@luisbarrera7248]

Humble is refreshing? Nah. Everyone tries to act humble and personable. Thats boring. cocky and arrogant, now that's fun

[@aidilmubarock5394]

Check out his yt channel

[@PDXguitarfreak]

I had never heard Tom before this video, even though I appreciated his signature Ibanez from a distance. He definitely deserves his own model... wow

[@knutnskar6796]

He is really good. His legato is like butter 😀

[@giancarlopaolini7529]

Huge technique indeed and the “spider” moving on the fretboard is really awesome. Bravo ! One of the best guitar players of the new generation for sure.

[@Stephen_Lafferty]

It's always fun to hear from Tom - a great player and communicator!

[@voronOsphere]

He's a guitar and music ambassador!

[@SergioFraga]

I love the way Tom explains everything, really clear!

[@denda2643]

This is hands down the best and slickest legato playing i have ever heard. Absolutely stunning.

[@Athraminaurian]

Glad to hear Tom giving a shoutout to Tim Miller. That man is the real deal.

[@jonathanj6337]

yeah Tim Miller is amaaaazing

[@shreddykrueger7641]

Such a beast

[@diegoespinoza1550]

Wow, sounds great,!!! That legato it's interesting. Tom Quayle plays so clean and fast.

[@robertmartin513]

I didn't think much of his playing till I noticed all of the hybrid picking. He makes it look so easy.

[@alexmatheson6]

Very smooth right hand going on there. You make it look easy

[@CamiloVelandia]

Unbelievable player and amazingly humble guy!

[@Nedwin]

very nice interview. Inspiring

[@backspin6698]

Great playing, and he seems like a nice guy to. Like that. Back to practicing.

[@cyril_jq]

As a bass player this is what I wanted to do on a guitar a long time ago

[@yaroslavromanov8357]

yes yes yes, agreed 100% :)

[@atomaalatonal]

as a kazoo player i ...*nervousbreakdown

[@voronOsphere]

Sometimes 6 string bassists tune the Hi-B to a C.

[@DavidMorley]

I tried the tuning and now I can play exactly like him. 🤣

[@abdelrahmankhaled8239]

I'm trying the tuning for the first time and it's honestly so cool. it instantly changed the way I play. And the symmetry is really awesome

[@garygrinkevich6971]

nice tone, good playing lots of textures

[@Nikoo033]

Saw Tom as special guest with Josh Smith in Sheffield, was awesome!

[@DouggieDinosaur]

I did Major 3rd tuning for a few years. Then I discovered a jazz musician, Ralph Patt, did it in the 1960s. He has a great quote that is basically what you said: "Major 3rd tuning makes all the hard things about the guitar easy and all the easy things hard." Today, you inspired me to try Perfect 4th tuning! I feared learning different tunings would tax my brain but the brain (and muscle memory) is miraculous - the fingers easily switch between the two. Major 3rd tuning felt "blocky" to me but I may have been approaching it wrong. Minor 3rd tuning is amazeballs - Bayan button accordions use this - but it limits the range of notes on a guitar and open chords would definitely be more of a stretch. SUBSCRIBED! All the Best!

[@danielsaturnino5715]

Thumbs up for the advice.

[@TomMacalisang]

Tom Quayle. The reason why I am now a drummer. 😌

[@Amber57499]

Want me to name you a few awesome drummers so you'll end up playing the recorder? :D

[@gabbo9795]

@@Amber57499 dave weckl just jumped into my mind xD

[@SuchaDoofus]

Then you meet Vinnie.... (I recommend the triangle)

[@vladnikitin2566]

This is amazing

[@jordanpurcell5161]

Damn, that is flawless hybrid picking.

[@devadattagamen4330]

life changer! thanks

[@bgbg418]

That simple tuning is genius!! How have I not seen 4ths tuning before??? THANK YOU!!!!

[@LevonsWound]

if I recall, Stanley Jordan tuned up his B string half step.

[@Black_Swan777]

LevonsWound ...And the high E string up a half step up to F: The same 4ths tuning. Jordan popularized it (if you can call a handful of players adopting it over the last 40-45 years ‘popularizing’ it. Lol)

[@castle6660]

@@LevonsWound Stanley plays in perfect 4th tuning.

[@Billywagner22]

Unreal technique!

[@klauswhitedreamer]

God bless you, master Tom !

[@MrMjp58]

Guitar playing at a higher level than usual. He is so fluent, inventive and makes it look effortless. He is also very knowledgeable and conversant with all the pedals/technology etc [the sort of hardware that makes me want to run and hide, when I'm in a guitar shop]. I remember the 4th's tuning thing mentioned in an interview with Dan Armstrong [Guitar magazine Sep '73]. I tried it once for a few minutes but decided not to persist.

[@innocentoctave]

The left hand gets all the attention, but his hand coordination and hybrid picking technique are as good as it gets.

[@BAMozzy69]

I love the Wildhearts they were so on point all in unison, and great lyrics too. I would struggle with this tuning...

[@vidsforsquids]

And the majority of those influences he listed were spawned by the master Allan Holdsworth

[@97stratocaster21]

Absolutely. Give credit where credit is due. Holdsworth was and still is the legato master.

[@ooferrell]

Rip!!!

[@frankquinn1296]

Glad you brought up Alan Hinds Tom, he make its everything look effortless.

[@amanbytheway]

the only thing more technical than his playing is his beard.

[@amanbytheway]

@John Sagnella "Technically"

[@davestambaugh7282]

Quatro is very popular in South American countries. They have them with four, six, eight or ten strings. If you are interested in playing melodies alone it is the best tuning. The minor fourth intervail is for playing chords and melodies.

[@SorenAraujo]

This man is a genius!

[@agamhamzah2924]

Too Awesome 🍁🌌

[@JosePineda-jn8jk]

Yeah I hear the Greg Howe but you still shred with your own style. Amazing and I’m going to try 4ths now. (Also I love Jonathan Kreisberg)

[@mrsockmonkey1969]

I’ve been experimenting with 4ths tuning and I love it. you can make blues and country work it just requires a different approach.

[@BluesLicks101]

First learned of Tom from Brian Wampler of Wampler pedals... very tasteful player, and a gifted artist.

[@yusazua]

Legend!!

[@rillloudmother]

man, such nice even 16ths!

[@shitmandood]

Rewatching this a year later, I missed the whole bullet point about the signature pedal. Need to go check that out. Stat!

[@jonpaulling]

Legato (or hammer ons and pull offs more accurately - I guess to other instruments it's kind of different. Just a smooth transitioning between notes) is my favourite guitar thing! I dare say, TQ is the best i've ever seen!! It's so musical and transcends the 'shred' cliches. I hope to learn more and be able to play about 1% of what's seen in this video in my lifetime haha

[@MindsetMastery75]

Funny you said "musical' considering what Tom was doing in this video is anything but musical. It sounded like he was doing scale practice, running up and down his scales with a chord or two thrown in here and there to try and make it sound musical. His technique is excellent but his musicality is awful. Which is why you never see him writing anything worth listening to. He is only famous for his technique, and his sessions with Miller.

[@jonpaulling]

@@MindsetMastery75 Yeah...you do have a point there. My other faves are Richie Kotzen, Greg Howe, Brett Garsed etc. I'm not really a jazz/fusion guy either but I think if you bring just a little bit of the technique into blues/rock it spices it up and you can sound more like a horn player. Granted, TQ has no noteworthy recordings :/

[@johnbenevoli2066]

Don't forget the other element of legato.. 'hybrid' picking. Once you understand the role played by the middle finger of the pick holding hand, the fluidity is enhanced considerably. It takes takes time & patience to see advancement, but like everything it too becomes second nature with exposure.

[@markslist1542]

Tom is a very noble and intelligent guy.

[@RJRonquillo]

Wildhearts! Kreisberg! Tim Miller!

[@jonasdnkjr5774]

i am also into allan hinds and tim miller, but my biggest influence ever is allan holdsworth - and then you tom quayle :)

[@MarcosJ-mq4lk]

He must be playing Teflon strings to be that slick ;)

[@MarcosJ-mq4lk]

@Gerry Berry No...in his Synapes & Neurons.! The brain.

[@MarcosJ-mq4lk]

@Gerry Berry Jealous much?

[@i-never-look-at-replies-lol]

First 10 seconds: Oh jeez, more mathy noodling wankery. Next 10 seconds: Oh. Oh my that's *smoove*

[@edthewave]

I'd like to try All Fourths tuning on a 22-EDO guitar. Or maybe on a 24 note per octave setup.

[@Bmxmusikian]

If you have an old or spare guitar lying around... Tune to this!

[@eti313]

All you need to do is sharp the B and E string. They (probably) won't break.

[@waitin4winter]

The wildhearts!

[@LeStraTele]

Play like that and never mention Allan Holdsworth? Strange.

[@cricri8022]

U mean that Allan used this tuning?

[@jonathanj6337]

@@cricri8022 no I think they mean that allan was the master of legato

[@TheMasonator777]

LeStraTele I agree, that’s odd.

[@tonyrauls1941]

Yes, I thought he had to go out of his way to not mention him.

[@Black_Swan777]

LeStraTele I *thought* he (eventually) did mention Holdsworth, but I just went back and listened to the entire interview again, and apparently I must’ve only imagined it... Bizarre.

[@Foxywaterable]

Sweet holy lord this guy is absolutely killing it. Good grief.

[@gredangeo]

A couple of Goo Goo Dolls songs uses this tuning. The song Naked is one of them. They utilize that Open C a lot in that song. The chord shapes makes sense to tune it that way. Easier to play.

[@rodfotografia]

Did he mention the amp ? Laney ironheart ?

[@troytolbert2005]

I'm surprised Alan Holdsworth wasn't mentioned for his influences

[@snap-off5383]

He could totally shred a b-bender guitar, since he knows all the chords on both ends of the bend if he sets it to a 1/2 step bend

[@TheRealFremmed]

2007 called and asked for their AV-sync back.

[@deluxairhead]

How great is it to hear Brett Garsed mentioned, used to go watch him play in town on Wed's nights for $10, those nights were incredible, that guy is amazing, where is he now........

[@alexhamilton4084]

I used to tune in all 4ths way back in the 1970’s. I found it frustrating to have to compensate for the B string plus I wasn’t interested in playing chords. I reverted to standard tuning in the mid 1980’s.

[@geneschwartz]

never heard of this guy now i know

[@elementsofphysicalreality]

I tune all fourths. Have been for 7 years. When I’m popular this tuning will be the new standard because of the stuff that I have engineered.

[@StringTheoryartist-hy8fz]

I was skeptical but just about everything is better like this the modes the arpegios the swepping is amazing the olny thing I really miss is knowing the inversions and the pentatonics are slightly harder now

[@Rocker72]

Allen Hinds! ❤️

[@knutnskar6796]

Unknown to me. I need to check him out obviously !!

[@ElGuero847]

Only tuning I know, now I'm trying to learn standard tuning and find it confusing

[@Meshuggapeth]

Don’t a lot of bassists using 5/6 string instruments tune their first (B) string to C as well? It makes sense even more for bass to keep the arpeggios simple

[@fuglsnef]

Yeah, bassists who use a high string on a 5-er usually go EADGC, and for a six string it's BEADGC

[@michaelinglis8516]

"Hard to find an amp that's got both" Marshall DSL100HR, thank me later. Even if you only use the classic channel you have a plexi style clean mode and for dirt you have the crunch channel which is like a jcm800. If that's all you used the amp for it would still be worth every penny(and there's a whole other channel with 2 modes for higher gain players). It's the only amp I use now. It has every tone you could want and they all sound good. Great cleans that can even be fender inspired if you roll back the mids(The HR doesn't lack any bass) and bump up the bass if you choose. Anyways I'll stop ranting but I'm dead serious these new Dual Super Lead 100w amps are incredible and the fx loop works excellent if you want something extra. I've got 10 pedals going into mine some up front dome in the loop(a few I built myself). I've had mine since launch about a year and a half ago and couldn't be happier with it. Also if you don't take my word for it take Joe Bonnamessa who used the previous version. And I gaurentee this version is even better in many ways.

[@phillong5035]

Siiiiiiiiiiiiiick

[@iceyy.y2297]

I wanna be his student for real

[@ezassegai4793]

such crazy amount of even strength and consistency across all fingers. his legato sounds buttery smooth

[@erjonmalaj3197]

Greg howe,tune the guitar the same?

[@NOCNAAWARIAStudio]

Cool Ibanez!

[@BurntMcgurnt]

Man allen Hinds is amazing!

[@voronOsphere]

You better watch out. There's an angry mob here who ernestly believes that there is only room for one Allan in these comments!

[@shitmandood]

Is that a roasted maple fingerboard?

[@scirasco1]

Greg howe brett garsed those are the ones who truly deserve the credit :)

[@SynysterGates70]

I would love to learn Jazz. i haven't any knowledge in scales or anything, however. Struggling to find out where to start...

[@capeheartriz]

then this is the tuning for you......believe me..its a superior tuning for all things jazz...its not as good for strumming. If you decide to go this way check out the facebook group....guitar tuning in 4ths....

[@soolikagsdi]

Start with the C major scale

[@SynysterGates70]

Thanks, guys :)

[@eti313]

I was in that facebook group and got reprimanded for mentioning another alternate tuning. Ridiculous!

[@batmandeltaforce]

Like watching magic:)

[@seanfagan4996]

If you practice a lot perhaps you could record with discharge or broken bones?

[@PDXguitarfreak]

That's the oddest comment of the day. :) ... and yes, I know who those bands are from back in the 80s.

[@luigicannizzo2669]

" Very Special Teacheing on Istructionaly Guitar Player ". .. So' Good ... ☺😊😉/💙💙💙/👍✌👌👏👋

[@lukdb]

I'll say it tho, that legato patterns he likes is pretty weird grouping wise, I can never get timing right when using that favorite lick of his.

[@Viper-dz2kw]

I feel like literally everybody plays an HSS Ibanez now

[@ParaBellum2024]

Towards the end of the video Tom talks about remembering why we started playing guitar. Well Tom, I started playing guitar to pull chicks, and I'm afraid it didn't work! Well it did once, in Halifax, but that's the exception.

[@icecreamforcrowhurst]

This is like learning chess and then changing the rules. New rules could be fun but the old ones are enough for me.

[@daveg1208]

I'm more into lagato. The left hand is faster than the right hand. Your right hand seems quite at rest during your playing. 4ths? That's very interesting. Limited yes, but very applicable. Love it brother. God bless you brother. Why I started playing the guitar was all the wrong reasons after I grew up. Started playing at 8 years old then discovered the girls liked it. Well, sex, drugs and rock and roll was all wrong. Now, I love Jesus and that's the best reason to play that I can think of.

[@TheSonsofHorusx]

Greg Howe!!

[@samme79]

Stanley Jordan also uses all fourths tuning if I'm not mistaken

[@christocr]

AC/DC riffs disappear off the planet... THAT line made me laugh! I've actually thought many times about switching to 4ths tuning because my memory sucks bigtime. That half step alteration means I can't remember fingerings worth a shit because they are different, depending on which string the root starts with. With fourths tuning that all disappears. Fingerings are totally consistent no matter which string you start on and chord fingerings do not change for a given voicing no matter which string you start on. That is appealing to me because I have a background in bass... and that is the way a bass is. But there are some other things that are much harder to do with 4ths tuning. So there are trade-offs, such as..... AC/DC riffs disappear off the planet... And we don't want that. I do dabble with the tuning a bit though. It sure makes lead lines easier to visualize across the fingerboard.

[@formerlyerdoys9176]

What if the extra step just becomes natural? Not having to figure it out because you just know it?

[@koersmichiel]

The Erdoys Yeah thats possible but three times as much practice for every chord shape, arpeggio and scale. Thats because the shape changes when the root is on the E, A or D string. Source: I play in all fourths tuning myself. Never going back 😉

[@Fontsman]

It's almost like he doesn't want to mention the one guy who influenced them all. Allan Holdsworth.

[@fondfarewell2]

I thought he was going to say him, but nope, Alan Hines. holdsworth is #1 for me.

[@agus6115]

Well said...Holdsworth influenced them all.

[@profd65]

Maybe he wasn't a fucking influence of his.

[@alexlewis8468]

He has said before that he just doesn't 'get' Holdsworth's music. I'm in the same boat tbh, with a few exceptions, AH leaves me a bit cold. Not debating how good a player he was, just not for me.

[@voronOsphere]

He has an Allan Holdsworth lesson on KZbin. Believe me. He's a fan.

[@marlon1171]

Obviously an awesome virtuoso musician but i’m not sure why i’m not impressed but his fusion style of playing. It really comes down to a matter of preferences and tastes in the end but this guy could play just about anything imaginable.

[@paulmax3185]

He started playing at age 15? Five years later he had a jazz degree? Wow! I started playing at age ten,have played for fifty years ,add another fifty years and I would still not be able to play like he can. It is astonishing to hear a great talent and kind of disheartening to spend a lifetime playing and never mastering your instrument. An innate talent is absolutely necessary to truly master any musical instrument. If you aren’t born with the talent there is no amount of practice,dedication or desire that can make up for it.

[@bobsiburton861]

Musicians don't get old🤔

[@Alanoffer]

Check out the Dawson’s you tube channel to see more of Tom

[@SuchaDoofus]

Furiously retunes guitar

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Guitar Did you know that Bajo Sexto players tune this way too?

[@Tizio12]

didn't know an Ibanez could play so sweet

[@KunchangLeeMusic]

Rad

[@Sanjarih]

All you need now are some biscuits to smear that delicious butter Legato

[@AJDOLDCHANNELARCHIVE]

Tom is a monster! His technique and style is as recognisable as someone like Frank Gambale, Holdsworth etc...

[@JohnSmith-in1tt]

Tom is such an amazing player that the only bad thing about him is that you can’t learn his licks in standard tuning. Not that I’d be able to learn them anyway lol