What are the advantages and disadvantages of an all-fourths guitar tuning?

Question

What are the advantages and disadvantages of an all-fourths guitar tuning being E, A, D, G, C, F (the high E and B strings being raised a half-step from standard tuning). One reason to do this is that the fretboard now follows a symmetry of the circle of fifths. As a consequence a second advantage is that chords can more easily be translated to other fretted instruments tuned in fourths (tenor banjo, mandolin, ukulele, etc.)

Answer 1

I like alternate tunings, but there is a reason for standard tuning. It's not just because everyone agreed to do it that way. It is because standard tuning allows for the most versatility and ease with this particular instrument. Also, everyone uses standard tuning MOST of the time (Why? Because it has the most ease and versatility in playing a large range of music.) Alternate tunings are great for writing songs when you want a change of pace. But standard tuning is the BOSS.

Answer 2

There are advantages in simplifying some chords. Also, if you are playing a song in C for example, you might get a different sound with the open strings. Another advantage is that the scale patterns become simpler by keeping everything in fourths, since there is no change from the G to the B. The disadvantage is that certain chords and keys will be more challenging to play, for example an E chord, since you are dealing with 6 strings and not 4. Also, you have to take into account getting used to the different chord positions and to different scale patterns in the upper strings.

In the end, each song or piece you play might ask for a different tuning, so there is not really a need to choose one or the other. That is the beauty of the guitar, you can play around with different tunings and you get different sounds, expanding your possibilities of what you can do.