Are there guitars that play in higher or lower keys?
Yes. There are many different sizes and registers for guitar. Requinto, or alto guitar, plays a third higher than the standard guitar. That is rather than having a high E string, you have a high G string. Baritone guitars have been popular in recent years. They play a fourth lower than the ordinary guitar. So the first string, rather than being an E string is a B string. Some people also prefer to tune their guitar a whole step or a half step lower than standard tuning. This works well on larger guitars with heavier gauge strings. There are also Brazilian instruments that are shaped like a guitar, but have only four strings and play up in mandolin range. So there are many kinds of guitars that play in other registers other than standard.
