7-String Tunings

[Gearzilla]

Was gonna say, I sorta miss having standard tuning chord structures since I live in Dropped C, so that might be a benefit.

In traditional forum fashion…

Have you considered jumping straight to an 8 string. The first 7 strings in standard BEADGBE, and the eighth string tuned to E(which puts string 8 a whole step down)—AKA Tosin Abasi Tuning. Makes for some huge chord voicings, some added lows, and more or less standard fingering other than single note lines that include the eighth string.

 

[spawnofthesith]

I liked Drop G# during my 7 string era


On an 8 string played in drop E in my old saxophone whale fart band

 

[DrewJD82]

That rig rundown where he was talking about being in Open C using 10-52 or whatever was

Hahahah I’ve been using 10-52’s in drop C for 20 years and my SZ is currently tuned to open C with them. It’s fine on the higher strings; the G is the same, B string goes up to C and the E is the same…..I even tune down to AGCFAD with 10-52’s, I just need to heavily lay off my right hand or else BOWWOWOWOWOWOWOWOOWOWOW.

 

[littlebadboy]

My idea of having a 7 string is having a baritone and standard guitar in one. However, my standard tuning is drop D for all my 6-stringers. So, my 7-string is tuned to A-D-A-D-G-B-E. It is also a multi scale guitar, so it gives me the playing feel familiarity of my 6-string guitars, while giving me low notes options on the 7th string with a good tension because of the longer scale. So, to summarize, I have a drop D and baritone in A guitars, all in one. Did I make sense?

But, that's just me, and I suck at playing the guitar.

 

[SymphonicDischord]

My idea of having a 7 string is having a baritone and standard guitar in one. However, my standard tuning is drop D for all my 6-stringers. So, my 7-string is tuned to A-D-A-D-G-B-E. It is also a multi scale guitar, so it gives me the playing feel familiarity of my 6-string guitars, while giving me low notes options on the 7th string with a good tension because of the longer scale. So, to summarize, I have a drop D and baritone in A guitars, all in one. Did I make sense?

But, that's just me, and I suck at playing the guitar.

I do something similar with mine but I tune ADADGAD. This way I can also get some interesting DADGAD chord voicings with a low A worked in for gits and shiggles as well.

 

[Desertdweller]

I’m starting to look around for a 7 string

to get all djenty

 

[Whizzinby]

To get all djenty smooth jazzy

 

[la szum]

This guy is insane. Who needs a bassist anyways?

 

[Iron1]

I only have one seven string and it lives in Drop A most of the time, B Standard gets some play time and I've spent quite some time in BEADF#BE tuning - - basicly (6 string) B Standard with an added high E string.

My buddy who got me into 7s does EEADGBE... don't understand the double E string thing, but he makes it work, as I imagine you do too.

 

[sleewell]

Charlie Hunter is not a real human being.


So freaking cool how he plays bass and guitar simultaneously. He is a beast.

 

[DrewJD82]

My buddy who got me into 7s does EEADGBE... don't understand the double E string thing, but he makes it work, as I imagine you do too.

Wes Borland used to do a double high E thing back in the day, which he demonstrates here. When this came out I was fully in the Vai/Petrucci camp and used to just roll my eyes at this-

2:05

 

[Alex Kenivel]

My buddy who got me into 7s does EEADGBE... don't understand the double E string thing, but he makes it work, as I imagine you do too.

Is the extra E in unison? I wouldn't really know what do to with that! BEADF#BE is a fifth lower than a 7 string with a high A (EADGBEA) so while it's a little disorienting it makes sense because you can do all of your cowboy chords and shapes that you're used to on a standard 6.

 

[SymphonicDischord]

Wes Borland used to do a double high E thing back in the day, which he demonstrates here. When this came out I was fully in the Vai/Petrucci camp and used to just roll my eyes at this-

2:05

I remember reading that in an interview with them I think around the time Significant Other came out. If I remember correctly, because of their association/ties with Korn he got some free 7 strings from either Ibanez or the band. He didn’t want to throw off how we was playing so he just strung them up to E Standard with the the double high e.

 

[Desertdweller]

If you want to really have fun with amazing chords, drop the heaviest strings to G and D, then go standard tuning for the rest. The chords get beautiful really quickly and the sound is massive.

 

[sleewell]

Wes Borland used to do a double high E thing back in the day, which he demonstrates here. When this came out I was fully in the Vai/Petrucci camp and used to just roll my eyes at this-

2:05

i love their music but holy fuck the guys in korn sound dumb as shit hahahahaha

 

[Iron1]

Is the extra E in unison? I wouldn't really know what do to with that! BEADF#BE is a fifth lower than a 7 string with a high A (EADGBEA) so while it's a little disorienting it makes sense because you can do all of your cowboy chords and shapes that you're used to on a standard 6.

In all honesty, I don’t remember. It struck me as so odd and, like you said “wouldn’t know what to do with that” I never dug in further.

 

[DrewJD82]

i love their music but holy f**k the guys in korn sound dumb as s**t hahahahaha

Hahahahah they were using a lot of meth back then.

 

[Whizzinby]

In traditional forum fashion…

Have you considered jumping straight to an 8 string. The first 7 strings in standard BEADGBE, and the eighth string tuned to E(which puts string 8 a whole step down)—AKA Tosin Abasi Tuning. Makes for some huge chord voicings, some added lows, and more or less standard fingering other than single note lines that include the eighth string.

I have a feeling 7 strings will be enough of a challenge. 8 might just make my brain explode.

 

[DrewJD82]

Kind of like foods I never liked previously and how I give them a try once I year to see if my taste buds changed, I do the same thing with 8-strings. I hear so much stuff that makes me think “Sh*t, I should just get one for the odd time I want to go down that low” then I play one and I’m like….”Yeah….I want a Tele more than an 8-string…” and move on. I’ve been doing that for nearly a decade at this point.

If I see one of the Ibanez 8’s pop up cheap enough I might just go for it, but it’ll have to hit me at a time I’m being stupid with money. (Which can be any given point on any given day, really)

 

[Gearzilla]

I have a feeling 7 strings will be enough of a challenge. 8 might just make my brain explode.

It’s just a little tougher to keep the strings damped at times. With a dropped low E on the 8th string you can get a power chord just by barring the the top 3 strings, or a 1-5 on just barring the top two. Or massive low end extensions by thumbing the top string like the sixth string, and really big extended power chords by adding the top two notes vertically to power chords on the sixth string.

Of course it’s also easier going with a 7 string for tremolos.

The main thing I noticed is that if you play the 8 string for an extended length of time the 6 string will feel like a broom handle for a few minutes until readjusting.

Challenge wise I think you’ll find them to be about the same if you’re going for a fixed bridge.

Though I would suggest if you’re crazy enough to try an 8 string going straight to a multiscale.