Ok 7 String Players... how the hell do you do it?
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- Опубліковано 10 бер 2024
- This has been a serious struggle for me for as long as I can remember... I just find it so hard to play 7 strings, it's not the scale length, it's the moved intervals... anyway, any assistance would be gratefully received.
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Drop A is an awesome use for 7 string. You get your standard E tunning and you get an Heavy A at the top when you wanna make some big deep chords.
I use standard D for 7 string, because i hate Drop tuning
this is the way.
That's an awesome thing to do. Especially with a fixed bridge. Then you get all your fave drop D riffage a fourth down plus an entire six string guitar for leads and chords. Should be nearly zero learning curve for a dude that attended MI.
Also you Can make some cool deep harmoni if you take a riff that would go from the regular E-A strings and make a cool deep “heavier version to play in harmony or to change it up with the low A
The low B string is the same as your high B string. That is how I visualize the fretboard on a 7 string.
yes, this
I play mine in drop A - AEADGBE. So, it's basically a standard 6 string, with the bottom three strings in a one-finger power chord for da chugs. The key is to ignore the 7th for a while when you pick it up for the first while. Then work it in here and there. When you first start working it in, wank a lot in A minor since you can let the open 7th ring a lot.
Giving the seven string guitar a whack for the first time today. That is exactly what I am doing, I like the lowest string as an A.
Thanks for the advice and tips guys. Much appreciated - you guys are the best :-)
The way I got my head around playing 7 string (I know this sounds daft) but ignore the low B and play AC/DC riffs as if you're playing a 6 string until you're comfortable... Then and only then start experimenting with the extra low B. I struggled for months, but learning this way helped me get to grips with it in no time! ...It's all about finding comfort first.
This is pretty much the best way, remove the muscle memory that e is the top string and then it all just clicks one day. Composing also helps you get over the “string in the way” hurdle because it engages the fun creative part of the mind
This is the way. At least the way it worked for me. Took a good 6 months to feel comfortable. But now I almost approach it as 2 different instruments.
Yea, but in the states it's illegal to play AC/DC(and just plain offensive)unless your parents are siblings.
I haven't played 7 string for a while... but when I did, I liked setting it as a low A instead of B, so open the low three strings were AEA power chord. You just have to think from the high strings all the way to the 6th as normal... then any time you are on that 6th string (if you have large-ish hands like I do), can just peek that index finger over to grab that extra 7th string as well for a 5th lower. Also playing walking bass lines are more doable with the low two strings. ☮❤🎶
I like drop A tuning as you can get some chunky barre chords. For example D would be 5,5,5,7,7,7,5
Yes this is how I like mine as well. Your lowest strings are in a drop tuning with a as the root. Think of 6 strings as notes of the a aeolian scale (a minor)
Strong "Vampire Red" Loomis vibes - looks AMAZING!
Now I want this guitar with a Floyd and a maple board! @rob chapman! Make it so!!
The Kahler Floyd’s are way better than the OG
I stopped using a string as a reference point (or an "anchor" if you will) and that really helped me. I play bass, but we deal with this when going from a 4 string to a 5 string or more. I could understand the confusion on guitar because of how it changes from a 5 semitone interval to a 4 semitone interval on the G to B string. We don't have to deal with that on a 6 string bass since the highest string is tuned to C!
I jumped to 7s when Ibanez released the first version, what ever tuning helps you create and play your music is not cheating, it’s creating so run with it Rob
Hi Rob. This is certainly a big question and there are many different approaches.
I think if the end goal is to be able to comfortably play a 7 in standard tuning, the best approach would be to learn to ignore the low B. As if the guitar is a regular 6, with an extra fun low string when needed.
When I first got a 7, I did the classic "Low String Go Djent, I'm in Periphery now". But after that I forced myself to play all my bands regular tunes, which were just in standard tuning. The new 7 was the only guitar I played for the next couple of weeks and it forced me to learn to ignore the low B.
I could then use the low E as a reference and play everything I would normally play.
So the TLDR version is, put it in standard tuning. Play nothing but the 7 for 2 weeks and don't play the low B. I hope this helps!
It was a pleasure meeting you and the new 7 is amazing. Incredible spec for the money, I'll be gigging it soon!
Hey bro, I love these vids. Shows that everybody struggles with something and we are all on a path to learn stuff and the finish line is nowhere on sight. You raised some very interesting points :)
The best thing you can do is to ignore the 7th string. Learn to play 6 string material first before introducing the 7th. Learn to chug without hitting it and then learn how to implement it. You can also take your favorite scales and learn how to play down to the 7th and learn which frets the scale would continue towards. The true purpose for 7 strings to me is to drop tune it so that you retain your standard 6 string with an extra dropped string when you want it. Any note you play on your 5th string should be playable on your 7th string. That’s what helped me and now my main is a Strandberg Boden 8 with fishmans.
I unzipped my hoodie just to check if I'm wearing identical t-shirt - yup. On the 7 string situation - it's a bit "easier" to go from 6 to 7 or even 8 knowing no guitar theory 😄
Blissful ignorance is absolutely a thing
think of it as playing a 6 string but with an extra low end. there’s some things that you can do on a 7 like weird chord shapes that you can’t do on a 6 string and have some really cool noises. the way i got good at playing my 7 was doing it as a 6 first and eventually worked on incorporating that extra low end. plus i went on a youtube spree where i learned exactly how to get it right.
I got a 7 String 3 months ago. The First thing I did was just learning some songs, mainly from Trivium's Album Shogun (I'd be delighted for any recommendations in alternatives in 7 String Standard though). That way you don't care about the improvising and scales first and get used to the broader neck and extended range.
Apart from that I feel the most difficult thing for me was to rethink the chords based from the 3rd String (A) since I'm used to doing the shapes for the D-String at the 3rd.
But once working through that it basically becomes a 6 String with an added bass option
I found tuning to drop A a big help, makes interval positioning parallel to the fifth A when riffing on scales. Also takes a while to get used to the narrower gap between strings. Does take a while but I seem to find myself playing 6 strings less and less these days.
Yeah I’ve never really had that problem. I navigate the fretboard in a similar way as you using the low E as a sort of anchor for the chord and scale shapes, but in my 7 I just kind of ignore the B so it doesn’t throw me? Visually it’s like I just have an extra low thick’un that I can use if I want. Not much help I know 😂
How do you get on with an 8? Is it the same problem but worse?
I love 7 strings, and I love my original Chapman ML-7 with Dimarzio Imperiums! I got it 8 years ago when I became obsessed with Revocation, still to this day my favorite modern death metal band, they are absolutely untouchable (also hence the Dimarzio Imperiums). I was also taking guitar lessons with a teacher who had 2 Ibanez Universes, and he was kind enough to use them to teach me how to play a 7 string before I got my ML-7 (which came with a cookie too).
I'm not a spectacular player, but I got comfortable with it by remembering that the low B has the same notes as the high B. I'd also play it as an E and relearned all the notes on the high E to compensate, and also tuned the low B to an A to have a guitar both drop tuned and in standard tuning! What also helped was just ignoring it, the extra low B does not change anything, it only adds options :)
Interesting take on 7 string playing. Might have to give it a try to see how it affects my thinking around the 7 string fretboard.
The reason I moved to a 7 string instead of a baritone/drop tuning a six string is because I wanted the extended range to play anything I wanted in the one tuning. Even if it wasn’t “the correct way”, you can do a lot of cool things by having that low string open up your palette of options while still having the flexibility to shred! I typically have mine dropped to A flat and use pitch shifters to go anywhere from Drop A to Drop F or Double Drop C. Having a 7 string really helped my understanding of intervals and is basically how I navigate everything now. Easiest way to visualise it is to just think of it as a standard six string with the option to have a baritone or Drop tuning on the lower strings. I look at everything in sets of two basically (once you know one shape/pattern just go up the octaves)
really enjoying your videos as always! re string dilemma i know its all about the 7 string in this video but what you essentially wound up with was a baritone with an extra high string
Approach the low B as a combination; think of it as your high b and high e. Run some two-string riffs and scales on the top two strings, then run them in parallel on the bottom two. Scale-wise, using triplets something like 1-2-3 on B and 4-5-6 on E, the. 2-3-4 on B and 5-6-7 on E, all the way to the twelfth fret and then back descending can be a good exercise to run across both sets of B & E.
That is genius mate, thank you so much
Nice vid and something I struggle with.
Altered tuning would be nice except that the floyd-rose bridge on my Jackson has a hissy fit.
Most people have a more glamorous nostalgia story for learning guitar, but watching andertons and rob WAS my childhood learning guitar. The ML1 was the first guitar I ever bought myself with my own earned money. I couldn't imagine how it feels to have such a strong anonymous connection with so many stranger's lives
I kinda liked your hack to set the new low string the same as your sixth string. Problem solved!
Honestly, I don’t even see a need for more strings. I’m okay with using my lowest 6th string as a drone if I’d like. It would be fun to learn to use 7 strings, but I’m really okay with playing 6 like so many other epic pro guitarists before me. It’s also much more versatile than 7 strings if you ask me for most genres of music - and sometimes starts to sound muddy depending on the tuning. 6 strings is where it’s at.
The 8 and 9 string guitarists - heck the ones who play double that are truly insanely off their rockers. That’s purely to be flashy and totally unnecessary! 🤣🤘🏻🎸❤️🔥
I'm glad I'm not the only one. I never could get used to that lowest string not being my E string.
I'll be honest. I rarely play my 7 string.ainly because the one I have kind of sucks. It's a cheap Samick with a licensed Floyd on it. It stays in tune fine and sounds okay, but the neck isn't quite right and I can't get the action to be comfortable to play. It makes me miss the Ibanez s7320 I used to have. That guitar had the zr bridge and DiMarzzio crunch lab and liquidity pickup set in it and it was fantastic!!! One thing that sucks is that I'm not expecting to be able to buy a new 7 string this year as I'm on a fixed income due to health issues I've been dealing with for a few years now, but I am fighting my way back to health and wellness in every aspect of my life. I love what you do Chappers. Keep up the great work and I'll keep watching. Many blessings to and your family.
I learned bass on a 5 string first and i view the low B string as an extention downwards and took that with me when i got a 7 string guitar. Also there's a tuning that i heard of in a Ben Eller video where you tune down the G string a half step to Gb, making the 6 lower strings have the same string relationships as a regular 6 string.
I have one of the original ML-7S's, and this is how I've tuned since day 1, plus drop A. AEADF#BE. D'Addario NYXL 11-64 is my go-to gauge. I learned on a 6 string, like most do, and this is the only way i could wrap my noggin around it. sounds wicked with big chords.
I play 7-string a little less than half the time so I can't wait to watch this because I remember being new to 7s years ago and trying to make it make sense.
Drop A is cool
In Standard B, I don’t know that I’m very conscious of my process, but if I had to reflect on it, I split the fretboard into two sections. The bottom three strings are one section, the top six are another. The bottom three strings are where most of your heavy riffs are going to be anyway, so keeping it simple in that way helps my creative process. Having the top six strings as a designated section helps break things up in my mind for the scalar runs
I also had trouble figuring out chords with the low string there because none of my open chords work anymore because I used the low string as a guide. I’ve thought about tuning the third string to F# so that the bottom six strings make a baritone and then I just have a high E at the top
Keep at it Rob!
The way I learned to play, I learned Bass and Guitar at the same time, but bought a 5 string bass as wanted extended range. This lead me to learn both in a way that I visualize the guitar from the high strings to the low strings. This made the transition from 6 to 7 and subsequently 8 string a lot easier.
Perhaps practice your scales starting descending and see if that helps.
Hey Rob! I recently bought my first seven a couple weeks back as well, and agree that it's super disorienting at first...Especially as I've always used the bottom E string as a sort of "anchor string", too. Bearing in mind I'm still an absolute noob when it comes to these things, and some of this has already been said, I have worked out a couple things that might be helpful. It at least sounds like I've started from a similar place, so hopefully it is.
1) When I first got the instrument, it was useful to completely ignore the low B-string altogether and try to focus on the E string as my anchor--in other words, you can try and make the sixth string your focal point, not the seventh. The rest of the guitar is exactly the same tuning as a normal six-string, right? So why not think of it like a normal six with just a little extra?
For me starting this way, it was super easy to work out visually where the riffs I might usually play live on the instrument, then learn to work in the B string whenever I needed to add a little more "oomph" to a riff.
On that note...
2) Don't overthink the intervals. You've mentioned fourths tuning, for example, but its important to remember that intervallically, the distance between your low B and your E string is already a fourth, right? Which is exactly the same relationship between your E and A string. Which is exactly the same relationship between your A and D string. And so on, until your G and B strings make things weird again, but that's a normal guitar problem, lol.
My point is, basically, any shape that you can apply to your E and A strings together--say, whacking a fifth down for a power chord--also applies to your low B and E strings when used together. So after you're comfortable with finding your place visually on the fretboard, you can play some basic chords up there and figure out where your basic rock chords live. This'll help you figure out when you might work them in to what you already do on a normal guitar.
Lastly, for soloing, the same concept applies: if you would typically play a shape on your high B string within a scale, its gonna work on your low B for the same reason. For an A minor pentatonic, for example, you would play your B string on the fifth and eighth frets, right? So you can play those frets on your low B for that scale, too.
And that leads me to...
3) Trying out drop A tuning might also help. It might seem like that could overcomplicate things, but it really doesn't--particularly if you're used to playing in drop D. Because the interval you have between your low B and E strings matches the interval between your low E and A, when you tune your seventh string down you have access to the same one-finger power chord shapes you might expect from drop D. They're just now one string lower.
While this makes things super heavy sounding, of course, it also allows you another way to start making simple chord shapes and working out where the notes lie on that low string. Then for moving back to B, of course you just shift the notes up one tone.
I hope that's helpful in some way. And sorry for the absolute wall of text! Your videos have just been helpful enough to me over the years that I really wanted to give a detailed response rather than a one-line answer.
I struggled with the top six strings being in standard and then having a low B for the 7th.
So I did the same thing and tuned the bottom strings in standard tuned down, and an extra high string.
I actually got an 8 string before I got a 7 string... That helped a lot because it forced me to think of it as one fluid set of strings. Most people here are saying to think of it like a 6 with an extra fun string, but if you want to create something that really maximizes the use of having a 7 string or 8 string guitar you need to accept it as a full scale on its own. Chunking it into "Regular" and "Chug String" makes it nearly impossible to visualize the instrument as anything more than a novelty. I do agree with other commenters about being able to play 6 string songs on it though. definitely start with getting comfortable not utilizing it so the feel is understandable, but integrate it fully rather than using a shortcut like retuning it. That's coming from someone who primarily plays in drop G on a 7 lmao, remember learning 6 string guitar as a beginner in E standard and then discovering drop d rather than the other way around.
As a crazy man with a multiscale 8 string, the way I adjusted to a 7 string started with getting used to jamming on the low string. The next step was less forgiving because it was more like adjusting to the feeling of an extra high string than an extra low string, which is why navigating DGB is difficult for players who aren't used to it. Practice your scales to learn how to incorporate the low string with the other 6. The other key to playing extended range guitars is muting your strings effectively, which is the most overlooked aspect of making one sound good. After that, the proverbial road is yours
I think thinking intervalical from low to high strings makes sense, what tends to trip people up the most is if you visualize from the low strings (as in thinking of the A string as the second string, there is a reason why the high e string is generally the first string ;)).
I think there are generally 2 ways about this:
- practice visualizing from the high strings (which now means shifting a lot of muscle memory)
- or pick a number of strings and then visualize from the low end (which will not help when going from 6 to 7 to 8 strings and back again with relatively little pain)
And yes, learning scale shapes that you commonly use to actually leverage the extra string makes a lot of sense
Honestly the only reason I’m so comfy with it is because by now I’ve spent more time on 7 strings than just 6 strings at this point. It did take me a few months of solid practice until I didn’t bump the low string, so it’s gonna happen for a while. The hardest thing for me now is using the 7 string in a jazz context, for solo arrangements. George Van Eps was unreal for pioneering that whole style.
When I first got a 7 the best advice I got was to ignore the bottom string for a while, until you get your sense of place back on the board. After that it's a matter of realizing it's the same as the high B.
What worked for me was ignoring the 7th string for several months, playing it as if it was s 6 string. After a few months it just felt comfortable and visualization and sense of navigation was no longer an issue
When I bought mine I couldn't get used to it for at least a month, but then something just clicked and I started feeling comfortable with it.
A bit of thinking about intervals referring to the bottom of the fretboard as the starting point, as you said.
Once that was "sorted", what kept throwing me off course was physically feeling the 7th string with my right hand, and my brain was expecting that to be an E because it was the top one.
My advice would be to avoid touching any 6 stringer for a few days, and only use the 7 string to play something you're really familiar with.
Metallica and Testament riffs helped in my case.
Once you get used to that, going back to 6 strings is way easier.
I also had to change the way I muted with the right hand. From the side of the palm, to side+bottom to cover a wider area (I also play 8 strings)
What I do is I tune the g string to f# so it moves the weird extra half step relationship that the g and b strings down a string so it acts like a realy low 6 string with an extra high e instead of the normal tuneing witch is a normal 6 string with a extra low string. Hopefully what I’m saying makes sense because I’m bad at typing and explaining things.
The extra high string is the way to go. It allows me to play the shapes I'm used to on the lower strings and do a little extra sonic exploring for leads. I always have oriented myself based on the lowest string so this works best for me... but I still just prefer a 6 string.
For me personally i just took time 3-4 months after playing one ive gotten used to it, The biggest problem for me in the beginning where slides i would slide a fret lower and im guessing that was because of the longer scale.
Dear Rob. Long ago, in a video, you advised us to learn scales from top down, rather than the conventional bottom up. that advice really helped me with learning how to play on the 7 string. hence, you can try applying it here too.
Rob, my dude, I have been playing 7s for almost 20 years now! The easiest way to look at it is the low B is just an addition. Think about the chord shapes you can make with that! For example, play a G power chord, but barre it on the low B. Isnt that a cool addition to the chord, adding the extra D? That is pretty cool.
As far as adding it to your scales, it is the same. Just extra notes. The low B offers so much when building chords. If you would like a private Skype lesson, showing my approach, I will totally do it with you. No charge or anything, just showing you my way of utilizing the extra string, and how I work out intervallic ideas with it. hit me up.
I made the switch a few weeks ago and I have found it super straightforward. Play some six string stuff with the 7th just there and unused so you’re accustomed to where the things you know are on a 7 string. Then add the 7th in and have fun!
EDIT: having watched the video I personally feel what you’ve done is quite creative in itself, doubt there’s many 7 strings in C standard with a high F
You can treat it like a six string like everyone has mentioned, drop A is fantastic to enter the seventh string you can double up on drop tunings in general (Ex: A,D,A,d,g,b,d) but the real magic happens when you take the seventh string down to G#, G, all the way to E# and E. Get a set of strings that have .65 for the lowest string or thicker if your guitar will allow it. It’s great with high gain obviously but you can start in with thumping and slapping techniques as well
Funny, I just picked up a 7 string that I liked for the first time over this past weekend but was also getting lost playing it. Now I'm in the market for a decent 7 just to experiment (and learn some Decapitated riffs). For me it felt much easier to adjust when I dropped the B to A. Let's learn 7 string together, Rob. :)
I was playing 6 string guitars for 20+ years then got an 8 string (never played a 7 string before). Short answer: you get used to it with time and learning new muscle memory.
I had a similar issue to you in that I used the 6th string as my reference, and would constantly lose track of where I was - the feel of having 5 wound strings was so confusing! My suggestion is to continue using the 6th string as the reference rather than using your new lowest string. Reason is it'll be less confusing when switching back to a 6 string guitar. You'll just have notes above and below your reference point now.
I tune my 8 string to EBEADGBE (low to high). Made it a little easier to learn than standard tuning. I started by mainly continuing playing 6 string stuff, and throwing in extended range notes/chords sparingly. Just getting used to the feel of having extra strings more than anything.
I still haven't fully figured out fingerstyle/hybrid picking yet. With 8 strings I think I'll need to use the pinky for the highest string and shift everything else down a string otherwise the thumb/pick has too many strings to cover.
i basically play it like a 6 strioing with an extra fun string up top that is the same as the high B. I sometimes tune to Baritone tuning (6 String B Standard or Drop A) with a high A aswell, Decapitated do that a lot aswell.
I always thought it was about Anger and Destruction. LOL. I sometimes do play Extreme Metal though. I have 2 - 7 string 26.5" semi-baritone Ibanez RG's that I only tune to Drop A. I used to play in Drop A on 6 string 25.5" Ibanez RG's, but of course they would never hold tuning as well as my 7's do. I thought about 6 string Baritones, but when I played a 7 for the first time, it just felt right to me. Didn't take long to get used to it. What I really want now is a 30" 6 string Bass VI Baritone. So Rob, can you make us a modern looking Chapman 30" 6 String Bass VI Baritone? I like the idea of a Bass VI, but they all look old school. Squier and Gretsch for example. I want a modern Strat style looking Bass VI to play heavy music on. That would be awesome.
I have been tuning my g string down to f# since 99 or so. I joined a band in which the other guitarist used a 6-string tuned to b standard.
I generally don't use standard BEADGBE tuning. Either I use AEADGBE (Drop-A) or BEADF#BE (baritone with high E) - as both make more sense to me in how I visualize.
My approach is to ignore the low B and play the rest like a regular 6 string most of the time. When I need to go lower, just use the same pattern for that string as for the high B. A few days of your usual scale exercises with that approach will get you very comfortable.
I too play it as 6 string, only play 7th when I need notes that are lower than E standard. I played bass to so I did similar shift to 5 string. But I get it is a lot "between" strings somewhere in the middle neck.
I never had a 7-string guitar, but for some reason I remember a piece of advice I once heard. The idea is to practice at least a full week playing only the first 6 strings like a regular guitar, but concentrating on not accidentally touching the 7th string. After that week start incorporating the seventh string little by little. I hope it helps you
I always looked at 7-string guitars as regular ones with the added 7th string - I'd play the first 6 strings like I would on any regular guitar and just use the 7th for the added low sonding rhythm. Any scales would usually start on the 6th string and I'd be safe. It was always interesting to me that the 7th and 6th string would mimic the same shape as the first two strings so I kept that in mind and then dropped the 7th string creating more confusion. Haven't touched a 7-string in over a decade now.
I wrote an entire album on a 7 string in these past few years and I am probably never going back.
Like others here have suggested, playing regular 6 string things on it and completely disregarding the 7th string for a while helps with getting you accustomed to its ominous presence while still remembering the way home.
Afterwards, the beauty of it is that you get to develop new vocabulary. Some of the things that worked in E will not work in B. Things will work in B that would be ridiculous in E. You get to keep all of the things you already have AND have access to other noises. Going back to a 6 string after that feels like looking down at your hand and realizing you only have 3 fingers instead of 5 (god forbid).
Further still, when keys other than the obvious ones are explored, the 7th string allows for a ch0nky af root note for many keys that previously didn't have one.
Also a low B/A string just sounds absolutely crushing and majestic for all kinds of guitar sounds, distorted, clean, edge of breakup, acoustic, anything. I can not believe that 7 strings are not the default.
It feels weird giving a veteran such as yourself "advice", but if I had to - don't try to force it to be familiar, just jump in and revel at the opportunity to reinvent yourself ;)
Cheers
I dont really have suggestions for more technical playing, for I am a caveman riff guy.
The sprint spacing is more narrow so a little bit of adjustment is needed. I personally stretch my fingers as mine is a 27” scale. Also what helped me is to tune the g string to f# and play it as baritone. Also I’d recommend checking out uncle Ben Eller’s exercises
I usually tune my low to an A and use it for songs that require it but otherwise ignore it. My absolute favorite guitar i own is a specific Dean RC7x, I've had 2 others but its legitimately just this one that I take over all my guitars (even 6 string). I usually play RGs and even those in a 7 didn't do much for me.
My comment originally said to try what you ended up doing at 3:40, so as for "is it cheating?"
That's exactly the same method that Ben Eller showed in one of his videos (great UA-cam guitarist and teacher) and if it works for him, I don't think it's cheating
Bass player here - I've got a smattering of 4-string electric basses, 5-string short scale bass, a 5 string electric, a 4 string fretless, a 6 string bass (B E A D G C), a 4 string acoustic upright bass and a 5 string electric upright bass.
Unfortunately, there's no quick hack or shortcut. It just takes accepting your frustration in stride, looking at the 7 string as a new and different instrument, and start everything you know SLOWLY. Practicing this "new instrument" enough, and you'll be able to readily switch between 6 and 7 strings.
(I say this, while absolutely struggling with altered tunings, because my brain rejects non-standard tunings 😅)
Through Uni I had a 7 strings turned to AEADGBE. The reason being it’s kinda the best of both worlds (standard and Drop D(A) and pretty easy to wrap your head around.
It’s standard tuning on the top 6 but with a drop tuning as well. So all your Drop D riffs works and all your standard scales work from the E.
But also! Chords are super full and easy because all your A string bar chords can now be played with a low 5th and low tonic just by baring all the strings.
Having said all that I don’t play 7s anymore 😂
Ok, as someone that plays both 6 and 7 string guitars on the regular, mapping out arpeggios incorporating the 7th string helped me wrap my head around it. However, to be fair, I've been messing with 7 string guitars since I was in my teens...... I'm now in my 30s so there's that. The best advice I can hive is to try writing stuff on 7 string guitar, it'll kind of force you to acclimate to the extra string.
I found the same problem with going from a 4-string bass to a 5-string. I had to relearn how to visualize the neck from the lightest gauge strings up. I haven't dared trying a 7-string guitar yet. I just went ahead and bought two 6-string baritone guitars.
Keep it tuned like a standard 6, but then drop tune the thickest string 1 step then you can also do chonky 1 finger chords? Best of both worlds!
"Is it cheating?" No its just using the instrument in a way that suits what you want out of it. I often tune my 5 string Bass at CEADG because an open C is a lot more handy for songs based around guitarists who play a lot of open chords.
You tuned the 1st string to A and it doesn't break if you look at it too hard? I've actually been kicking around a (6 string) short scale guitar tuned up a bit - but basically what I found was 8/9/10 doesn't matter - as the diameter goes down so does the tension at which it breaks. I think A is about the absolute limit for a 25.5 to 24.75" scale guitar at any string gauge.
I play even weirder tuning than most.
Whole step down and the Low E is tuned down to C so the regular 6 strings I have drop C plus the extra low A or ill drop the low A a whole step down so across the top 3 strings i can get bar power chords.
I dont see anyone else doing it and can get some interesting progressions.
Drop A is the way to go on a 7 string imo. I like to have my standard 6 string shapes available on the higher strings, but I also like the chord shapes a drop tuning allows. To me it also makes understanding the low string easier, as you have the same options you would have on the regular A string which is close by. When it comes to leads I rarely touch the low string and treat it like a standard tuning 6 string guitar.
Steve Vai's take on 7-string just being a 6-string with an available low B for extra range is imo unbeaten
Although unto your cheat's method, shout outs seven strings previously utilizing a high C on top, unexplored territory with today's vocabulary
Dudebroman, it's easy. Start by tuning the low B to A. You now have dropped D shaped pattern in the jey of Aminor and a regular e standard tuned 6. Buy a capo to change the key. Tune the whole t thing down another half step for comfort and cool chuggy feel. Or stay in drop A and tell your singer to sing all the piano white/natural notes. Awesome big one use a shape chords for a full 7-string cord bar-shaped patterns a minor minor 7/6 and so on minor patterns can be played with a fingerboard all the way across the top for full bar chords up and down the neck seven strings just makes so much sense and can work really good for beginning metal bands
I think one way to learn how to play a 7 string is to play only the traditional 6 strings at first. That way there will be that additional string but by avoiding it you'll feel right at home. And from that point on you can begin incorporating it here and there.
I had the same problem with finding the right string from the top string down. Just tune it to drop A and play exclusively on the 7 string for a week or so. You'll get used to it. Just cut the 6 string guitars out of your daily driver lineup for a week
I do like the 7 string chug . And the ambient Deftones styles .
I also have no idea !!! How they do it .
Feels odd to be giving advice given that you're a better player than I am, but you've explained the roadblock yourself early in the video - a mental navigation map based on scale boxes off the 6th string can be limiting - try recontextualizing scales on one string only.
This will even benefit 6 string (or less) playing: pick any string, any scale, and improvise only on that string. As you get bored, start randomly incorporating a different string, above or below, from varying scale degrees.
I run that exercise on six and seven strings, and its helped me remap whats going on and unify the two. If anything, the G string is now the central landmark
What you have done is a vihuela tuning. One very common vihuela tuning was to tune the third string to F#, so the Major Third was the two MIDDLE strings, instead of where it is on the guitar. So, imagine if a vihuela had a Drop A string, and that is precisely what you just did.
That also is how WE play 7-strings. The 7-string vihuela tuning is much easier to work.
I play a 7 in an open tuning CFACGCE and it’s incredible. Clean channel, bit too much reverb and bar the 7th fret it will change your life
So for horizontal pentatonics, just have the root on the E string so all you have to do is play the 5th and the flat 7th on B string. (Obviously, I mean minor pentatonics.)
I actually like the all 4ths tuning. I learned the guitar after I was a bassist playing a 6 string bass. So I had all the 4 note chord shapes and scale patterns for all in 4ths tuning. That was a super set of training wheels for a new guitarist.
I like how your mouth moves when you're playing a lead. It seems like a kid that moves their mouth while reading silently. I think in your case that you actually mentally sing your lines.
For me, it's the odd number of strings that caused me to get lost. I had this revelation when I tried an 8 string guitar, and it made sense to me. I wanted to buy an Ibanez Universe when I was a kid, but I kept getting lost on that thing. Then I wanted to try an 8 string after discovering Animals As Leaders. I was amazed by how effortless it was to play the guitar! To test if I was correct, I tried a 6 string bass as well. 5 always fucked with me, and guess what? 6 STRING BASS GUITARS MADE SENSE TOO! LOL
I play brass woodwinds and strings sight reading or by ear but when it comes to tabs on fretted instruments I totally freaking SUCK !!
I spent hours with the old Jeff Loomis and Rusty Cooley pdf and video lessons.
Learning actual 7 string songs and riffs is the best way to get used to it.
I played one once and as soon as I stopped thinking about it, my fingers knew what to do - E to B - .... it's the same interval as the top two strings :)
Really insightful to hear how you approach and visualize the fretboard and the intervals and the strings. Always cool to hear different opinions and perspectives etc.
What insight did you glean?
@@Drtydeeds That everything is measured and felt based off of distance from the top string, as opposed to say me, where I see everything based on the two nearest root notes and don't "feel" distance at all.
Looks left .. 28.625" 7 string (the B intonated is 29"). Started this year on the 7 but 1987 on the 6. It's just practice and learning how to extend to the new string. I prefer my 7 as it fits me as a lanky git with larger hands that make the strat feel cramped.
What I did was review the patterns of the major scale then reviewed Major minor and 7ths chord shapes. I did this over and over again. Now I dont even think about it. You have to practice the muscle memory.
I’d love to see how you handle an 8 or 9 string 🤘👽🤘
It’s the grove of the low end you got to get into to really enjoy a 7 string.
Honestly I found transitioning to 7 easy due to the similarity of note relationships between a 7 and a 6 (power chords, fifths and 9ths etc)
One way I learned was to play songs in E standard and just move everything down a string set. Think one of my transition pieces was Orion by Metallica. I'm also blessed I use multiscale which can make 7s more comfortable. Using drop tuning like Drop A will help I reckon. Hope this all helps chappers
I'm no 7 stringer, but if i had to learn - i would take the low string of 1st and just get used to the feel of the neck and landing farther down. Then slap it back on and proceed with your other ideas.
The way my teacher taught me the three note per string major scale modes might help you here. bare with me its a little confusing lol: theres three basic shapes you are playing. Whole step plus whole step, whole plus half, and half plus whole. The order is ALWAYS three times whole whole, then two times half whole (move one fret forward) then two times whole half (also move one fret forward to accomodate for the tuning of the high b string). on a 6 string you start Ionian on the second of the whole whole. so you only have two left until you have to go half whole. So on the seven you just add another whole step, whole step on the low B. so if you want to play say Lydian you start on the second set of the whole step, whole step moves etc. You just have to know on which set of which shape you are and then you can apply it to any number of strings. idk if this helps at all but hey :D
Play it in drop A instead of B standard, alot easier to come up with cool riffs, at least for me, and when playing lead open would be in the A position and then all of your keys will be easier to remember based on the A string or 5th string on standard guitar
I think you're just thinking about it too much. I play my 7 string just like a six string but the way I think about it is there just "happens" to be an extra string there. I play in standard tuning on my 7 string with the low string being tuned down to B. I don't know if it would be harder with alternate tunings but at least in standard I sometimes feel more comfortable on my 7 string than my sixes. I like that they have a different kind of resonance to 6 string guitars as well.
We have just bought 8-strings in our band, Rob.
Best way to visualize is when you see a six string you see the outside E's mirroring, so instead of seeing the outside strings look at the outside two strings mirroring on a 7 string. Do a Dorian scale box to see it best.
Start a serie of video on your journey with 7 strings guitare, that will help a lot of people in this same situation
also, for 7 in my head is a B or lower tuned guitar with a extra high, instead of a normal guitar with a extra low