7-string guitars appear to be popular these days. They’ve gained popularity in recent years. Whole genres have sprung up around this form of guitar. You could go down a rabbit hole with longer-range guitars, but we will stay simple. People who switch on 7-string guitar have in mind how to tune a 7-string guitar.
So, have any of you ever wanted to know what it loves to play a 7-string guitar? Or do you already have one and want to know about various 7-string guitar tunings? Then you’ve found the right place. Today, we’ll go over the most interesting tunings for 7-string guitars.
History of the seven-string guitar
The 7-string guitar era may surprise you. Reduced tunings are very famous in contemporary metal, as we all know. Reduced tunings have been used by bands since the 1990s. Down-tuning is not a novel concept, but tuning so low was just a trial. 7-string guitars, on the other hand, have been around until the 1800s. They were mostly performed by freestyle guitarists.
The goal was to be capable of playing chords and tunes the way they’re utilized while also accompanying yourself in the bass record. This effectively eliminated the use of a bassist. From Russian traditional music to symphonies solo pieces, seven-string guitars were used in an array of genres. They’re still reasonably common in non-western countries such As Mexico, where mariachi bands use 7-string guitars.
How To Tune A 7-String Guitar
Let’s get started and learn how to tune a 7 string guitar.
B standard tuning (B-E-A-D-G-b-e)
This is the advanced 7-string guitar’s basic tuning. The 7th string is optimized a 4th down from the low E, causing it a low B. As this time frames between the lowest strings are just like on a 6-string guitar, this 7-string guitar tuning is very popular. It also lets you play in E standard, like the guitar had six strings. A common alteration of these optimizations is to raise the G string a mediant to G#. This raises the major third span one string, enabling the player to perform recognizable chord forms one string lesser.
Tuning all of the chords down to A# or A standard, for example, is another popular variation.
Drop A tuning (A-E-A-D-G-B-e)
This 7-string tuning is similar to the drop D tuning, though tuned down a fourth. This enables the player to perform in E standard once more. Drop A and B rules differs only in that the reduced B is tuned down to an A. This shortens the duration between the sixth and seventh strings by a fifth, making barre chords smoother to play.
It also renders reversed major or minor thirds and separated chords better to handle. Such tunings are extremely popular among metal bands that play optimized power chord patterns or advanced metal bands that play with a bunch of important chords.
Drop A is a favorite of substitute metal bands who want to riff hard. Drop A is typically used with rapid and fairly simple riffs. Simply playing any Drop D riffs in Drop A will make you feel extremely powerful.
Drop G tuning (G-D-G-C-F-A-d)
We’re now receiving into the extremes. I recognize it’s similar to drop A, but this is so famous, although I have to mention it. Drop G is widely regarded as the “best drop tuning” for 7-string guitars because it merges a mildly darker echo than E standard on the 6-strings while still allowing the least string to be loud enough to plainly hear what was being played. It’s arguable if this is real since you have to admit that this optimization is a fun game to play and listen to, which is why so many artists use it.
Drop E tuning (E-B-E-A-D-G-B)
This is where things start to get out of hand. This tuning gains fairly outrageous as it moves into bass guitar region (“ yeah, you can eventually fire your bass player). The aim of these optimizations is not like, say, the B standard.
Drop E evolves into an entirely different play style, where low accessible strings and increased chords and riffs are speedily varied, whereas B standard is much more intended for the same types of riffs you’d play in E standard though lower.
Conclusion
We glad you enjoyed our 7 string guitar optimization guide useful and now you can easily tell how to tune a 7 string guitar (also want to learn about how to tune a 12 string Guitar).
