Seven Up: A Seven-String Primer

In the early ’90s, seven-strings were the domain of shredders like Steve Vai. A few years later, when grunge put shred guitar in mothballs, a few virtuoso players kept the seven-string flag flying, such as Dream Theater's John Petrucci and Morbid Angel's Trey Azagthoth. When seven-string guitar prices bottomed out on the used market, the low rumble of Korn returned the instrument to the spotlight, and soon a parade of nu metal bands adopted the seven for their low-tuned riffage. Eventually many of those players returned to six strings, often in baritone or at least tuned down to C# or C. Some die-hards have remained devoted to the seven-string, and Gibson's seven-string Explorer and Flying V models represent a return to the seven-string world after seven-string Les Paul and Flying V models a decade ago.

Generally, the technique for seven-string guitar is much the same as for six-string guitar, but it can take a few days for muscle memory to adjust to the additional string and the extra fretboard width that goes with it. Many players find that the easiest way to adjust is to spend a few days exploring the lowest two strings by chugging out on low power chord riffs in the standard seven string tuning, B E A D G B E. This helps orient the fingers and ears towards the expanded range of the seven-string. Below is a simple power chord riff (with a few well-placed palm-muted open note chugs) to introduce the lower register.

When one goes to play an open chord on the seven-string for the first time, the natural inclination is to place the fingers on the fretboard one string too low, since most players find their bearings relative to the low E string. If you play a standard E major chord shape one string down on a seven string, it can sound pretty cataclysmic. However, playing an E major chord while including the low B string as an inversion adds a lot of muscle to this chord. The B string also comes in handy for adding additional heft to an open D chord. Whereas previously the lowest root note available on a standard-tuned six-string guitar is the open note on the D string, on a seven-string you can hit that D a full octave below that for a powerful, ringing country chord or, by omitting the F# note on the high E string, a brash extended D5 power chord.

Barre chords may seem like a particular challenge given the extra fretboard width of a seven string, but if you start around the fifth or seventh frets your hand will quickly adjust to the expanded spread. The example here is an F#maj7sus4.

Most players use the seven-string primarily to play in lower keys than those available on standard tuned six strings, but the low B can also be employed to simply extend the range of otherwise six-string-focused scales. Because seven-string guitars have two B strings (and two E strings), any notes that occur on the B string of a six-string scale can be directly applied to the low B string too. The minor pentatonic scale sounds extra-mean when you drop down below the root note such as in the key of A, when you can go all the way down to E without stepping outside of the regular pentatonic box.

In other keys, you can go even further down. This same idea can be applied to other common scale patterns and it's a very handy way of easily remembering the notes on the low B string: any note that you already know on the 'regular' B string, you also instinctively know on the low B.

But what if a low B is still not enough? There are no rules about how to tune your seven-string. One fun tuning is G C G C G C B E. Another is a variant on the Drop D philosophy: A E A D G B E. Another trick can be performed in regular 7-string tuning. I call this the 'bulldozer chord,' and it also works on six-string guitars. Play a regular root/fifth power chord starting on the E string - say, a G5 chord starting at the 5th fret. Instead of doubling the root note on the fifth fret of the D string as many players might, try doubling the fifth instead, an octave below, on the third fret of the low B string. This gives you an extra-thick low end which, when played against a G note on a bass, creates a crushing, super-low-sounding chord.

Thanks to Gallin’s Musician’s Pro Shop in Fitzroy, Melbourne, for providing their Gibson Explorer seven string to appear in the above shots.

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Advice For Beginning Guitar Players - A 10 Article Primer

Greetings fellow aspiring guitar players everywhere! I am an amateur guitar player. Over the years I have developed a great love for this amazing instrument. I decided it would be fun to write a series of articles targeted towards the beginner guitar player or the person who is thinking about taking up the guitar as a hobby.

I put together a 10 part series of articles that might help those that are interested in pursuing the guitar, or who are just in the beginning stages of playing. Hopefully you'll get something out of the series that will be helpful to you as you begin this fulfilling journey of creating beautiful music with your guitar.

How To Choose A Good Guitar (Part 1)

Picking out your guitar can be a fun experience, especially if you have the money to buy the one you want. You may not even know what kind of guitar you want or what kind of music you'll end up playing. You may also wonder if you'll play it enough to make it worth spending so much money.

Actually there are some good, relatively cheap guitars out there that will provide you with many hours of playing pleasure. They also won't break your pocketbook.

Here are some important things to keep in mind when you're shopping for a new guitar.

Electric or Acoustic?

It is generally recommended that beginning guitarists buy an acoustic first. The main reason for this is that it's harder than you think to get an electric guitar to sound good. Another reason you may not want to start with an electric guitar is, you'll also need to buy effects and an amplifier, and that can get very expensive.

If you're starting out and you're not sure what you will be playing, don't spend big dollars on a guitar at first. When you buy an acoustic guitar there's no need for all the extras. What will concern you is finding a guitar that feels and sounds good. Once you've been playing awhile, you'll know a lot more about what you want and then you can choose more wisely.

Cheaper Isn't Always Better

Here's the bottom line. Just because you don't have a whole lot of money to blow on atop of the line guitar, doesn't mean that you should get the cheapest thing either!

If the guitar that you buy doesn't feel good or sound good to you, you won't want to play it. I'll

say it again, don't buy the cheapest guitar. In fact, a badly made, cheap guitar is no fun to play. If your guitar sounds bad, chances are you're likely to put it down and never pick it up again.

The good news is, there are lots of good, inexpensive guitars out there. What I mean by inexpensive is anywhere between $99.00 and $300.00. If you look around and are patient, you will find a guitar in this price range that's a pleasure to play.

Play Everything

The best way to find out what features and feel you like in a guitar, play as many as you can. Play your friends guitar. Go to all the guitar shops and play everything there. Take notes. There are a lot of factors to consider.

Don't be swayed by popular brand names. Just because a guitar has a name you've heard of on it doesn't mean it's a good guitar. It also doesn't mean its right for you. It's best not to go shopping with preconceived notions about which guitars are "the best." Every individual guitar is different. Every manufacturer turns out the occasional dud -- and the occasional gem. Don't be a snob and refuse to look at unknown brands. You might miss out on something special.

What is it made of? Some cheap guitars have tops made of plywood. You don't want that, because over the years the guitar will pull itself apart. (It also won't sound very good, since plywood isn't known for its fine resonant qualities.) For acoustic guitars, a spruce or cedar top is ideal. Most acoustics you see will use one of these two for the top. As long as it's real wood, though, if you like the sound, it's probably fine. The back, sides, and neck can be just about any solid wood; mahogany and curly maple are both popular and attractive.

The fretboard is usually either rosewood or ebony. (Fender Guitars puts lacquered maple fretboards on many of its models, which seem to hold up well.) Ebony is preferable, because it's extremely hard and won't wear as easily, but rosewood is perfectly fine. If the fretboard has been painted or stained, it's probably bad news.

Is it well-made? Look carefully. The frets should be even, and none of them should stick out more than the others. Many acoustic guitars have binding around the edges of the body. That's a good sign, but it isn't strictly necessary. Run your hands all around the edges of the body. If it feels like the wood doesn't quite meet properly in some places, don't buy that guitar. Hold the guitar up and sight down the neck. The fretboard may be either flat or slightly curved side-to-side, but if it doesn't look even, the neck may be twisted or warped. (This is something you're more likely to find in used guitars than new ones.) From the side, the neck should look straight. The tuning machines should work smoothly.

Does it feel good? This is the most important consideration. It's even more important than the guitar's sound

Is the neck a comfortable width? Different guitars have necks of varying widths. Classical guitars have very wide necks. Electric guitars usually have narrow necks. Most steel-string guitars' necks are somewhere in between. If you have thick fingers, a wider neck will make it easier for you to play. If you have small hands, a narrow neck is more comfortable.

Are the strings at a comfortable height from the frets? This is called action. Most people prefer a guitar with "low action," meaning the strings are relatively close to the frets. Low action makes a guitar easier to play.

Is the body a comfortable size? This is something a lot of people overlook. Most steel-string acoustic guitars have what's called dreadnought style bodies. These are big guitars, and if you're a small person they can be quite uncomfortable to play. When you sit down with the guitar in a normal playing position, you should be able to reach the sound hole easily, without having to stretch. If it's even a little uncomfortable, it will affect your playing. People play best when they're relaxed and comfortable. If the dreadnought body is a problem for you, consider a smaller guitar.

Does it sound good? Have someone else (a salesperson or a friend) play the guitar for you. Just because it sounds good to you when you play it doesn't mean it will sound good to your audience. What "sounds good" means is subjective, of course. If you like the sound, it sounds good.

What else do you need?

o A case. A flight case or hardshell case is best. Cardboard cases and nylon gig bags don't provide nearly as much protection.

o A strap. Pretty much any strap will do, but it's a good idea to buy a strap lock at the same time.

o Something to tune with. Since you're just starting out, a pitch pipe or electronic tuner will make things easier for you.

o Strings. The strings that are on the guitar when you buy it have been on it too long already. You need to change them. To start out, (for electric or steel string guitars) buy "light gauge." They're reasonably easy to play, but aren't so thin you'll break them right away.

o Picks. Buy a lot. You're going to lose them. To start out, get an assortment of sizes, shapes, and thicknesses, and try them all. Decide what works best for you.

In the next article, we'll discuss the basics of learning the guitar.

Eric Jacobson lives and plays his guitar with his wife and 4 kids in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. He is passionate about sharing his love for the guitar, and is always on the lookout for good programs and learning systems for beginning guitarists. He reviews some of the better programs he has found that teach good fundamentals and are easy to follow.

You can find out more at his blog here: [http://youtoocanplaylikeapro.blogspot.com/]