7 String Advice

deakle

deakle

Experienced
I tried 7 string guitar a few years back with an ESP LTD. Very nice, playable guitar, but I just grew frustrated with it and sold it. I have been looking to expand my guitar knowledge and thought I would give 7 string a go again. I had purchased a Strandberg Boden Standard 6 string previously and was very impressed with its playability and overall ergonomics/quality. So I pulled the trigger on a Strandberg Boden Metal 7 in Black Pearl. Does anyone have any advice on my taking up 7 string again and not growing frustrated with it? I do not want to just "chug away" on the low B string, I would like to use the full capability of the entire fretboard. Also, and maybe this is a dumb question, but any advice on playing a traditional 6 string song on a 7 string? Thanks for any advice that may be offered and any experiences shared. I look forward to my "7 string journey" once again!
 
Just learn or play 6 string songs on the 7. Once you are used to playing with that extra string it is second nature. I like dropping the B to an A (drop a). This encourages me to consider the instrument from an "E standard but with that extra umph" perspective. I have all the capibility of a 6-string, with the simplicity of the dropped chording in the lower register. This helps me intuitively avoid some nasty Bar-chord issues while rooting from the 7th string ...and offers very cool extensions for A-shape bar-chords. I hope that makes sense
 
zedeloc said:
Just learn or play 6 string songs on the 7. Once you are used to playing with that extra string it is second nature. I like dropping the B to an A (drop a). This encourages me to consider the instrument from an "E standard but with that extra umph" perspective. I have all the capibility of a 6-string, with the simplicity of the dropped chording in the lower register. This helps me intuitively avoid some nasty Bar-chord issues while rooting from the 7th string ...and offers very cool extensions for A-shape bar-chords. I hope that makes sense
Click to expand...
Thanks @zedeloc! That does make sense. I was thinking about tuning it to drop A. That seems like it would add some extra umph to the power chords.
 
deakle said:
I tried 7 string guitar a few years back with an ESP LTD. Very nice, playable guitar, but I just grew frustrated with it and sold it. I have been looking to expand my guitar knowledge and thought I would give 7 string a go again. I had purchased a Strandberg Boden Standard 6 string previously and was very impressed with its playability and overall ergonomics/quality. So I pulled the trigger on a Strandberg Boden Metal 7 in Black Pearl. Does anyone have any advice on my taking up 7 string again and not growing frustrated with it? I do not want to just "chug away" on the low B string, I would like to use the full capability of the entire fretboard. Also, and maybe this is a dumb question, but any advice on playing a traditional 6 string song on a 7 string? Thanks for any advice that may be offered and any experiences shared. I look forward to my "7 string journey" once again!
Click to expand...
Hi I would have to say and sorry to say this (I had to do the same) practice basic exercises till using the 7 string gets easier. If you know the "spider" exercise? This one helped me the most with every thing really. Try this.
Alt picking as you go up the strings( down actually but musically up). Starting on the low B, First finger, first fret 7th string (I had to think about it lol.) as you go up the strings pick first finger, 7th string 1st fret, then, middle finger, 6th string 2nd fret, ring finger 5th string 3rd fret, and pinky, 4th string 4th fret. Once you get to the pinky finger 4th string, 4th fret start back down. first finger 4th string first fret, middle finger 5th string 2nd fret, ring finger 6th string 3rd fret, pinky finger 7th string 4th fret. staying in first position next start the first finger 6th string 1st fret and work your way up the next 4 strings and back down again then start at the 5th string and so on one string at a time till you get to the D string. Then move down on the B string one half step and repeat the process all the way down the neck.
I'm assuming you don't know the spider if you do then just practice this and your basic exercises till it gets easier if not now you know. As soon as you get good at that try to reverse the order. Starting on the pinky finger 4th fret 7th string and work backwards from the original way I explained. I could not get used to it till I started to practice basic exercises. Also try to play songs that don't require the B string at all and try keeping it quite while you play. It took me around 5 month or so ( that I can remember) just to get comfortable. I still hit other strings while I play.
Hey I also had a Strandberg boden 7. Incredible guitar I had a trem bar. which I hated because if you deep dive with it the strings com off the saddles So I hope you didn't get a tremolo. I complained about it to Strandberg as well. They didn't care so I returned it lost 1000 dollars (because it is was 2300.00) and bought 2 Jackson v's and never looked back.
oh real quick I have a fiend that just got a 7 string Schechter and same thing "having trouble hitting strings, and getting used to it". I told him the same thing.
I hope this helps
 
mrdo919 said:
Hi I would have to say and sorry to say this (I had to do the same) practice basic exercises till using the 7 string gets easier. If you know the "spider" exercise? This one helped me the most with every thing really. Try this.
Alt picking as you go up the strings( down actually but musically up). Starting on the low B, First finger, first fret 7th string (I had to think about it lol.) as you go up the strings pick first finger, 7th string 1st fret, then, middle finger, 6th string 2nd fret, ring finger 5th string 3rd fret, and pinky, 4th string 4th fret. Once you get to the pinky finger 4th string, 4th fret start back down. first finger 4th string first fret, middle finger 5th string 2nd fret, ring finger 6th string 3rd fret, pinky finger 7th string 4th fret. staying in first position next start the first finger 6th string 1st fret and work your way up the next 4 strings and back down again then start at the 5th string and so on one string at a time till you get to the D string. Then move down on the B string one half step and repeat the process all the way down the neck.
I'm assuming you don't know the spider if you do then just practice this and your basic exercises till it gets easier if not now you know. As soon as you get good at that try to reverse the order. Starting on the pinky finger 4th fret 7th string and work backwards from the original way I explained. I could not get used to it till I started to practice basic exercises. Also try to play songs that don't require the B string at all and try keeping it quite while you play. It took me around 5 month or so ( that I can remember) just to get comfortable. I still hit other strings while I play.
Hey I also had a Strandberg boden 7. Incredible guitar I had a trem bar. which I hated because if you deep dive with it the strings com off the saddles So I hope you didn't get a tremolo. I complained about it to Strandberg as well. They didn't care so I returned it lost 1000 dollars (because it is was 2300.00) and bought 2 Jackson v's and never looked back.
oh real quick I have a fiend that just got a 7 string Schechter and same thing "having trouble hitting strings, and getting used to it". I told him the same thing.
I hope this helps
Click to expand...
Thanks @mrdo919! I had not heard of the "spider" exercise. This sounds like a great learning exercise.
 
I personally play only 7 strings.. Like a 6..it started because i felt in love with my Ibanez rg 1527 fretboard and then carry on with that.. Now every 6 string fretboard seems to narrow to me.. I barely play stuff wlth the low B sometimes dream theater.. But when it needs i dont need to change guitar.. And maybe due to more wood it seems deeper sound..
 
I had a Schecter 7 string Hellraiser with a trem. I got used to the 7th string very quickly, but I just could never bond with the way the trem felt with so much tension. I hope you enjoy it though, it certainly opens a world of capabilities. I'm back to sixes for good I think. I just transpose everything haha.
 
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