going from 6 to 7 strings !!

[the.godfather]

Hey guys,

this probably has been talked about before - if it has i am sorry.

my question is - how do you go from a 6 string guitar to a 7 string ??
I mean, what is the first step ??

And what are some good songs to learn when starting?

Thanks.
the.godfather

[caprile]

Originally Posted by the.godfather

how do you go from a 6 string guitar to a 7 string ?? I mean, what is the first step ??

getting a 7 string guitar?

joking aside, it takes a few hours, but it's easy. More than adjusting to the 7, I found it harder to get used to go back and forth.

Good songs? DT-Awake

[Two hands31]

Some people (like myself for some reason) are lucky enough to be able to go back and forth between 6 and 7-strings with no trouble at all, while others take some adjustment time. So basically, just sit down with it and goof around for a bit and it'll feel natural in no time most likely.

[Jim Soloway]

The first thing you have to do is decide what tuning you want to use and what you plan to use it for. Most rock players (which I guess means everyone here but me) tune the low string to a B. But the jazz tuning, where 7 string was used first, is to tune the low string to an A. It makes a huge difference in how the instrument is played,so I'd suggest starting by trying both tunings. Decide which one fits your ear better and go from there.

[sam669]

physically problems may be solved by making stretching exercise, especially on the low B/A and after the 8th fret: try playing 4 notes per string scales starting from the B @12, might be hard!

[SeRcH]

It's not hard to get used to the 7-strings, and to go back and forth to a 6-string, I still have problems to get used to the fat neck thought! (I have small hands!)

[sam669]

what do you play on? a universe? lol that'd be dumb!

[Akhenaten]

When I got my first 7-string, the first thing I did was retune my 6 to B when I ordered the Universe. My biggest stumbling area was my pick hand, because like most, I was used to the top string being E. So tuning my 6 down to B allowed me to practice that without being too unfamiliar. I ordered the guitar, and it came in about 2 months, so i had plenty of time to work it out. The fret hand doesn't really have much trouble. I had more trouble when I went to the long-scale ones with my fret hand...lol But even thatis a small adjustment, and is now my fave guitar.

[the.godfather]

No i wasnt thinking of a universe - my 7 string playing is nowhere near that ability yet.

But i play a 6 string at the moment - and thought it might be good to do something different i.e. a 7 string.

I know loads of people that play multiple instruments, and thought it might be an idea.

[sam669]

i'm preaching sevens to guitarists where i am... but most of them keep wanting vintage fender or gibson paul stanley models, and looking metal with a jackson randy rhoads performer...
life!

[Two hands31]

The other guitarist in my band plays an Epiphone Les Paul right now, and wants to get a Gibson Les Paul Standard some day, but trying my Schecter's got him itching for an Ibanez AX 7-string.

[Kobalt]

my problem that i needed to overcome when first buying a seven was wanting to tune down to a and then completely blasting heavy chugg-ish riffs. dont stay on that low string! use it as a tool, not as the central area of concentration

[guitarkatana]

I must agree with Kobalt. Don't fall into the trend of always using the 7th string for riffs. Use the whole guitar, that way the low notes doesn't get boring to your listener.

[Petie]

Yeah, far too many people forget that they now have seven strings on their guitar and only use the lowest two.

[Dylan7620]

yea, dont get sucked into the low end. it took me a while to get away from it. but no when i do use a low end power chord it just sound much more powerful and it stands out cause you dont hear it as much.