How fast can you make the switch? - Going from 7 to 6 and ba

[Soup Kitchen Studios]

To those of you whom use 7's regularly... Do you also play 6 strings? *How long does it feel akward to your hands (and brain) *after you switch? *

I'm having some major difficulties getting comfortable with both sizes. *Ideally, I'd like to be able to pick up either and feel "at home" instantly. *I feel like 7 is home and 6 is just missing a string!


Moderators: I apologize if this is out of place... it's meant to be a question to 7 String players, and not specifically about a particular 7 string guitar.

[Pryde7]

well, the 7 *is my baby now, and i'm a big endorser of the seven-string concept, but whenever i pick up my strat, i feel like i know everything about it, and its babyfood compared to my 7. occasionally when i'm working out complex chords or lines that i've written or i'm reading about, i pick up my 6 to see how it works, and later i'll pick up my 7 to try new things with it... but that's pretty rare, i'm basically an exclusive 7 player. a 6 feels kinda puny to me, but it feels "easier," i feel like i know every spot on it like the back of my hand, while the 7 is a bit more complex.

so answer is, the 7 is my exclusive instrument, but i'm not uncomfortable with someone handing me a 6 because i know that i know the 6 really well, like something i've "graduated" from (not even close to really mastering it at all though!) so if i was in a jam and some guy handed me a strat, i'd feel at home... although i'd be burning to run home and grab my prized 7.

wow, that was one hell of long-winded explanation :biggrin:
-Pryde

[7 Dying Trees]

No problems, I'll switch back an forth when I want really, just put one down and pick the other up. Although sometimes while playing a 6 I tend to forget there's a string missing ... :doh:

The only difference is that the 6 is easier to play, feels smaller etc.

[The Dark Wolf]

There is zero period of adjustment for me. I play my 2027, 7-string, almost exclusively for anything electric/electric-acoustic (amplified basically) and I play my classical guitar, 6-string for all my 'real' acoustic stuff. I practice and write songs on both, although I tend to practice lead-type stuff on my 7, just because it's electric, and I practice theory/sight reading stuff mostly on my classical. But I just jump back and forth, with no troubles. (Maybe playing classical helps, as it's neck width at the nut is STILL wider than my 7, and it's only 6 strings. Heck, a 6-string bass feels wonderful to me. I love wide, thin necks.)

(Edited by Wordwolf at 6:59 am on Jan. 30, 2002)

[Soup Kitchen Studios]

I also have no problem switching to an acoustic 6 string. *I guess it must be the super small rg1200 neck that is giving me problems! *...thanks for the input guys.

[Texter]

Once you're really accustomed to the 7-string you hardly notice the difference...really. I just play and play and play on my Jems and UV...It's more the sound that draws my attention...

[Christopher Chen]

I have absolutely no problems, but in the beginning I must admit, it was indeed a very intimidating experience. But like Vai said once in an interview, he recokned it to being like a key board, like adding another set of letters. After a while you'll get used to it, come to think of it, it took me a couple of hours. Switching back and forth should be no problem, but just think of it, what you can do on a 6 you can do on a 7 and more!

Although I have yet to do much more than I can do on a regular 6!

Chris.

[rlintz]

It will take very little time to get used to the 7. *The scale patterns you know and love are easily utilized just by recognizing that the low B is like your high B. *You'll probably start playing in different keys than you may currently be accustomed but that in itself might spark some creativity in your playing and songwriting.

I personally find it more of a challenge to back to a six string as the tunes you derive that take advantage of the low B can't be played the same, as cannot the new chord shapes you derive with the low B.

Overall, neither direction is much of a challenge though...

[VforVendetta00]

* I find no problem in shifting back and forth, i play in 4 different tunning with 4 different guitars, 2 6string and 2 7's. nad other than the ocasional nag about wanting to play 7 string based songs on my 6 string and complining that immissing a string there is no problem.i play in standard tunning for both 7 and six and also to drop d and E flat all in different guitars so my confusion is a bt bigger when i have to change guitars when i practice. but with the band its mainly standard 6 and 7, and its not a problem.

[jeffrey]

I go back and forth between 6's and 7's every day, so it's no big adjustment for me.

Granted that was the hardest part about playing a 7; going back and forth.

[Drew]

Well, there was a bit of a learning curve... I remember on a gig i was playing, i'd just put down my 7 and got my strat strapped on, and my band immediately broke into the next tune. i started playing, and after a half second i was like, "hold up guys, this doesn't feel right!" i thought i was playing all the wrong notes, probably because of the difference in neck feel, # of strings, and tone (world of difference between my strat and my rg-7). Turns out i was right, but it took me a few seconds to realize i WASN'T screwing up, lol.

It's better now- after a second or two it feels natural. Sometimes i still find myself wanting to reach for that low B, but i almost always catch mysef. And for whoever said you can do whatever you can on a 6 on a 7, try busting out vauhan's version of the intro to "Little Wing," lol. that thumbed bass stuff is SCARY with a B in the way. :-)

-Drew

[guitargodjds01]

I don't have any problem adjusting, it's just that the 6's feel natural, because I'm more used to them, 7's just add a new dimension to my playing. *The only thing is the width of the neck, and killin your arm if you wear your axe low. *Even though I love the 7 concept, and the idea behind it, but, in my opinion, nothing beats a good ol' drop tuned 6. *But anything tuned below C (below 2 whole steps down) is floppy, hence the reason for the 7th string.

[GuyCool]

The transition from a 1077 to a JEM isn't too bad-normally a couple of minutes will acclimatise. The extra scale length is a consideration though. But it's not like I'm playing fast complicated stuff anyway.
How difficult is it to fret a power chord?

Guy

[Two hands31]

For me? *Well it's taking 3 years and counting to adjust to the 7-string (don't have one yet, but still drooling :biggrin. *But I've tried one in a store and found I'd fret the E-string and pick the B-string :doh: then, when I got home, my 6-string felt wimpy. * *:biggrin:

[Soup Kitchen Studios]

It's amazing how a couple months change things.

I don't have any discomfort with either anymore, although I feel slightly less coordinated on the 7 still.