old school player.

[rgplayer]

Hi, i am a old school guitarist ,i came up with the old metallica and megadeth stuff. I have always played 6 strings but i find myself now liking the newer low tuned music, such as godsmack, disturbed, etc.Now to my question, i dont really like to tune my guitars down,i have never played a seven string before, if i get a seven string will i be able to play the lower tuned music without having to keep changing guitars to play in a different tunings?And also , will i be able to play the chords in a regular position instead of the dropped type of 1 finger chord? Thanks .. sorry for the long post.

[Drew]

Yeah, you can on both fronts - the top 6 strings are the same, and the only thing I can't do as easily on a 7 that I can do on a 6 is Hendrix-y thumb over the neck stuff (and even that's possible).

As far as tuning goes, standard tuning for a 7 is BEADGBE, so the interval distance between the four lowest strings on a 7 is the same as the four lowest strings on a 6, just down a fourth (the G and B screw things up, as they're a major third and not a major fourth apart in standard tuning). So, you can play the bottom four notes of any chord shape you'd play on the E string of a six on a seven without any problems. That's not enough for full open chords, but will cover powerchords and triads with ease. and, there are some movable 7-string chord forms, too, so it works out quite well.

Now might be a good time to check out www.sevenstring.org.

-D

[revsharp777]

Hell yeah, a 7-string is great for playing all kinds of lower-tuned music without having to change guitars. Besides my main original bands, I've done cover bands off and on for several years. Because we covered a wide range of rock/metal (both classic & the new stuff), I had to deal with lots of tunings. With my 7-string, I was able to play tons of music that would normally require me to have several guitars, each with their own tunings. ONE standard-tuned 7-string covered the bases for 95% of what we played. With it, I could keep the show going without having to change guitars constantly, much less...having to haul tons of guitars around. 1 main, 1 backup....done deal.

[rgplayer]

Thanks for the replies.

[moro]

Wow, Metallica and Megadeth are considered old school now? I seriously feel old.

[rgplayer]

Yeah i hear ya, i am 29 and i listen to some radio stations here that are considered classic rock, and i hear all the music i use to play when i was 15 and 16.Of course i am talking old metallica , like kill em all and megadeth rust in peace.

[Flobanez]

With a 7-string, You can play all types of music no matter what key they are in. Thats the beauty of it. Its the perfect guitar.
When I was playing in a cover band, Drop D and E and B were my choice keys for songs we were covering. I would drop my E to D for the drop D songs.
Since I discovered that bands with good songs to cover were in C and C#, etc.
I decided to just leave the tuning alone and play them in accordance.
This eliminates having multiple guitars for different tunings.
My other guitarist in that band had a huge problem with lugging 5 or 6 guitars to shows. All I had was 1 7-string!
The 7-string rules like no other. I even drop my low B down to A as sometimes low G. Its just the most versatile thing to have.
I can play anything on it not matter what key. Since 1998, I've found no use for a 6-string.
I have a tiny bit of a hard time with Eric Johnson songs on my 7's. But I still play all his songs on my 7.
Even if Im playing Metallica or Megadeth, if there songs have the high B or high C, etc. I incorporate the lows like a bass player would.
Perfect Example: Manic Depression by Jimi Hendrix is in A. I play the song in drop A.
So that just an example of how you can put lower notes to use no matter what your playing. So get one. You wont regret it.
Oh.........and check out sevenstring.org for inspiration.

[Tsorovan]

Originally Posted by Flobanez

With a 7-string, You can play all types of music no matter what key they are in.

No. You really can't.

[Drew]

Originally Posted by Tsorovan

No. You can't.

Really? Why is that?

I thought you could play "all types of music no matter what key they're in" on basically ANY guitar, six or seven, if you're a competent player. With it's extended range, I can't see how a seven would be more limiting than a six...

-D

[Tsorovan]

I never said a 7-string would be more limiting than a 6-string. You can't play "all types of music no matter what key they're in" on a 6-string either.

[Drew]

Ok, just making sure we're on the same page. Cheers,

-D

[Tsorovan]

Okidokes. I hope you found we're not even in the same library (:

[Drew]

Ok, NOW you lost me, lol.

[Allen Garrow]

I'm with you Moro I feel old now..lol. I grew up in bands playing Metallica, Megadeth, Danzig, misfits, Death Angel...etc.....
I only play 7 strings these days,,,and I love it to Deth! What's cool is that most of that old stuff can all be shifted to the low B string and you've got one big ass Meat ball of pure heavy bliss!

Do it!

~A