Learn how to play the seven-string guitar. How to Play the 7 String Electric Guitar Playing the 7 String Guitar for Beginners

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Learning to play the seven-string guitar

Do you want to surprise others by playing an unusual musical instrument? Master the seven-string guitar! Seven-string guitar lessons, even for beginners, are an entertaining hobby that you will immerse yourself in.

This bright and unusual guitar was called "Russian". Unlike her six-string sister, she is called upon not to solo, but to accompany. But in the art of accompaniment to a seven-stringed instrument there is no equal. Chords are easier for him.

But those who love folk songs and everyday romances are especially attached to the seven-string guitar. Many performers appreciate its extended range, lowered tuning, bright and juicy sound. Not for nothing, the famous bard Vladimir Vysotsky recognized only this instrument. Modern musicians are also his fans: Amatori, Traktor Bowling, Mad Efforts and others.

How to learn to play the seven-string guitar?

The main difficulty in mastering a seven-string guitar is that its neck is wider than that of a classic six-string. That is why some playing techniques, such as barre, are more difficult.

In addition, it is more difficult to find chords for this instrument - they are mainly written for the “six-string”.

That is why it is better to master the seven-string guitar together with a professional teacher.

How are they taught to play the seven-string guitar at the Virtuosi school?

Experienced teachers of our school teach important skills step by step:

• Proper fit and fingering
• Tuning a guitar with a tuning fork and more
• G major chord and many other chords
• To the virtuoso possession of the barre
• seventh chord
• The game of fighting and busts.

To make learning progress faster and you have an incentive, we are learning your favorite song. In six months, you will masterfully play it at the reporting concert.

Don't believe? Sign up for a free trial lesson and see the skills of our teachers!

Individual courses

Recording TRIAL LESSON	1 LESSON 1 lesson = 30 minutes	1 VISIT	1 lesson = 600
Recording Subscription for 8 lessons	8 lessons 1 lesson = 55 minutes	2 months of training maximum subscription period	8 lessons = 12 900
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At first glance, the answer is obvious. One line difference. But this is not so, because it is possible to make a seven-string guitar from a six-string without adding a seventh string.
For example, he performs his songs, as you know, on a seven-string, but actually on six. It's just that it is tuned to a seven-string, but without the fifth string - H (si).

Now we boldly draw a logical conclusion that the difference is not in the number of strings, but in the musical system. open strings seven-string guitar sound in G major. Hence the name of this tuning “open G”.

If you already play a six-string guitar, then you will have to relearn if you want to play the Russian seven-string tuning, because. chords with this tuning are clamped differently.
And some lyrics. :)
Many grew up on the melodies of the seven-string. Those who watched the film "The Elusive Avengers" will never forget in a tavern. He played in his native seven-string guitar!

Tuning a 7-string guitar:

• The first string, pressed at the 7th fret, should sound in unison with the tuning fork A (440 Hz)
• The second string, pressed at the 3rd fret, should sound in unison with the open feather string.
• Third string, pressed at the 4th fret, should sound in unison with the open second string.
• fourth string, pressed at the 5th fret, should sound in unison with the open third string.
• Fifth string, pressed at the 3rd fret, should sound in unison with the open fourth string.
• The sixth string, pressed at the 4th fret, should sound in unison with the open fifth string.
• The seventh string, pressed at the 5th fret, should sound in unison with the open sixth string.

You will need

• Guitar
• Fork
• Chord chart for 7-string guitar
• tablature
• digital
• Sheet music for seven-string guitar

Instruction

Tune your guitar. The seven-string is built on the tonic triad of G-major. The first string is tuned as D of the 1st octave. Check it out with a tuning fork. If you have an ordinary tuning fork with, which gives the sound la, then the first string, clamped at the seventh fret, should sound in unison with the tuning fork. The following strings are tuned as B-SOL-D-B-SOL-D.

The guitar has a considerable advantage over other instruments. It can be played with or without barre practically using the same position of the fingers of the left hand. Start with the chords with the most open strings. The main chord is G major. It can be taken without playing the strings, but you can also use different inversions - for example, by holding the first, fourth or seventh string at the fifth fret.

Learn to barre. Barre is a guitar technique when the index finger of the left hand pinches part of the strings (small barre) or all (large barre). On a seven-string barre, you can take it with the thumb of your left hand, which pinches the bass strings at the desired fret. The neck of the guitar actually lies in the palm of your hand.

Learn basic chords in G major and G minor. This is a tonic triad, as well as triads of the fourth and fifth steps - C major and D major. Both of these chords can be played using the barre on the fifth and seventh frets. In general, barre for a seven-string guitar is very important, since all major chords are easiest to take using this technique. The G minor chord is taken from the barre at the third fret, and the first, fourth and seventh strings are clamped at the fifth fret. In exactly the same position, you can take all the other minor chords.

Learn to play the seventh chord. For example, an A major seventh chord is played with a barre on the second fret, while the first or fourth string is pressed with the little finger or ring finger at the fifth fret. Try playing the rest of the seventh chords using the barre on different frets. The seventh chord involves the index and little fingers, or the middle finger. The rest you can try to clamp other frets. You will get different chords that can be useful when choosing an accompaniment.

Try playing without barre. Build the already familiar G-major chord on closed strings. The first string is pressed with the little finger at the fifth fret, the second - with the index finger at the third, the third with the middle finger - at the fourth fret. With your ring finger, you can try different sounds on the bass and listen to what happens - this is in any case useful when playing chords.

At the same time, master the techniques of playing with your right hand. Start with simple strumming, with ascending and descending arpeggios. Arpeggios are played sequentially with all fingers of the right hand, except for the little finger. Then learn to play simple combat. The fingers of the right hand touch the strings with the back side, mainly with the nails. The thumb at the same time touches the bass string at the right time. Play combat in different rhythms. Try playing a waltz, a march, or something lyrical. When you learn how to confidently play a simple strike, try a more complex one, when the fingers of the right hand clasped together touch the strings with both nails and phalanges from the side of the palm.

According to the musicians, the Russian seven-string classical guitar is the most romantic instrument that has a rich history. This article will introduce the reader in detail to this truly charismatic instrument.

It is immediately worth noting that the seven-string classical guitar comes in four types:

1. Classic. Contains the normal tuning with an added B (B) bass note. Oddly enough, its only advantage is the expansion of the bass range. This also includes a seven-string electric guitar.
2. Mexican. with two necks and, accordingly, 14 strings. Each group of strings can be tuned differently, this is the advantage of the Mexican guitar. However, its production has almost completely stopped.
3. The Brazilian guitar is almost indistinguishable from the classical guitar, with the exception of minor design innovations.
4. Russian. The most popular type Hundreds of professional musicians from all over the world (including such masters as Paul McCartney and Bulat Okudzhava) appreciated its peculiar character. This article will be devoted to this guitar.

A Brief History of the Russian Seven-String Guitar

Andrei Sikhra, the founder of Russian guitar music, the author of more than a thousand compositions, is rightfully considered the father of the Russian seven-string guitar. The debut of the Russian seven-string took place in Vilnius in 1793.

guitar construction

It is worth mentioning that the Russian seven-string classical guitar is almost completely different from the usual acoustic. Despite the obvious one small difference, the designers radically redesigned its device. tuning and playing on which are a little specific will require increased skills from the musician (barre, for example, it will be more difficult to take).

• Firstly, the tuning on the Russian guitar is completely different - D (the thickest string), G, H, d, g, h, d1 (where the notes are with a small letter, this means that the note is an octave higher than the one that written with a capital). There are other tunings, but this is already information for enthusiasts, because they are rarely used.
• Secondly, the Russian guitar uses only metal strings. No nylon.
• Thirdly, the neck is attached to the body with a screw that determines the angle of the neck.
• And fourthly, a different arrangement of slats inside the case.

As you can see, the structural difference is quite large, but a classical instrument is no more complicated than a 7-string guitar, tuning of which has never been a problem for guitarists. Even novice musicians easily managed to get used to the new design.

Guitar tuning and playing

How can a 7-string guitar, whose tuning is so linear and simple, cause problems for beginners? Of course not! For tuning, a classic tuning fork, tuner and ear are used (you can use all together).

When tuning a seven-string guitar by ear, the easiest way is to first tune the very first string (D note) according to the standard (it can be the fourth string on a regular guitar, a piano key, or an audio recording from the Internet). You can also use an internet tuner.

Now you can tune the rest of the strings relative to the already tuned first. Here is a step by step mini-instruction describing how to tune the first string of the guitar and then all the others:

1. The second string at the third fret should sound like an open first string.
2. The third string on the fourth fret is like the second open.
3. The fourth on the fifth fret is like the third.
4. The fifth on the third fret is like the fourth.
5. The sixth on the fourth fret is like the fifth.
6. The seventh on the fifth fret is like the sixth.

This is worth doing, even without experience, because guitar tuning is the gray everyday life of a guitarist. By the way, strings for a 7-string guitar are absolutely easy to get for residents of big cities - you can always find a couple of sets in music stores, but those who live in small towns will have to order them in an online store.

What to play on a seven-string guitar?

The range of genres covered on the Russian seven-string guitar is even smaller than on the classical one. It is categorically not suitable for most genres. Her genres are folk ballads, romances, plays and bard melodies. The melodies of Vladimir Vysotsky are great for learning - they are relatively simple and recognizable (there will be something to brag about in the company). Tabs should also be "seven-string".

Yes, by the way, it is not easy - a 7-string will be required not only for the strings, but also for the hands. You will have to completely relearn how to clamp chords on such an instrument. The pressing technique will remain completely the same, and the positions of the fingers will be different, even in chords of the same name.

In addition, they will require more endurance from the fingers than nylon ones. You will have to suffer for some time until working calluses form.

In general, the adjustment period for mid-range guitarists takes about a month.

The power and range of the sound of seven-string electric guitars exceeds the capabilities of more conventional six-string instruments. An extra string on the bottom gives more room for the guitarist to express himself, and updated chords with re-fingering and new sounds open the way for new interesting sound solutions.

How to play the seven-string electric guitar. Content:

What is the difference between a seven-string guitar and a six-string?

Comparison of six-string and seven-string electric guitars

Among the main differences, in addition to the number of strings, six-string and seven-string instruments differ in pickups and their characteristics, neck length and width, as well as a different range of sound. But first things first.

Pickups

Fokin Pickups Demolition 7-string humbucker set

Seven-string guitars are used in extreme and heavy styles of music - alternative metal, various -cores and even djent. The low sound of these guitars is provided by special high-output humbuckers like those found among DiMarzio, EMG or Fokin Pickups products.

Seven-string guitar pickups are designed to take into account the increased number of sounds available and the range of the instrument.

mensura

Often, running down the sixth string on a conventional guitar causes problems with tuning the instrument, even when using extra-tight strings.

Seven-string guitars are equipped with necks with a scale length from 26 to 29.4 inches (from 660 mm to 749 mm). This size gives greater tuning stability. Sometimes on the market there are models of guitars with six-string necks - the scale length of such necks is 25.5 inches (648 mm), just like Fender guitars.

The increased length of the neck and the use of extra-strong strings force manufacturers to play it safe when designing. Many necks of seven-string instruments are reinforced with additional materials.

Neck Width

Jackson Chris Broderick Pro Series Soloist 7

The standard neck width of an electric guitar is 43mm. The neck width of the seven-string guitar has been increased to 48 mm.

Manufacturers are actively working to improve the playability of such guitars. Due to this, when playing, guitarists do not feel inconvenience along the entire length of the neck and are not limited in the speed of movement along the frets.

Seven-string guitar tuning

Standard 7-string electric guitar tuning: B, E, A, D, G, B, E

In the industry, the standard tuning for such instruments is considered to be (from bottom to top):

• C (B);
• Mi (E);
• La (A);
• Re (D);
• Salt (G);
• C (B);
• Mi (E).

Just as six-string guitars drop the sixth string in D to get a drop D tuning, seven-string electric guitars use the drop A tuning, dropping the seventh string in A.

Drop A tuning for seven-string electric guitar: A, E, A, D, G, B, E

So the guitar tuning looks like this:

• La (A);
• Mi (E);
• La (A);
• Re (D);
• Salt (G);
• C (B);
• Mi (E).

strings

Jackson Chris Broderick Pro Series Soloist 7

Learning how to play a seven-string electric guitar takes a lot of patience and a change of mindset. The sixth string is no longer the lowest, get used to it!

How to play the seven-string electric guitar. Scales and chords

The addition of a seventh string brings out the sonic potential of the electric guitar better. When playing a seven-string guitar, the guitarist can use new chord fingerings enriched with additional notes. For example, chords often have added IX or XI steps.

Within the framework of this material, we will use only the standard tuning of seven-string electric guitars - B, E, A, D, G, B, E.

To understand how to play a seven-string electric guitar, let's look at the principles of building chords on such an instrument. The examples given are familiar six-string guitar chords, enriched with additional steps.

Badd9 chord chart for seven-string guitar

Badd11 chord chart for seven-string guitar

Bm9 chord diagram for seven-string guitar

Bsus9 chord diagram for seven-string guitar

Cmaj7 chord diagram for seven-string guitar

D5 chord diagram for seven-string guitar

Similarly, the situation develops in relation to scales: the form remains the same, but there is additional room for maneuver. The seventh string adds new colors to the sound, and the guitarist can cover almost three octaves within one scale when playing. At the same time, position changes during the game are minimized.

Pentatonic scale E minor for seven-string guitar

E major scale for seven-string electric guitar

Which seven-string electric guitar to choose under $1100?

Most of the seven-string instruments can be found in the lines of Japanese guitar manufacturers Yamaha, Ibanez, LTD, Caparison, as well as American companies Schecter, Washburn, Jackson. Other well-known companies also make seven-string electric guitars, but the choice of models is much smaller.

Seven-string electric guitars are divided by quality. The better the tool, the more it costs. We chose three guitars - cheap, mid-priced and expensive in the price range up to $1100.

Schecter Diamond Series C-7 Deluxe

Schecter Diamond Series C-7 Deluxe

Price: $299

The C-7 Deluxe by Schecter is a versatile budget model with basswood body and maple fingerboard.

LTD EC-407BFM

LTD EC-407

Price: $782

A seven-string electric guitar with a deadly heavy sound, mahogany body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard and a pair of EMG pickups.

Ibanez RGIR27E

Ibanez RGIR27E

Price: $1099

Quality tool in the middle price segment. Pronounced bottom, bright top. Basswood body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard. The guitar has a lockable vibrato and a killswitch.

How to play the seven string guitar. Exercises and examples

Example 1: Getting used to the tool

The first acquaintance with seven-string electric guitars is surprising in how low the additional string sounds.

To learn how to play a seven-string electric guitar, play a simple palm muting exercise. The exercise will help you understand the specifics of playing the seven-string guitar and teach you how to control the resonance of the instrument.

Example 2: Muting strings

Since the 7th string continues to sound when you switch to other strings, playing open-string riffs runs the risk of polluting the sound.

To avoid dirt, mute an open string with your fingertip, which is used to pinch notes on other strings.

Example 3. Playing scales

Due to the wider neck, it may be difficult to play the lower (bass) strings at first.

The third example is aimed at improving the stretch of the fingers. By playing it, you will get used to the wider neck of a seven-string electric guitar.

For greater comfort, place your thumb at the bottom of the neck, that is, make the palm reach as wide as possible. This will make it easier to reach the lowest strings.

Example 4: Changing strings

The fourth exercise develops the clarity and purity of sound extraction of individual notes, especially those that are located on different strings. Please note that in the example the game is played with an alternating stroke, and not with a straight stroke.

Example 5 Power Chord Riff

Having mastered the instrument, let's play power chords. The difference between power chords on six-string and seven-string electric guitars is the number of strings - on a seven-string instrument, powerful chords can be played on four strings. Thanks to this, chords sound more powerful, and by muting with the palm of your hand, you can achieve an even heavier sound.

The first measure uses a straight stroke (downstroke), while the second exercise switches to an alternating one.

Example 6 Trivium Style

The example is inspired by the playing style of Corey Beaulieu of Trivium. The meaning of the example is the combination of power chords and short melodic lines.

Mute all power chords that fall on the down beat, and play power chords on the down beat without muting. This will set the accents during the game and give the party more dynamics.

Playing melodic segments will also require muting, but we will mute the lower strings to avoid dirt and unnecessary noise (see Example 2 above).

Example 7: Chris Broderick Style

An example based on Chris Broderick's playstyle from Megadeth and Act of Defiance. The example is performed in the Phrygian mode (see).

Do not chase the speed of execution, first work out the clean execution of the exercise at a slower pace.

The most difficult moment in the example is the transition from the rhythmic line to the melodic one. Practice the transition very slowly and gradually pick up speed. When playing the melodic line, mute the lower strings to avoid dirt from appearing while playing.