Seven-string guitar. Seven-string guitar - an excursion into history, classical tuning

- (or tap guitar, also Warr guitar, English Warr guitar) string musical instrument, designed by Mark Warr. It looks very similar to a regular electric guitar, but it can be played with tapping, like a Chapman stick, and also... ... Wikipedia

- (Spanish and Provence guitara, Italian chitarra, from Greek kithara string instrument). 1) 6 string music. an instrument played by plucking the strings with the fingers. 2) an old cab driver’s carriage, somewhat reminiscent in shape of the above-mentioned mus... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

GUITAR, guitars, women. (Spanish guitarra from Greek kithara lyre). A type of stringed musical instrument with a figure-eight shaped resonator and a long neck. Seven string guitar. Dictionary Ushakova. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

Guitar- (from the Greek κιτηαρα cithara) a plucked string instrument. G.'s ancestor was the medieval lute. G. appeared in Spain in the 14th century. (hence the name classical Spanish). By the 18th century the number of strings has stabilized (6) and the tuning in fourths with tertz... ... Russian humanitarian encyclopedic dictionary

- (Spanish guitarra, Italian chitarra, French guiterne, guitare, English gittern, guitar; original source: Greek kithára cithara, zither) plucked string instrument. It consists of a body with deep recesses on the sides and flat decks, of which... ... Big Soviet encyclopedia

- (Spanish guitarra, from Greek kitara cithara, Italian chitarra; French guiterne, guitare; English gittern, guitar) plucked string instrument. It consists of a body with deep recesses on the sides and flat decks (of which the top has a round... ... Music Encyclopedia

Y; and. [Spanish guitarra] A stringed musical instrument with a figure-eight resonator body and a long neck (first appeared in Spain in the 13th century). Seven-string, six-string d. Orchestral d. Electronic d. Singing with a guitar.… … Encyclopedic Dictionary

Check information. It is necessary to check the accuracy of the facts and reliability of the information presented in this article. There should be an explanation on the talk page. Russian acoustic guitar new (GRAN) with ... Wikipedia

Nowadays the guitar is one of the most common instruments. Any vocal instrumental ensemble begins with a guitar. Tourists, when going on a hike, do not forget to take a guitar: it’s so good to sing with it in the evening around the fire! The guitar sounds at home and... ... Musical dictionary

Books

• Russian seven-string guitar, M. Ivanov. The purpose of this essay is to remind society about the Russian seven-string guitar, to briefly introduce its history, literature and musical means and thereby contribute to the establishment of the correct...
• Album for a beginner guitarist. Seven-string guitar. Issue 19, . Album for a beginner guitarist. Seven-string guitar. Issue 19…

The seven-string guitar is perhaps the most mysterious instrument with a vague history. There is a lot of debate about the origin, but there is no obvious evidence yet. Who invented the seven-string guitar? What are the origins of its occurrence? Alas, the bright popularity of the instrument is gradually fading into oblivion.

According to historical data, the peak of popularity of the seven-string occurred in the sixties of the last century. However, this instrument appeared thanks to A. Sihra, the founder guitar art in Rus'.

Being a gifted musician and an excellent master of a six-string instrument, Sihra decided to add another string, thereby making the guitar closer to the harp - an instrument that he, it must be said, also mastered perfectly.

On the one hand, the seven-string guitar really became close to the harp in terms of arpeggios, and on the other hand, it was more convenient and melodic than the harp.

In Dahl's dictionary, the role of the creator of the G major scale is questioned. The seven-string guitar, according to Dahl, was used in Russia long before Syhra (in 1799 a sonata for a seven-string guitar was published).

The version that the seven-string guitar appeared much earlier is confirmed by the newspaper “Petersburg Vedomosti”, dated 1803, number 37. In the advertisement posted, a rather bright guitarist of that time, Ganf, offered services for teaching playing the seven-string guitar. It was Granf, who published his “School of Playing the 7-String Guitar,” who referred to the new system, recognized as the best in France, and cited Schleider’s article published in the Leipzig Newspaper as evidence.

However, it must be admitted that the debunked Sihra, possessing brilliant insight, seized on the new system, made an undeniable contribution to the methods of the game.

The role of the creator of a special system (and the seven-string guitar in general) remains to be debated.

The massive spread of the seven-string guitar was dictated by general development musical culture in Russia. And the first who could really lay claim to a significant contribution to the promotion of playing this instrument was Ignaz Geld - forgotten today Czech composer and a guitarist, whose numerous compositions at one time enjoyed considerable popularity in Russia.

Be that as it may, history has left us with great musicians and virtuosos of playing the seven-string guitar: Andrei Sikhra, Vladimir Vavilov, Vladimir Vysotsky, Bulat Okudzhava, Yuri Vizbor, Pyotr Todorovsky, Vladimir Lanzberg.

Tuning a seven-string guitar is carried out according to the principle:

string 2 - note “B” (small octave);

string 3 - note “sol” (small octave);

string 4 - note “D” (small octave);

string 5 - note “B” (large octave);

string 6 - note “sol” (large octave);

string 7 - note “D” (large octave)

This setting is classic. There may be other systems, but we will focus on the most acceptable and common.

So, we start with string No. 1 (the first, thinnest). We tune it until the note “D” sounds. Now let's move on to the second string. We press it on the 3rd fret, while the first string is open. By adjusting the sound of string No. 2, we achieve unison between the first strings (No. 1 and No. 2). We press the third string already at the fourth fret and achieve unison with the second, also open. The fourth string is pressed already on the fifth fret, the fifth string on the third, the sixth string on the fourth, the seventh string on the fifth (we achieve unison with the previous open string).

Which guitar is better to buy? Which guitars are good and which are not so good? What types of guitars are there? Why does one guitar cost 3,000 rubles and another 30,000 rubles, although they look the same in appearance? These and many other questions torment a person who decides to learn to play the guitar. This article contains answers to frequently asked questions

(abbreviated FAQ from the English “Frequently Asked Questions”).

1. I’m a beginner and don’t know which guitar is better to choose / I need a guitar as a gift, but I don’t understand anything about them...
Great, you're just at the right place! First, decide on the type of guitar. Do you need an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar or maybe a bass guitar? Think about it and read on...

2. What is the difference between a learning guitar and a professional guitar?
In fact, this division is conditional. Any professional guitar can easily be used for training. Professional guitars feature first-class wood, fittings, high accuracy settings.
But you shouldn’t look for any special guitar designed specifically for learning. You can learn to play any guitar. Then what is the best guitar to buy for beginners? The main condition is that it doesn’t fall apart in your hands and stays in order, otherwise learning will turn into torture :)

3. Which acoustic guitar is better, please advise.
First, decide on the type acoustic guitar.

Classical guitar: not very large body, wide neck, nylon strings, soft warm sound. This guitar is best chosen for beginners, primarily from the point of view of playing comfort. The nylon strings are softer on the fingers, and the body of the guitar is not very large and fits comfortably in the hands. In general, it is better to learn on such a guitar; it is often bought for studying at a music school.

Non-classical acoustic guitar(Western, Jumbo, Dreadnought): large body, narrow neck, metal strings, bright, ringing, loud sound. Such guitars are better for lovers of a metallic ringing sound, for strumming, for playing blues and rock, for playing with “braces” and “slides”.

Electro-acoustic guitar : This is a guitar with a built-in pickup and the ability to output sound to an external speaker. The guitar is connected to the speaker via a cord; a small microphone is installed inside the body, which picks up the sound and transmits it to the speaker. The pickup is installed in both classical (less common) and non-classical guitars (more often).

Twelve string guitar. It is closest in characteristics to a non-classical acoustic guitar. The difference is in the number of strings (12 pcs.) and the reinforced body, which is designed to restrain the tension of the strings. The playing principle and tuning of a 12-string guitar are no different from conventional acoustics; additional strings merely duplicate the main ones, making the sound richer and brighter. 12-string guitars are presented in a separate section of our store.

Exclusive acoustic guitars: There are other varieties (seven-string guitar, resonator guitar, semi-acoustic guitar, etc.). We will not touch on this issue here.
At the following link you can read about their sound and specialization. And if you need detailed help with choosing an acoustic guitar, then contact this article .

4. I need an electric guitar, what do you recommend?
The question is also not an easy one; you can’t answer it in one sentence. Each electric guitar has its own tone. In general, you can play any music on any guitar, but at the same time, rock music will sound better on one instrument, blues on another, and jazz on another. Big role The choice is influenced by the quality of the pickups and the wood from which the body is made. Read more about choosing an electric guitar in this article .

5. What is a bass guitar?
A bass guitar is an electric musical instrument similar to an electric guitar, but with a lower range audio frequencies(bass). The strings on a bass guitar are much thicker than regular ones and they sound lower. Typically bass guitars come in 4 or 5 strings. For a beginner without special needs, a four-string instrument will be quite sufficient. The principle of choosing a good bass guitar is the same as with choosing an electric guitar. Read more about bass guitars in this article .

6. Which guitar is best for a child?
Often bought for children scaled down guitars . As a rule, children's guitars are labeled in two sizes: 1/2 (half) and 3/4 (three-quarters). These dimensions are based on a full size guitar. Most often, children take a smaller acoustic guitar with nylon strings (they are softer for the fingers), but you can also find smaller electric guitars (for example, Cort G110 Junior BKS). You will find more information about children's guitars in this article .

7. What is the difference between an electro-acoustic guitar and a semi-acoustic one?
Electro-acoustic guitar is a regular guitar with a built-in pickup inside the body. The pickup performs a complementary function, i.e. You can easily play such a guitar without a connection, it will sound loud and without distortion. Electro-acoustic guitars are presented.
Semi-acoustic guitar is a specific instrument - it is a hybrid between an acoustic and electric guitar. The body of such a guitar is quite thin and is equipped with a non-standard resonator hole (usually in the form treble clef or small circles). Without a connection, a semi-acoustic guitar sounds quite quiet, but louder than an electric guitar (which does not have a sound hole at all). The sound of a semi-acoustic is also closer to an electric guitar and is most often equipped with electric guitar pickups. Often such a guitar is bought by blues and jazz musicians, as well as as a gift to respectable men :) You will find semi-acoustic guitars in this section.

8. Which guitar is better: six-string or seven-string?
Both types are good in their own way. However, there is one “but”: 99% of guitars produced today are six-string, and very few seven-string instruments are currently produced. Majority teaching aids, video courses and schools also focus on six-string guitars.

9. I need a seven string guitar, why are they so hard to find?
The seven-string guitar (also: Russian, gypsy, seven-string) is a rare species in our time, it can be included in the Red Book. This type of guitar appeared in the late 18th - early 19th centuries and dominated in Russia until the beginning of the 20th century. Mostly Russian romances were performed on the seven-string. Well, then most guitarists turned to the classical six-string guitar, then to non-classical modifications and electric guitars. The seven-string guitar gradually died out as a species and now only people remember it older generation, grew up in Soviet years. 7-string guitars presented in this section our store.

10. Which guitar is better: new or used?
Difficult question, causing a lot of controversy and discussion among guitarists. If you buy an inexpensive instrument (up to 10,000 rubles), then in general it is better to buy a new guitar, because inexpensive guitars are more prone to wear and tear over time and various types defects. If you choose from mid- and high-priced guitars (using solid wood in the body), then it’s more complicated. On the one hand, good wood begins to sound even better over time. Those. A good guitar is like wine: the older, the better. At the same time, you will pay less price than for a new guitar. On the other hand, if you are not well versed in guitars, then they may sell you an instrument with a hidden defect. Therefore, if you are planning to buy a guitar second-hand, be sure to invite a knowledgeable specialist to inspect and listen to it.

12. What is a pickup, what types of pickups exist?
A pickup, in general, is an electronic device that reads sound, converts it and transmits it to an output device (speaker). Roughly speaking, this is a microphone. It is known that there are different microphones (speech, vocal, instrumental). In addition, the sound changes when the microphone location is changed. It’s the same with pickups: in order to achieve a certain sound, guitarists often struggle for a long time with choosing a good pickup. In the following article you will find information about types of pickups for electric guitar .

13. Why do some electric guitars have 7 or 8 strings instead of 6?
An additional seventh and sometimes eighth string is needed mainly for professionals. These strings are thicker and seem to complement the overall structure. Often, such guitars are also chosen by fans of heavy music who play in low tuning.

14. What is a truss rod and what is it used for?
An anchor rod or bolt (anchor) is a metal rod that regulates the amount of deflection of the neck. It is located inside the neck of the guitar. Adjusting the neck deflection allows you to change the height of the strings above the neck. Typically, this procedure is relevant when the season changes (winter/summer) or under conditions of a sharp change in humidity. Read more about the anchor and its settings in this article .

15. What is a cataway?
Cataway (from the English “cut away”) is a cutout on the body of the guitar that facilitates access to the upper frets. There is an opinion that the cutout degrades the sound characteristics of the guitar. If so, then the influence is negligible, and it is not worth paying special attention to.

16. What strings are best for a guitar?
For classical - nylon, for non-classical - metal, for electric guitar - electric guitar metal, for bass guitar - bass. Strings come in different thicknesses and are made from different materials. The thicker the string, the more difficult it is to clamp it on the fingerboard. The thinner the more likely rattling strings. The average thickness of 1 (thin) string for an acoustic guitar is 0.11 mm, for an electric guitar - 0.10 mm. .

17. How often should you change the strings on your guitar?
Strings are short-lived by nature. Over time, they accumulate grease, sweat and dirt from your hands, so they lose the beauty of their sound. Nowadays it is enough to buy a new set. In general, with a daily playing of 1.5-2 hours, the strings need to be changed every 1-2 months.

18. How to extend the life of strings?
Wash your hands thoroughly before playing the guitar. Advice for poor students: Soviet era There was a shortage of strings and they were periodically boiled :) By the way, there are durable strings using nanotechnology (for example, Elixir), which, although more expensive than usual, last an order of magnitude longer.

19. Is it possible to put metal strings on a guitar with nylon strings?
If you don't mind the guitar, you can experiment. The problem is that the tension in metal strings is much greater than the tension nylon strings. In most cases, a classical guitar is not designed to withstand such stress; replacing it can lead to damage to the guitar. There are exceptions. The company Strunal (Cremona) has 2 models of guitars that differ only in strings: the 4670 model has metal strings, and the 4671 has nylon strings. But the guitar is the same, which indicates the possibility of replacing the strings. But if you decide to change nylon to metal, then select thin metal strings with the lowest tension.

A modification of six-string acoustics that is not very common, but has a place on the stage, is the seven-string or Russian guitar. Unlike a seven-string electric guitar, where the 7th string is additional, in a Russian guitar the seventh string is completely independent, which changes the usual tuning. Chords and playing techniques learned on a six-string guitar cannot be transferred to a seven-string guitar, also known as a gypsy guitar.

Seven-string guitar for a beginner

Who is it suitable for?

The power and range of sound of seven-string electric guitars exceeds the capabilities of more conventional six-string instruments. An additional string at the bottom gives more room for the guitarist's self-expression, and updated chords with changed fingerings and new sounds open the way to new interesting sound solutions.

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

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

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

Pickups

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

7-string guitar pickups are designed to accommodate the increased number of available sounds and range of the instrument.

Mensura

Often, dropping the sixth string on a regular guitar causes problems with tuning the instrument, even when using extra-high tension strings.

Seven-string guitars are equipped with necks with scales ranging from 26 to 29.4 inches (660 mm to 749 mm). This size gives greater tuning stability. Sometimes there are guitar models on the market with necks like six-string instruments - 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-high tension strings force manufacturers to play it safe when designing. Many necks of seven-string instruments are reinforced with the help of additional materials.

Neck width

The standard neck width of an electric guitar is 43 mm. 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. Thanks to this, when playing, guitarists do not feel discomfort along the entire length of the neck and are not limited in the speed of movement along the frets.

Seven-string guitar tuning

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

• Si (B);
• Mi (E);
• A (A);
• D (D);
• Salt (G);
• Si (B);
• Mi (E).

Just as on six-string guitars the sixth string is lowered to D to create a drop D tuning, on seven-string electric guitars use drop A tuning, dropping the seventh string to A.

Thus, the guitar tuning looks like this:

• A (A);
• Mi (E);
• A (A);
• D (D);
• Salt (G);
• Si (B);
• Mi (E).

Strings

Understanding how to play a seven-string electric guitar requires a lot of patience and a change in your own thinking. The sixth string is no longer the lowest, get used to it!

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

Adding a seventh string better reveals the sonic potential of an electric guitar. 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 degrees.

For the purposes of this material, we will only use 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 understand the principles of constructing chords on such an instrument. The examples given are chords familiar to a six-string guitar, enriched with additional steps.

Badd9 chord diagram for seven-string guitar

Badd11 chord diagram 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

The situation is similar with respect to scales: the form remains the same, but additional space for maneuver appears. 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, changes in positions during the game are kept to a minimum.

Pentatonic scale in E minor for seven-string guitar

Scale E major for seven-string electric guitar

Which seven-string electric guitar should you choose under $1100?

Most seven-string instruments can be found in the lines of Japanese guitar manufacturers Yamaha, Ibanez, LTD, Caparison, as well as from 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 quality of the tool, the higher its cost. We chose three guitars - cheap, mid-priced and expensive in the price range up to $1100.

Schecter Diamond Series C-7 Deluxe

Price: $299

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

LTD EC-407BFM

Price: $782

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

Ibanez RGIR27E

Price: $1099

A high-quality tool in the middle price segment. Pronounced bottom, bright top. Basswood body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard. The guitar has a locking vibrato and killswitch.

How to play the seven-string guitar. Exercises and examples

Example 1. Getting used to the instrument

When first introduced to seven-string electric guitars, one is surprised by how low the extra string sounds.

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

Example 2: Muting the Strings

Because the 7th string continues to sound as it moves to other strings, playing riffs with open strings runs the risk of polluting the sound.

To avoid dirt, mute the open string with the tip of the finger you use to pinch notes on the other strings.

Example 3. Playing scales

Due to the wider neck, at first you may have problems playing the lower (bass) strings.

The third example is aimed at improving finger stretching. As you play it, you'll get used to the wider neck of a seven-string electric guitar.

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

Example 4: Changing strings

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

Example 5: Power Chord Riff

Having become familiar with the instrument, let's play power chords. The difference between power chords on six- and seven-string electric guitars lies in the number of strings - on a seven-string instrument, power chords can be played on four strings. This makes the chords sound more powerful, and by palm muting you can achieve an even heavier sound.

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

Example 6: Trivium style

The example is inspired by the playing style of Corey Beaulieu from the group Trivium. The point of the example is to combine power chords and short melodic lines.

Mute all power chords that fall on the downbeat, and mute all power chords on strong beat play without muting. This will place emphasis during the game and give the game more dynamics.

Playing melodic sections 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's style

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

Do not chase the speed of execution; first practice a clean execution of the exercise at a slower pace.

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