7-string guitar: tuning, history, design and playing features

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

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 to this truly charismatic instrument in detail.

Immediately it should be noted 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 the seven-string electric guitar.
2. Mexican. This is a guitar 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, except for minor design innovations.
4. Russian. The most popular type of seven-string guitar. Hundreds of professional musicians from all over the world (including such masters as Paul McCartney and Bulat Okudzhava) appreciated her unique character. This article will be devoted to this guitar.

A Brief HistoryRussian seven-string guitar

The father of the Russian seven-string guitar is rightfully considered Andrey Sikhra, the founder of Russian guitar music, the author of over a thousand compositions. 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. A 7-string guitar with slightly specific tuning and playing will require advanced skills from the player (barre, for example, will be more difficult to pick up).

• 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 on an octave higher than the one written with a capital one). 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.
• Third, 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 difficult than a 7-string guitar, tuning which has never been a problem for guitarists. Even novice musicians easily managed to get used to the new construction.

Guitar tuning and playing

How can a 7-string guitar with such a linear and easy tuning cause problems for beginners? Of course not! For tuning, a classic set of tools is used: a tuning fork, a tuner and an ear (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 on 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. A sixth on the fourth fret is like a fifth.
6. The seventh on the fifth fret is like the sixth.

This is worth doing even if you have no experience, because guitar tuning is a guitarist's gray everyday life. 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?

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

Yes, by the way, it is not an easy guitar - a 7-string guitar, tuning 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 finger positions will be different, even in chords of the same name.

Furthermore, iron strings require more finger holding than nylon strings. It will take some time to suffer until working calluses form.

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