Pros and Cons of Baritone, 7 String, or 8 String Guitars? | Extended Range Guitar Discussion Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ก.ค. 2024
- This is a discussion about extended range guitars - 7 string guitars, 8 string guitars, and even baritone 6 string guitars. Do you really need this extended range and these extra strings or are 6 strings enough and these are overhyped gimmicks? This unsponsored discussion goes over the pros and cons of these types of instruments to provide information in case you’re wondering if this type of guitar is right for you.
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Over the years I’ve used both downtuned 6 string guitars as well as 7 and 8 string guitars to create music that’s both performed on TH-cam and distributed on streaming services such as Spotify. There’s no denying the utility extended range guitars provide. Even if you’re not playing heavy metal, which is where they’re most common, you can still use them to freely create music. For example, background music used in this video was recorded on the 8 string Abasi Larada Master Series you see (Contexture Campaign EP on all streaming services).
Extended range guitars push the physical limitations of the guitar both mathematically (see the acoustic beating phenomenon) and practically, stepping on the toes of the bass. You will need to rethink your guitar tone and choice of notes. If you do, a world of octaves below the standard is available to you and you can create any kind of music from hard hitting modern metal to free meandering jazz.
There are difficulties when picking up an extended range guitar. The extra strings demand both improved muting technique as well as increased attention as the additional string will get in the way of seeing what you’re playing. The difficulty is compounded by any non-standard features such as a multiscale fretboard. These strings will always be present even if you’re not playing them for most of your set, so take into consideration whether you really need those lower notes and whether they’ll fit into your recorded song’s mix or your band’s frequency space.
00:00 Intro and not sponsored
00:39 Use both drop tunings and extended range guitars
00:50 Discussing guitars with either longer scale length or more than 6 strings
01:06 Not reviewing these guitars
Why Extended Range Guitars?
01:17 Benefits of extended range
01:22 No Substitute for hitting the actual low notes
01:51 Trick to get low notes on a 6 string
02:15 Access to low notes without downtuning the standard 6 strings
02:42 Don’t have to play the lowest strings every song
03:03 Baritone 6 strings have the same width neck as standard 6 string guitars
03:10 Guitars with more strings have a wider, flatter neck
03:22 Longer scale lengths for better intonation, tension, and more space at the higher frets
03:28 Multiscale fretboards
Disadvantages of Extended Range Guitars
04:15 Disadvantages
04:26 Thin wide necks back if you prefer thick round necks
04:48 Some songs not possible on extended range guitars if they rely on 6 string tunings
05:34 Looking at more strings takes more thought
06:05 Multiscale shifts top fret markers away from treble side fret positions
06:52 Extended range guitars feel like a different instrument than a typical 6
07:07 Acoustic beating makes close intervals between low notes sound dissonant
07:45 Pitch drift on lower strings
08:07 Evertune is helpful but feels different
08:57 Lowest notes overlap with bass
09:26 Baritone 6 strings long scale length long stretches
09:44 Tuning really low because inaudible clanging
My Preferences
10:19 My preferences based off of my experiences
10:30 Extended range guitars are usable
10:43 6 string guitars will always feel like home
10:59 Use 7 strings if the song calls for it
11:23 My tunings
11:38 8 string as last resort
11:50 Why 1 whole step down tuned
12:07 Mixing low tuned guitars becomes a challenge
12:31 Pitch drift is a big factor
Overall
13:00 Do you need an extended range guitar?
13:04 Yes if you need to hit the low notes
13:24 Otherwise definitely not
14:13 Outro
14:36 Cat - เพลง
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As a (primarily) pianist I definitely identify with stepping on other instruments' ranges. Had a bass player once point to my lowest octave and basically tell me not to play those notes
Haha hopefully that's before you guys started playing and not after!
I mean… you bought the whole piano, go use the whole piano.
Excellent sharing🙌👍Have a pleasant week :)
Thank you and you too!
I was having the same talk with my drummer today! I have two 7 string guitars but I am thinking in buying a 8 string guitar for our new album! Great video, btw!
Sweet, what a coincidence! There's definitely a lot to think about when making the jump for 7 to 8 strings
@@HighZ Yes, really, it was a coincidence! We usually play in drop B, but now I am also playing in drop A with a 7-string guitar... As we are writing new stuff, we are exploring different tones and an 8-string and/or baritone guitar may be a good addition. Also, I am more in tune with Ibanez than previously.
@@brunofaustino3689Dude, look into Agiles from Rondo music.
They have an 8 string right now with a flody rose, with active EMG pick-ups. For 749. They're so well built.
My Ibanez RG-8. Needs some upgrades. My Agile comes studio ready basically.
They're perfect.
It has a 28 inch scale too.
I just got an Interceptor pro myself. (Got the last one) and it seven better then the one I mentioned. It has 3 pick-ups, along with the other features listed above.
It's the best guitar I've ever owned. I swear by them.
whats the band name dude, im always down for some music i havent listened to!
Excellent video, my friend, - thanks for information !!😊❤🔥
Thank you, glad you liked it!
Great review interesting and informative 👍
Awesome guitars 🎸😎
The only time I owned an eight string guitar was to play final fantasy prelude to get the low octave
Never really played it after that.
That'll be perfect for that! But yeah I need to really try to use the 8 string. Otherwise the 6 or 7 strings are enough. And thanks!
What a wonderful collection of guitars man, I'm so jealous!!
Thank you! I figure I can use them to give useful information in addition to making music
Great and informative video. There is also the 7th string on classical guitars which can be a new color. Thanks so much for sharing👌
Thanks! Yep I've seen them in videos. Waiting for the day to see one in person!
I'm familiar with the different voice types and one of the male voices is Baritone so I always wondered about Baritone guitars. This is some great info, maybe in the future I'll consider one for heavier stuff and lower tones like Sludge metal. Beautiful guitars by the way and another great review my brother
One could be useful! It'll of course always feel different than your 6 string. And thanks!
Also these gigantic guitars with cool funky abstract shapes and gigantic fretboards just look great if you are not the smallest person. Which is maybe a weird reason.
It always helps when a guitar looks cool because then you'll be motivated to pick it up and play it!
Evertune is the best thing that has happened in terms of guitar inventions, imo. Boomers hate it but I love such modern solutions to common annoyances. Just got my first one on a Solar T1.7, so I hope it will reduce the need for baritone scales, since my goblin hands really don't like them
Haha awesome! I love my T1.7 so I get the feeling you're going to love yours too! You're right, the evertune is a fantastic addition to modern guitar features
Anything over a 6 string doesn't work for me cause I dig into my low e string and that extra string changes my style of playing.
I wouldn't even mind having five strings... Got to have that low open string to hit
The five string bass is really useful! Even if you don't play the 5th string, you can anchor hour thumb on it
@@HighZ every once in a while, I think about either getting a baritone or putting a baritone neck on a regular six-string body. I just don't know if it's worth the investment of time and money
Up to you! It would be useful and unlock a new world of possibilities. But it would always feel different than your standard 6 string and as you pointed out, it might overlap with your bass notes. Maybe if there's some particular songs you'd like to do?
Pro: sounds sick :)
Con: harder to play :(
Pretty much
Top G
🔝
Open strings? Tune to Eb or D standard and use a capo lol
That might work for drop tunings or standard tunings but not for open chord tunings