Jason, play an 8-string for awhile. Now that IS a totally different instrument, I almost don't think of it as a guitar. Then going back to a 7 will be simplifying your life. th-cam.com/video/eeHqFiUc0Uo/w-d-xo.html
Glad to see you picked it up! Some of what you described is why I almost didn’t go with a seven string when I got back into playing but now I love it. Anxious to hear the new material and keeping rockin Jason!
Bro I'm on the same page with ya on the 7 string because I've been playing 6 string since 1985 ,and i just got a Jeff Loomis sig schecter about 6 months ago and what you said in this video hit the nail on the head, I'm 50 years old and grew up on Metallica, slayer, sepultura, but now i also like a lot of the new stuff and you know as well that it's a different breed of metal and i did the same thing i put it in the case for a few months but this video you did made me get back on it, I'm a big Jeff Loomis fan and he started playing the 7 string with Nevermore and now he's with Arch Enemy and back on a 6 string, my 7 string is the Loomis schecter, you are an AWESOME GUITARIST, you made me get the 7 string baby out of the case, YOU ROCK BROTHER!!
Yeah, I loved Jeff Loomis' playing with Nevermore! I saw him with Arch Enemy several back in Orlando and I do wonder how he feels about playing a 6 string now. Glad you got the 7 back out!
Jason I love your playing and congratulations on falling back in love with your 7 string. That guitar is awesome and you and it deserve to be together. Can't wait for the new amazing music that's coming from and that ESP.
I actually had a similar experience with my 7 string, now my UV70P is my main instrument. I mostly don't play metal, and I felt that's what I had to do with the 7-string as that's basically what you would see. Now I just use it to open up more possibilities with chord voicing and inversions, just play it my way. There's a video of John Mayer playing an 8-string where he just naturally played his own style with the added bass notes that's in line with this idea as well. Great video Jason.
Sick intro man! I always look forward to enjoying your videos, you're down to earth and talk about real things. It's a nice change of pace in the chaos of the world
My guy, you have great videos and I just discovered you Chanel, I’m seeing a pattern with your tips. They are very similar video to video. It’s the same 3 ideal. And I love how you are able to still have so mayn’t videos going over the same 3 tips and people still don’t get it! (This is not a hate or troll comment) I love your stuff man it’s just a serious problem with a lot of 7 string players. I wish all my guitars were 7s after I got my first one. And I play it just like my 6ers and I can just have more tonal options an chord choice to bring weight on maybe the final choirs of a song and use the b for the progression only on part of a song and the crowd will never forget your band
As you were saying the third part about chords, I was thinking about how ive been practicing jazz songs. I was thinking how the voicing of chord progressions like a 2 5 1 with the lower register on the 7 string. I think trying to work with tones that allow you to give different sounds that could be great.
playing in the box, (the 0-1-0 box), has definitely been something i’ve found myself getting stuck in. this video reminded me to play in a higher register, and use different techniques, and i just wanted to say thanks for that man.
No designs in getting a 7 string, (I have 3 guitars and like sleeping in my own bed) but great tips none the less! Question, have you done a video on how to sing while playing yet? That is a thing that has always perplexed me.
Dude, I do have a video I did about a year ago on singing metal and playing. But I'm also going to be cranking out more singing vids soon in regards to playing live solo gigs. Here's the video I was talking about: th-cam.com/video/weTnolVVkjU/w-d-xo.html
Glad you kept it. I was bummed after I heard you were selling it, as I had just bought a 7 string and you are a major learning source for me heh. I very much dig what you say about motivation too - we push ourselves towards the uncomfortable because of the challenge, that is growth. There is always a peak worth climbing and then a taller one behind it.
@@jasonstallworth Back on the 7 String topic - very humble request for rifs, tabs, backing tracks on patreon. Also, you've said drop-tune is not your default, but man dropping that B1 to an A1 makes for some wicked riffs. Would love some lessons from you there. Appreciated as always Jason!
One thing that helped me is getting a guitar synth. The recent BOSS SY series are based on analog subtractive synthesis (except for the 1000 model, which allows for use of a gk pickup, which us 7 string players still can't fully use.) Adding synth helped me further shape my playing style.
@@jasonstallworth what's nice about plugging into these particular guitar synths is that the units themselves double as multi fx processors with your signal split up to 3 channels to mold and shape. I've got a patch with the left channel having a hyper fuzz sound, as the right simultaneously has more of a lead distortion tone. This patch gives me the grinding low end for holding evil sounding chords while still allowing for a very fluid and clear lead tone. This also allows me to have a classic chug without being too fuzzy. It sorts mimics both guitar tones in one from Motionless in White's "Cyberhex"
Thank you for pointing out the "all your riffs are going to sound the same" problem. I noticed pretty early on that the lowest notes on my 7-string had a "gravity" of their own, that always led me to play them, just because they were there. Excellent video and riffs, as always!
Back in the early 2000’s my band used 7 strings but our idea was to use it as a normal 6 string in E standard and occasionally use the low B. It seemed more effective back then but everyone is use to super low tunings now.
I also played 6 strings several years, almost 2 decades. When i bought a 7 string i put a thick string gauge and tuned it like an 8 (F# to B) , i later realized that all my riffs where about the 8 string, so i changed to a regular gauge, adjusted the bridge and im now in Bb, im more naturally oriented to write standard tuning riffs and leads (as the 1st e string "returned" lol ) and i can still play low notes. Also with alternate tunings like open c (aplied to 7 strings makes it really interesting) theres no need for me to buy and 8 string and play it in standard, when i could play different shapes of chords and scales in those alternate tunings and cover a wide register.
Yeah, that extra string on the 7 string really opens a lot of new doors in your writing and playing. I don't need anything more than that and I don't even use that B string all of the time. And that's a rut a lot of people get into with 7-8 string guitars or lower tunings. They just chug on those low notes and neglect the rest of the fretboard. So I try to think of my 7 string as a 6 string guitar, and play it as such, but with an extra option if that makes sense.
I don't understand why one extra sting would be so problematic. I had no problem moving from a four-string bass to a six-string bass. In my case I didn't go for lower notes, I went higher. I tossed out the low B string and turned my bass is straight fourths, E-A-D-G-C-F.
Everyone has their own unique experience. I've been playing 6 string guitars since 1989. So this is a case of an old dog learning a new trick. And by nature, I'm a slow learner.
Jason I’m extremely indecisive so I totally get how having too much gear can be overwhelming. I have a strat, my Ibanez RG, and my ultra metal pedal. I’m looking for a 7 to expand so I’m excited to find something I can use to help with creativity. I would love to hear more about how you overcame your inner intuition. Mine seems to hold me back a lot with major decisions in my life.
Dude, it's so easy to get caught up in the 'paralysis from overanalysis' syndrome. And I think that minimizing things in your life, in general is the first step to overcoming that. The next thing, and this is something that takes practice, is taking that immediate action and not looking back. Choose that first initial path and put in 100%!
I would recommend getting a 7 string...they are fun to learn to utilize and play. I love Schecter guitars and my current 7 is a Demon 7...killer guitar
I go through phases where i don't touch a certain guitar for up to two years. If i definitely run out of inspiration to play them, i gift them to friends or kids who can't afford them. I'd rather see someone light up with inspiration and joy when they get an instrument than haggle over a few $ with a stranger.
I can't tell you the last time I sold a guitar, and I really don't have a ton of guitars. This ESP was pricey and I was also okay with trading it for a 6 string of the same value but glad I ended up keeping!
@@jasonstallworth True. My philosophy is a guitar is only bought once, afterwards it's supposed to be gifted on if it can't already inspire in your own hands.
Great video! I got a 7-string just a few months ago after playing 6-strings for over 20 years. I started to make sense when began to treat it as a 6-string with a bonus string. Also, after having adapted to the 7-string, going back to 6-string feels easier.
I recently bought 7 string Ibanez, took me a month of getting used to. I didn’t touch my 6 string for a month. Everyday 7 string only. Two weeks later I thought I felt comfortable with, i realize I was still lost on B string. Same notes as high B string, but I hadn’t applied. Now i can switch to 6 string without hinderance. But I don’t want my 6 string, i never play it even though I play better on 6 string, ‘the neck is much easier to play. Only 21 frets.
Some time ago I needed a drop C guitar but didn´t want to use my everyday 6 string axe. So I grabbed my 7 and tuned the "last" 6 strings to standard D and first string to G. Now I have standard D, drop C and something like standard G in one place lol... My everyday 6 string been hanging for like a month bruh... Love the chords you can get, plus the extended range when shredding is needed...
very helpful sharing, Jason. I'm on my way to the 1st 7-string and looking at the Solar 1.7FBB, any thought/exp on this guitar/brand ? quite lots of quality issue on this brand around
Glad to hear that dude! I love the way this guitar plays! It's got that effortless neck and fingerboard. I've mostly played it in the studio but I have played with live a few times. It holds up quite well and never had any issues with it!
Because the only additional String on the 7 String Guitar is another B String (2 Octaves below the 2nd String) it can't be that hard to figure out. My new 7 String Guitar (I got back to playing the 7 String Guitar BTW when I wanted to come up w/ newer song covers) is made in Russia, which is where it was originally made in.
It's not so much about figuring it out in regards to playing notes. That's the easy part. It's more of that feeling of 'becoming one with it' versus not, if that makes sense. It's a different experience for everyone.
For me and my needs seven string became the first choice instrument. Now 8 string is extended range, I use six string mainly for specific parts in my songs of for certein tempers.
One of the biggest hurdles in my original writing on 7 string was using chords and stuff. My style now still has the chug chug chug but I have incorporated more chords. I am even using major chords which I used to find icky
That's awesome to hear you're implementing chords! Many get caught up into the same ole chug patterns and as you know, everything starts to sound the same!
I love metal but most of my playing is Jazz chord/melody type stuff and the point of the seven-string for me is that I play pretty much the same but just now and then I can put in an extra Bass note. Also, the guitar has a floyd rose but I never dive bomb, it just adds a bit of vibrato or a slight shimmer here and there. I guess it's like a 6 string guitar with some very useful accessories. :)
Hi, I'm happy your going to make more 7 string videos again just maybe 2 weeks ago I bought my first electric guitar (also a 7 string) and to be fear I have no idea where to start with cause I'm a beginner basically level 0 😀 hope you could help me out a little where I should start and keep on doing that until I know how till the next step thank you so much 🙂
Jason just keep it and keep it part of your collection!! You know you will regret it....classic heartbreak you don't know what you had until its gone posted this after the 3.00 minute mark
@@jasonstallworth what I'm worried about is frying my amp because of the low frequency from the extended range. I guess I'll try it out myself thanks by the way.
@@TheTektronik brother, there’s really not a tremendous difference. My only advise for is don’t allow yourself to get caught up in only playing the low notes. Don’t neglect the rest of the fretboard and strings.
I started with a 7 string guitar. I wanted those extra low notes like Korn back in the 90s...plus I didnt want to go thru the 6 string to 7 string adjustment phase experienced by other players. It didnt scare me to play 7 strings right away
I think I'm gonna take the dive!!! I usually just drop tune but 7 has always been my lucky number... I've been just waiting to get a 7 sting in front of me to jam it and see whats up but as you say I probably won't like it till I practice with it a lot so that makes me just wanna buy one... you got one for sale? 🤣 Jk! I'm gonna go see what I can find n ill get back to you im sure ill love it after I get used to it! PS. Thank you for your videos they are really helpful and informative! Most of all inspiring! 💯🤘🏼💯
Dude, don't hate me for this but I'm actually selling the one you see in this video! There are a few reasons that sort of include things I mention struggling with in this video, but the core reason is to get more gear for my live solo acoustic shows. If you're interested, contact me through my website on this page: www.jasonstallworth.com/about/
I think playing a baritone my be more like playing a different thing it changes all the open chords where you can play the same open chords on a 7 string. I also need to pare down my options with basses . I have basses ,bass VI , a baritone . I still thinking what kind of guitar to get , Vintage or Modern. ( only want one)
The 7-string guitar is far from a one-trick pony. I tend (and have since I first picked one up in 1999) to look as the 7th string as a natural extension to the 6 string. Tuning the lowest string down a whole step has made playing 7-string chords far easier, and I never neglected the upper register. In fact, I started figuring out ways to implement it in the songs that I already knew/written.
So, For me I built a million bad habits through self learning. Switching to an eight was sooo foreign, It allowed me relearn more easily. Totally agree with the expand the style comment, But there is this as well, which is slightly contrary. For me, approaching it differently was *as* important as expanding my style on it. That said, relative to my years, I reaaallly sucked, So relearning was reaallly necessary.
I love 7 string guitars. I strongly agree that frequently, it is easy to focus on the lowest notes and this advice is very useful. However, a 7-string can be very creative and useful. Carcass, Nevermore, Hypocrisy and MORBID ANGEL prove my point. Monotony is not a result of having 6 strings or 7 strings.
I'd love to see you try an 8 string, to be honest. I bet you'd have a blast. Maybe you have a friend that could loan you one to make a few vids with, just for fun.
@@jasonstallworth that was an awesome collab brother. It'd be awesome to see another from Dubai 😎 I bet in person you guys would feed off each other in an awesome way. Thanks for sharing the link.
similar to my journey with 8s. I thought 7s were the happy medium, started enjoying my Ibanez 8 again, aaaand so naturally I got a Legator 8... but I noticed something. Ibanez, known for their thin necks, are f'ing WIIIIIIIIDE. You can land an airplane on them. I notice your ESP doesn't look super wide like a lot of people's guitars on TH-cam look. It looks like my ESP Ltd SC-607. And my Legator N8FP is not nearly as wide as the Ibanez and I measured that with a caliper. But anyway, yeah, I'm pairing my guitars down to the ESP and Legator, and my basses down to a pair of 5-strings. I get anxiety looking at a rack of 9 guitars lol. Now I'm down to a 5 rack and making hard decisions on what to keep. I don't include my old Soviet bass project or DIY in these numbers >_> But I'm honestly not one to have instruments in "alternate tunings" ever since I learned where things are. I actually started using custom Stringjoy sets so I could have a "happy medium" regarding tension in standard tuning or a step down, for example. But I'm rambling now I think, lol, so, glad you rediscovered or fell in love with your 7 again. At the end of the day we're musicians and our instruments are our tools; the happier we are with our tools, the happier we are doing what we love :) Also reminds me that I have some metal guitar apprenticing to do >_>
Yeah, the Ibanez RG guitars do have much wider necks and thinner fretboards. I love my RG1570 for that reason but I'm not sure I'd like that setup on a 7 string. The ESP is not as wide and the neck is thicker but not like a baseball bat, if that makes sense. It's proven to be a great fit for my hands. And thank you for all the support...really appreciate you!
Don’t be the guy that only knows the Pentatonic scale in E . My tip From my experience of playing guitar since ‘ 92/93 the more I focus on a style or learning a song or riff I’m not playing MY style . You’ve gotta be true to your voice . Ya I can play metal and rock but when I set down in the quiet I play melodically without thought more progressive jazzy metal with a rock foundation??😵💫idk it’s my sound ? tapping all the neck pinch harmonics just knowing what works scale wise mode theory over all strings (never understood how people struggle with that ) I feel more people would be better at music if they were to think of it when not playing visualize what you were doing or want to do it will fall in place I constantly have a fret board in my view lol . Natural talent is a obvious help but anyone can learn they just have to have the drive . 🤘🏻
🤘 It's definitely best to focus on your own style. I've had a very strange relationship with my 7 string over the past few years but I think we're finally on good terms! lol
The first guitarist I ever heard of who used a 7-string guitar was Steve Vai and we all know that he know's how to use all the frets and make notes appear out of who knows where the hell where.
Fun facts: the first 7-string guitars were built for jazz players. The first baritone guitars were built for country players. The inventor of double-bass drumming was a big-band jazz dude. Oh, and the obligatory fun fact: piano is not a string instrument; it's a percussion instrument. Thanks for stopping by.
Piano! lol I have a good friend that's a classically trained pianist and the dude is just amazing on that thing! He plays stuff I could never replicate on guitar!
When I knew nothing about acoustic guitar I played pretty sounding stuff naturally. After learning a few of the rules of guitar I got boxed in by them and creativity suffered.
That can indeed happen. It's important to learn the basics but there are some, like yourself and I was like this as well, that sort of take off on their own after learning the basics.
@@jasonstallworth I really want to venture past the 12 fret (soloing) but I get lost and discouraged. I play black metal and I write semi solos by tremolo picking the highest notes of the minor chords being played. But still wish I could shred 😥
It makes me laugh when people love so much 7 string guitars and then they play just the lower notes... What a waste of gear. Just buy a 6 string and tune lower if that's what you're after
If you are watching this, hit the like button. It has 8k views and barely over 300 likes. I'm just a guy watching too. But, I hear it helps these guys making videos.
@@jasonstallworth Yeah I really regret it I was supposed to try out for this band and they all played seven string but it fell thru. And like you said in your video i was always on the low notes and wasn't really comfortable incorporating that b string into my playing so I ended up selling it but now your video is really making me regret that... also I have a question I was a blues guitarist who's getting into playing thrash/death metal do you have a suggestion of a guitar that will give me the best sound for heavy riffs? I'm playing a esp les Paul right now with the Floyd rose locked so the whammy can't be used. But I've been looking at a the jackson pro series King v
I doubt I make it beyond 7. I wasn't really interested in super low notes but the 7 does give that addition range that I like for certain songs I'm writing.
I love how bass players get a 5 string & use the extra low B as a thumb rest while guitarists get a 7 string & forget everything about chord theory, doesn’t play anything above the 7th fret, & immediately drop the tuning to drop G to F
Lol...yeah, I'm too old to make any more regrettable decisions! All jokes aside, this time when I picked it back up was a different experience than any before. It's not going anywhere!
@@jasonstallworth besides it being a 7 string it's also simply a great instrument, but the resell value is terrible compared to these newer very cheaper guitars that have been released
🎸 FREE Metal Riffs & Licks Practice Guide: www.jasonstallworth.com/guitarist/
Jason, play an 8-string for awhile. Now that IS a totally different instrument, I almost don't think of it as a guitar. Then going back to a 7 will be simplifying your life.
th-cam.com/video/eeHqFiUc0Uo/w-d-xo.html
Jason, I'm glad you decided to keep the 7 string. You gave me the confidence I needed to take the 7 string plunge.
Me too...I was ready to part ways with it, more than once!! It's been a strange journey with the 7!
Glad you kept the seven string. Cheers brotha🍺🍺🍺😎🎸🎸
🤘
I don’t know, but whenever I go without playing a guitar for a while and then I go back to it, I fall in love with it all over again.
Yeah dude, I've noticed that! It really hit me this time.
Yeah I am right there with you man. I found that I work better when I have less choices too. Great video.
Dude, there's something about folks like us...we just seem to operate better with a small handful of quality items, whatever it may be!
Watching an "old dog" in the guitar game evolve and progress is such an amazing sight to behold, great work man.
🙏🏻🤘definitely an old dog!
Glad to see you picked it up! Some of what you described is why I almost didn’t go with a seven string when I got back into playing but now I love it. Anxious to hear the new material and keeping rockin Jason!
Yeah it was quite a leap into the unknown!
Bro I'm on the same page with ya on the 7 string because I've been playing 6 string since 1985 ,and i just got a Jeff Loomis sig schecter about 6 months ago and what you said in this video hit the nail on the head, I'm 50 years old and grew up on Metallica, slayer, sepultura, but now i also like a lot of the new stuff and you know as well that it's a different breed of metal and i did the same thing i put it in the case for a few months but this video you did made me get back on it, I'm a big Jeff Loomis fan and he started playing the 7 string with Nevermore and now he's with Arch Enemy and back on a 6 string, my 7 string is the Loomis schecter, you are an AWESOME GUITARIST, you made me get the 7 string baby out of the case, YOU ROCK BROTHER!!
Yeah, I loved Jeff Loomis' playing with Nevermore! I saw him with Arch Enemy several back in Orlando and I do wonder how he feels about playing a 6 string now. Glad you got the 7 back out!
Jason I love your playing and congratulations on falling back in love with your 7 string. That guitar is awesome and you and it deserve to be together. Can't wait for the new amazing music that's coming from and that ESP.
Thank you brother...yeah, it's good to have this thing out on a regular basis now!
I actually had a similar experience with my 7 string, now my UV70P is my main instrument. I mostly don't play metal, and I felt that's what I had to do with the 7-string as that's basically what you would see. Now I just use it to open up more possibilities with chord voicing and inversions, just play it my way. There's a video of John Mayer playing an 8-string where he just naturally played his own style with the added bass notes that's in line with this idea as well. Great video Jason.
That's great info! Yeah, many assume that 7 strings are built just for metal but they're used by other genres, too!
Sick intro man! I always look forward to enjoying your videos, you're down to earth and talk about real things. It's a nice change of pace in the chaos of the world
Thank you my friend 🙏🤘
My guy, you have great videos and I just discovered you Chanel,
I’m seeing a pattern with your tips. They are very similar video to video. It’s the same 3 ideal. And I love how you are able to still have so mayn’t videos going over the same 3 tips and people still don’t get it! (This is not a hate or troll comment) I love your stuff man it’s just a serious problem with a lot of 7 string players. I wish all my guitars were 7s after I got my first one. And I play it just like my 6ers and I can just have more tonal options an chord choice to bring weight on maybe the final choirs of a song and use the b for the progression only on part of a song and the crowd will never forget your band
Thank you, and I didn't take this as a negative comment. I always like reiterate those principles.
As you were saying the third part about chords, I was thinking about how ive been practicing jazz songs. I was thinking how the voicing of chord progressions like a 2 5 1 with the lower register on the 7 string. I think trying to work with tones that allow you to give different sounds that could be great.
Yeah there's so much you can do with that extra string!
Glad you kept it. I have a 7 string and when I was trying to decide if I should get one or not your earlier 7 string videos ended up convincing me. :)
Thank you, and you can expect more 7 string videos coming up now!
playing in the box, (the 0-1-0 box), has definitely been something i’ve found myself getting stuck in. this video reminded me to play in a higher register, and use different techniques, and i just wanted to say thanks for that man.
I have a feeling you're going to be amazed by what you come up with now! 🤘
No designs in getting a 7 string, (I have 3 guitars and like sleeping in my own bed) but great tips none the less! Question, have you done a video on how to sing while playing yet? That is a thing that has always perplexed me.
Dude, I do have a video I did about a year ago on singing metal and playing. But I'm also going to be cranking out more singing vids soon in regards to playing live solo gigs.
Here's the video I was talking about: th-cam.com/video/weTnolVVkjU/w-d-xo.html
Glad you kept it. I was bummed after I heard you were selling it, as I had just bought a 7 string and you are a major learning source for me heh. I very much dig what you say about motivation too - we push ourselves towards the uncomfortable because of the challenge, that is growth. There is always a peak worth climbing and then a taller one behind it.
Yeah man, I guess it hit me in a different way this time! And you're right...sometimes you just have to push a little harder.
@@jasonstallworth Back on the 7 String topic - very humble request for rifs, tabs, backing tracks on patreon. Also, you've said drop-tune is not your default, but man dropping that B1 to an A1 makes for some wicked riffs. Would love some lessons from you there. Appreciated as always Jason!
@@jaisor I do plan to include 7 string riffs!
These are good tips Jason I've never played a 7 string guitar but I'd try one out
Dude, it's cool once you get used to it. I had a tough time, even after recording my album Masterpeace with it. I still mentally struggled! lol
One thing that helped me is getting a guitar synth. The recent BOSS SY series are based on analog subtractive synthesis (except for the 1000 model, which allows for use of a gk pickup, which us 7 string players still can't fully use.) Adding synth helped me further shape my playing style.
Man, I like those sounds! I listen to a lot of Sonata Arctica (and other similar bands that use a synth).
@@jasonstallworth what's nice about plugging into these particular guitar synths is that the units themselves double as multi fx processors with your signal split up to 3 channels to mold and shape. I've got a patch with the left channel having a hyper fuzz sound, as the right simultaneously has more of a lead distortion tone. This patch gives me the grinding low end for holding evil sounding chords while still allowing for a very fluid and clear lead tone. This also allows me to have a classic chug without being too fuzzy. It sorts mimics both guitar tones in one from Motionless in White's "Cyberhex"
Thank you for pointing out the "all your riffs are going to sound the same" problem. I noticed pretty early on that the lowest notes on my 7-string had a "gravity" of their own, that always led me to play them, just because they were there. Excellent video and riffs, as always!
Yeah, it's easy to get boxed in. Just realizing that helps us break out of that! 🤘
Hit the nail on the head my brother keep up with the good content thank you
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Back in the early 2000’s my band used 7 strings but our idea was to use it as a normal 6 string in E standard and occasionally use the low B. It seemed more effective back then but everyone is use to super low tunings now.
Yeah, that’s the way I look at it now. I like having that extra string but could care less about just playing low notes all the time
I also played 6 strings several years, almost 2 decades. When i bought a 7 string i put a thick string gauge and tuned it like an 8 (F# to B) , i later realized that all my riffs where about the 8 string, so i changed to a regular gauge, adjusted the bridge and im now in Bb, im more naturally oriented to write standard tuning riffs and leads (as the 1st e string "returned" lol ) and i can still play low notes. Also with alternate tunings like open c (aplied to 7 strings makes it really interesting) theres no need for me to buy and 8 string and play it in standard, when i could play different shapes of chords and scales in those alternate tunings and cover a wide register.
Yeah, that extra string on the 7 string really opens a lot of new doors in your writing and playing. I don't need anything more than that and I don't even use that B string all of the time. And that's a rut a lot of people get into with 7-8 string guitars or lower tunings. They just chug on those low notes and neglect the rest of the fretboard. So I try to think of my 7 string as a 6 string guitar, and play it as such, but with an extra option if that makes sense.
I don't understand why one extra sting would be so problematic. I had no problem moving from a four-string bass to a six-string bass. In my case I didn't go for lower notes, I went higher. I tossed out the low B string and turned my bass is straight fourths, E-A-D-G-C-F.
Everyone has their own unique experience. I've been playing 6 string guitars since 1989. So this is a case of an old dog learning a new trick. And by nature, I'm a slow learner.
Great video and advice Jason !
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Jason I’m extremely indecisive so I totally get how having too much gear can be overwhelming. I have a strat, my Ibanez RG, and my ultra metal pedal. I’m looking for a 7 to expand so I’m excited to find something I can use to help with creativity. I would love to hear more about how you overcame your inner intuition. Mine seems to hold me back a lot with major decisions in my life.
Dude, it's so easy to get caught up in the 'paralysis from overanalysis' syndrome. And I think that minimizing things in your life, in general is the first step to overcoming that.
The next thing, and this is something that takes practice, is taking that immediate action and not looking back. Choose that first initial path and put in 100%!
I would recommend getting a 7 string...they are fun to learn to utilize and play. I love Schecter guitars and my current 7 is a Demon 7...killer guitar
@@erichernandez6386 I’ve been looking at the new Ibanez qx527pb headless for comfort and playability. I am definitely considering schecter as well.
@@LilSmokey.00 I've never played a headless guitar... I use to play Ibanez but quickly switched to Schecter
Tone translated pretty well in the opening clip !
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I actually had a harder time playing a Tele because of the bridge. The way I do palm mutes doesn't gel well with the Tele bridge.
Yeah, the Tele's can be a little weird for palm muting.
I go through phases where i don't touch a certain guitar for up to two years. If i definitely run out of inspiration to play them, i gift them to friends or kids who can't afford them. I'd rather see someone light up with inspiration and joy when they get an instrument than haggle over a few $ with a stranger.
I can't tell you the last time I sold a guitar, and I really don't have a ton of guitars. This ESP was pricey and I was also okay with trading it for a 6 string of the same value but glad I ended up keeping!
@@jasonstallworth True. My philosophy is a guitar is only bought once, afterwards it's supposed to be gifted on if it can't already inspire in your own hands.
Great video! I got a 7-string just a few months ago after playing 6-strings for over 20 years. I started to make sense when began to treat it as a 6-string with a bonus string. Also, after having adapted to the 7-string, going back to 6-string feels easier.
That's a great way to look at it...it's the same, you just have a bonus string!
I recently bought 7 string Ibanez, took me a month of getting used to. I didn’t touch my 6 string for a month. Everyday 7 string only. Two weeks later I thought I felt comfortable with, i realize I was still lost on B string. Same notes as high B string, but I hadn’t applied. Now i can switch to 6 string without hinderance. But I don’t want my 6 string, i never play it even though I play better on 6 string, ‘the neck is much easier to play. Only 21 frets.
Some time ago I needed a drop C guitar but didn´t want to use my everyday 6 string axe. So I grabbed my 7 and tuned the "last" 6 strings to standard D and first string to G. Now I have standard D, drop C and something like standard G in one place lol... My everyday 6 string been hanging for like a month bruh... Love the chords you can get, plus the extended range when shredding is needed...
The 7 string definitely helps you cover more ground, giving you more options!
I don't mind a lot of options as long as they are real knobs and not presets on a screen. I don't like a lot of knobs on my guitar though.
I'm with you there! Played my friend's Les Paul a few months ago and that thing had 4 knobs...way too many for me! lol
@@jasonstallworth I'd take two knobs and a killswitch button over 4 knobs any day
very helpful sharing, Jason.
I'm on my way to the 1st 7-string and looking at the Solar 1.7FBB, any thought/exp on this guitar/brand ? quite lots of quality issue on this brand around
Glad to hear that dude! I love the way this guitar plays! It's got that effortless neck and fingerboard. I've mostly played it in the studio but I have played with live a few times. It holds up quite well and never had any issues with it!
Because the only additional String on the 7 String Guitar is another B String (2 Octaves below the 2nd String) it can't be that hard to figure out. My new 7 String Guitar (I got back to playing the 7 String Guitar BTW when I wanted to come up w/ newer song covers) is made in Russia, which is where it was originally made in.
It's not so much about figuring it out in regards to playing notes. That's the easy part. It's more of that feeling of 'becoming one with it' versus not, if that makes sense. It's a different experience for everyone.
@@jasonstallworth True & it does make sense.
For me and my needs seven string became the first choice instrument. Now 8 string is extended range, I use six string mainly for specific parts in my songs of for certein tempers.
Yes, it's good to throw in different guitars for different parts of the song!
I really enjoyed your shred ability great skills
Very cool 😎
🙏
Such a good point. And I don't really play my 7 like my 6.
That's a great approach!
One of the biggest hurdles in my original writing on 7 string was using chords and stuff. My style now still has the chug chug chug but I have incorporated more chords. I am even using major chords which I used to find icky
That's awesome to hear you're implementing chords! Many get caught up into the same ole chug patterns and as you know, everything starts to sound the same!
@@jasonstallworth I’ve learned the higher chords just make the loa that much lower
@@Greyplaysandslays yes it provides a nice contrast!
I love metal but most of my playing is Jazz chord/melody type stuff and the point of the seven-string for me is that I play pretty much the same but just now and then I can put in an extra Bass note.
Also, the guitar has a floyd rose but I never dive bomb, it just adds a bit of vibrato or a slight shimmer here and there.
I guess it's like a 6 string guitar with some very useful accessories. :)
I'm the same...I never do any crazy things with the whammy bar. I just use it subtly.
Hi, I'm happy your going to make more 7 string videos again just maybe 2 weeks ago I bought my first electric guitar (also a 7 string) and to be fear I have no idea where to start with cause I'm a beginner basically level 0 😀 hope you could help me out a little where I should start and keep on doing that until I know how till the next step thank you so much 🙂
Congrats on the new 7! I have a video that will help you get started here: th-cam.com/video/mO8tplLsIII/w-d-xo.html
@@jasonstallworth Thank you very much I'm going to try it out later today 🙂
Lacuna Coil has some of the best 7 string stuff to play and practice to!
They have some great tunes!
Jason just keep it and keep it part of your collection!!
You know you will regret it....classic heartbreak you don't know what you had until its gone
posted this after the 3.00 minute mark
Just like the Cinderella song!
I had the same experience, i love 7 strings, but after playing it, i feel faster with the 6 string, so i think playing a 7 string makes you better.
That's a great point...it's also like playing bass for a while and then picking up your guitar...your fingers are flying!
My question is can you plug a 7-string into a regular guitar amp?
I don't quite understand the question. It's just a guitar with an extra string.
@@jasonstallworth what I'm worried about is frying my amp because of the low frequency from the extended range. I guess I'll try it out myself thanks by the way.
@@TheTektronik brother, there’s really not a tremendous difference. My only advise for is don’t allow yourself to get caught up in only playing the low notes. Don’t neglect the rest of the fretboard and strings.
@@jasonstallworth thanks I'll put it to practice.
I started with a 7 string guitar. I wanted those extra low notes like Korn back in the 90s...plus I didnt want to go thru the 6 string to 7 string adjustment phase experienced by other players. It didnt scare me to play 7 strings right away
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I think I'm gonna take the dive!!! I usually just drop tune but 7 has always been my lucky number... I've been just waiting to get a 7 sting in front of me to jam it and see whats up but as you say I probably won't like it till I practice with it a lot so that makes me just wanna buy one... you got one for sale? 🤣 Jk! I'm gonna go see what I can find n ill get back to you im sure ill love it after I get used to it! PS. Thank you for your videos they are really helpful and informative! Most of all inspiring! 💯🤘🏼💯
Dude, don't hate me for this but I'm actually selling the one you see in this video! There are a few reasons that sort of include things I mention struggling with in this video, but the core reason is to get more gear for my live solo acoustic shows.
If you're interested, contact me through my website on this page: www.jasonstallworth.com/about/
I think playing a baritone my be more like playing a different thing it changes all the open chords where you can play the same open chords on a 7 string.
I also need to pare down my options with basses .
I have basses ,bass VI , a baritone . I still thinking what kind of guitar to get , Vintage or Modern. ( only want one)
I just have a 5 string bass (LTD D5) and love that thing. It covers all the ground I'd ever need to cover with both 6 and 7 string guitars
Obscura is playing 7 strings but some songs are using 6. Anticosmic Overload is good example.
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Man the seven to me is more of a one song tool than it is for a primary instrument for me. Some of my friends only play 7. Its all good 👍
It can end up being that, for sure. I try to think of it as a 6 string with that additional range, which I don't use all of the time
@@jasonstallworth yes exactly.
The 7-string guitar is far from a one-trick pony. I tend (and have since I first picked one up in 1999) to look as the 7th string as a natural extension to the 6 string. Tuning the lowest string down a whole step has made playing 7-string chords far easier, and I never neglected the upper register. In fact, I started figuring out ways to implement it in the songs that I already knew/written.
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So,
For me I built a million bad habits through self learning.
Switching to an eight was sooo foreign,
It allowed me relearn more easily.
Totally agree with the expand the style comment,
But there is this as well,
which is slightly contrary.
For me,
approaching it differently was *as* important as expanding my style on it.
That said,
relative to my years,
I reaaallly sucked,
So relearning was reaallly necessary.
The learning process is definitely different for different folks!
I’d like to have a 7 string to play some Trivium songs. Also some other stuff that requires a 7 string.
🤘
I love 7 string guitars. I strongly agree that frequently, it is easy to focus on the lowest notes and this advice is very useful. However, a 7-string can be very creative and useful. Carcass, Nevermore, Hypocrisy and MORBID ANGEL prove my point. Monotony is not a result of having 6 strings or 7 strings.
Man, I love all of those bands you mentioned! Actually saw Morbid Angel live a few years ago here in Tampa. Great show!
@@jasonstallworth Amazing bands!
I'd love to see you try an 8 string, to be honest. I bet you'd have a blast. Maybe you have a friend that could loan you one to make a few vids with, just for fun.
Dude, I definitely wouldn't mind playing one. I did a collab with the Arabian Panda who plays an 8 string: th-cam.com/video/EuqrQaZG2vk/w-d-xo.html
@@jasonstallworth that was an awesome collab brother. It'd be awesome to see another from Dubai 😎 I bet in person you guys would feed off each other in an awesome way. Thanks for sharing the link.
similar to my journey with 8s. I thought 7s were the happy medium, started enjoying my Ibanez 8 again, aaaand so naturally I got a Legator 8... but I noticed something. Ibanez, known for their thin necks, are f'ing WIIIIIIIIDE. You can land an airplane on them. I notice your ESP doesn't look super wide like a lot of people's guitars on TH-cam look. It looks like my ESP Ltd SC-607. And my Legator N8FP is not nearly as wide as the Ibanez and I measured that with a caliper.
But anyway, yeah, I'm pairing my guitars down to the ESP and Legator, and my basses down to a pair of 5-strings. I get anxiety looking at a rack of 9 guitars lol. Now I'm down to a 5 rack and making hard decisions on what to keep. I don't include my old Soviet bass project or DIY in these numbers >_> But I'm honestly not one to have instruments in "alternate tunings" ever since I learned where things are. I actually started using custom Stringjoy sets so I could have a "happy medium" regarding tension in standard tuning or a step down, for example.
But I'm rambling now I think, lol, so, glad you rediscovered or fell in love with your 7 again. At the end of the day we're musicians and our instruments are our tools; the happier we are with our tools, the happier we are doing what we love :)
Also reminds me that I have some metal guitar apprenticing to do >_>
Yeah, the Ibanez RG guitars do have much wider necks and thinner fretboards. I love my RG1570 for that reason but I'm not sure I'd like that setup on a 7 string.
The ESP is not as wide and the neck is thicker but not like a baseball bat, if that makes sense. It's proven to be a great fit for my hands.
And thank you for all the support...really appreciate you!
I love my 7 String , actually i practise alot of Kataklysm Songs they go all over the fretboard lol
Love some Kataklysm! That’s workout music!
(before watching)
I assume this video is about not overdoing the 7th string to the point where you're not utilizing the rest of your guitar's range.
Nailed it!
Don’t be the guy that only knows the Pentatonic scale in E .
My tip From my experience of playing guitar since ‘ 92/93 the more I focus on a style or learning a song or riff I’m not playing MY style . You’ve gotta be true to your voice . Ya I can play metal and rock but when I set down in the quiet I play melodically without thought more progressive jazzy metal with a rock foundation??😵💫idk it’s my sound ? tapping all the neck pinch harmonics just knowing what works scale wise mode theory over all strings (never understood how people struggle with that ) I feel more people would be better at music if they were to think of it when not playing visualize what you were doing or want to do it will fall in place I constantly have a fret board in my view lol . Natural talent is a obvious help but anyone can learn they just have to have the drive . 🤘🏻
🤘 It's definitely best to focus on your own style. I've had a very strange relationship with my 7 string over the past few years but I think we're finally on good terms! lol
@@jasonstallworth I need to play one them for sure I like extended range why I bought 6 string bass in ‘09 after a like my fourth 4 string bass 😅
The first guitarist I ever heard of who used a 7-string guitar was Steve Vai and we all know that he know's how to use all the frets and make notes appear out of who knows where the hell where.
Yeah, I remember hearing about that. But he seems he used that B string sparingly, which I thought was cool
Fun facts: the first 7-string guitars were built for jazz players. The first baritone guitars were built for country players. The inventor of double-bass drumming was a big-band jazz dude. Oh, and the obligatory fun fact: piano is not a string instrument; it's a percussion instrument. Thanks for stopping by.
I looked in my local music store's percussion section for a new piano and it turned out pianos are key instruments
Piano! lol I have a good friend that's a classically trained pianist and the dude is just amazing on that thing! He plays stuff I could never replicate on guitar!
Classical on a 7 is awesome.
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When I knew nothing about acoustic guitar I played pretty sounding stuff naturally. After learning a few of the rules of guitar I got boxed in by them and creativity suffered.
That can indeed happen. It's important to learn the basics but there are some, like yourself and I was like this as well, that sort of take off on their own after learning the basics.
I have a tendency to hang around the 7th fret a string.
That's a cool and different place to be! But I definitely challenge us all to venture beyond our comfort zones, myself included!
@@jasonstallworth I really want to venture past the 12 fret (soloing) but I get lost and discouraged. I play black metal and I write semi solos by tremolo picking the highest notes of the minor chords being played. But still wish I could shred 😥
It makes me laugh when people love so much 7 string guitars and then they play just the lower notes...
What a waste of gear. Just buy a 6 string and tune lower if that's what you're after
Agreed! That extra string should grant more options, not limit one to just the low notes.
If you are watching this, hit the like button. It has 8k views and barely over 300 likes. I'm just a guy watching too. But, I hear it helps these guys making videos.
Dude thank you 🙏🏻🤘
1. Drop it to Drop A and 2. Get inspired by listening to Deathcore bands, such as Suicide Silence, Chelsea Grin, Lorna Shore, Whitechapel, etc.
However, I still find Thrash Metal on a 6-string is still my favorite!
I sold my seven string now I'm seriously regretting it
I was almost in your boat and so glad that it didn't sell when I had it up!
@@jasonstallworth Yeah I really regret it I was supposed to try out for this band and they all played seven string but it fell thru. And like you said in your video i was always on the low notes and wasn't really comfortable incorporating that b string into my playing so I ended up selling it but now your video is really making me regret that... also I have a question I was a blues guitarist who's getting into playing thrash/death metal do you have a suggestion of a guitar that will give me the best sound for heavy riffs? I'm playing a esp les Paul right now with the Floyd rose locked so the whammy can't be used. But I've been looking at a the jackson pro series King v
I wanna get better on 6 strings, without adding an extra complexity LOL.
Nothing wrong with that!
Country 🤘
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trying going from 6 your whole life to 9 back to 6 soo easy
I doubt I make it beyond 7. I wasn't really interested in super low notes but the 7 does give that addition range that I like for certain songs I'm writing.
I love how bass players get a 5 string & use the extra low B as a thumb rest while guitarists get a 7 string & forget everything about chord theory, doesn’t play anything above the 7th fret, & immediately drop the tuning to drop G to F
I definitely prefer using a 5 string bass, regardless of what guitar is being played. That thing fills in all the spots really well
Wow I never knew that if you quit playing seven string guitar for a week you go bald! Thanks for the info!
😅 🤘
Sell it, keep it, sell it, keep it…make up your mind already…..as i told you before..dont sell it it will be followed by regret
Lol...yeah, I'm too old to make any more regrettable decisions!
All jokes aside, this time when I picked it back up was a different experience than any before. It's not going anywhere!
@@jasonstallworth besides it being a 7 string it's also simply a great instrument, but the resell value is terrible compared to these newer very cheaper guitars that have been released
@@Francob78 yeah man, I actually had it up for sell a couple times and really glad it didn’t sell!
Just go baritone bro. You won’t miss the top 3 frets of your guitar
I've yet to play one but plan to the next time I'm at the guitar shop
@@jasonstallworth just use a normal 6 string with strings made from drop tuning. I use 14-68
Imagine thrash metal on a 7-string…
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intro is very carcass
Love some Carcass!