Tuning and tuning a seven-string guitar

The seven-string guitar in our country has become popular since the end of the 18th century. Romances and folk songs were performed to her, and concerts were organized. Composers composed soulful solo melodies for this instrument. It will be interesting to know how a 7-string guitar is tuned, what tuning options exist. This is discussed further in the article.

The tuning of a seven-string guitar is an open G major chord. This is the standard tuning of the Russian "seven-string", where the strings sound like this:

• string number 7 - D2 (large octave D);
• No. 6 - G2 (large octave salt);
• №5 - B2 (B large octave);
• №4 - D3 (small octave D);
• No. 3 - G3 (low octave salt);
• №2 - B3 (small octave B);
• №1 - D4 (D of the first octave).

But the seven-string guitar is not limited only to the tuning of the Russian guitar. There is also a Gypsy guitar tuning, in which two strings are tuned differently from the Russian - these are the fifth and second strings. They are tuned one semitone lower (to the note B-flat), thus forming the G minor scale of tuning the instrument against the major Russian scale.

An extended Spanish tuning based on the classical guitar is also common. In this case, the strings sound like the following:

• # 7 - B1 (note B of the controctave);
• №6 - E2 (big octave E notes);
• # 5 - A2 (note A major octave);
• # 4 - D3 (small octave D note);
• No. 3 - G3 (low octave G note);
• # 2 - B3 (small octave B note);
• №1 - E4 (notes E of the first octave).

Tuning of this variant of the seven-string by ear is made as a six-string - each subsequent string, pressed mainly on the V fret (except for the third), is tuned to the open previous one, starting from the first.Press the third fret at the 4th fret and compare the sound with the second open fret.

It turns out that the first six strings in the last tuning (it is also called "fatal") are tuned in the standard classical way, and the seventh string is tuned to a clean fourth (2.5 tones) below the sixth. The demand for such a guitar increased in the 90s of the last century, especially from musical groups performing rock music. There are known lowered tunings of a seven-stringed rock guitar (Drop A, Drop G, Drop F #), where only one seventh string is lowered per second, third and fourth, respectively.

The standard open G major scale "seven-string" is especially common among performers of Russian romances and author's songs... There are many fans of playing the "sad" G minor gypsy guitar.

Guitar tuning methods include:

• aurally;
• using a tuning fork;
• with the help of another musical instrument;
• through electronic tuners and special programs on PCs and smartphones.

Performers of their own songs (bards) or instrumentalists of vocal groups usually tune in by ear. This is due to the characteristics of specific vocalists, the range of their voices. Guitarists sometimes have to tune the instruments to the correct key for easy accompaniment.

With the help of a tuning fork, the first string is tuned, and all the others are tuned according to the tuned previous one (the second is on the first open, the third on the second, and so on). In other words, this tuning option can also be attributed to varieties of the "by ear" method, as well as the next method - for another musical instrument.

On the Internet, there are programs designed to tune the guitar both by ear (they reproduce the true sound of the strings, all that remains is to tune your instrument in unison), and with feedback through the microphone (the computer evaluates the sound of the guitar). The same programs (tuners) are available for smartphones. They need to be downloaded and installed for daily guitar practice and control of the tuning of the instrument during the learning process.

Instructions for tuning a Russian 7-string guitar are provided below in all of the above ways.

To properly tune the guitar at home by ear, without having any other tuned musical instrument (piano, button accordion) or tuning fork, it is necessary to check the tension of the first string of the instrument. If the tension is normal (the string does not touch when the sounds of metal sills are heard, does not rattle and does not feel stiff to the touch), then you can leave everything as it is, but at the same time, relying on the sound of the first open string, configure all the others according to the following algorithm of actions:

• string number 2, pressed at the 3rd fret, should sound in unison with the first open;
• No. 3 is clamped on the 4th fret - in this position it sounds the same as the second open;
• No.4 is identical in sound with the third open, if pressed on the 5th fret;
• No. 5 is clamped at the III fret and compared in sound with the fourth open;
• # 6, pressed down on the 4th fret, sounds the same as the 5th open;
• string # 7 must be held down at the 5th fret so that it sounds the same as the 6th fret.

To tighten or loosen the strings when tuning, you need to use the tuners of those strings that need to be brought to the desired sound.

If tuning is done on a tuning fork, then this method is not much different from the previous one: the first string is tuned to the sound of a tuning fork, and all the others are tuned by ear using the same algorithm as discussed above.

When tuning a guitar for a piano or other musical instrument, besides transposing (which does not sound the way it is written in the notes), remember that the guitar strings also actually sound an octave lower than the notes that are written on the staff. For example, the first string sounds like a D of the first octave, and in the musical text it is written with a note of D of the second octave. Therefore, this nuance should be taken into account when setting up. The same first string is played in unison with the D key of the first, not the second octave of the piano.

In order not to be mistaken, you should be guided by the following image of tuning a seven-string guitar on a piano.

Tuning with an electronic clip-on tuner or a tuner on a smartphone or computer is perhaps the best solution for beginners too., and for all other guitarists who often have to re-tune the instrument. All in all, it's business-like - attach the device to the head of the guitar neck or open the program, and then, by setting the automatic or manual mode, extract sounds from the strings and ensure by pulling up the corresponding tuning pegs that the vibration frequency coincides with the required one (controlled by an arrow or a scale). Electronic tuners have a light indication and signaling by which you can determine the end of the setting.