Bought my first 7 string. Where do I begin?

[Mastopeth222]

So as I said i have just bought my first 7 string guitar today. I am really enjoying it but I know that I am not using it to its fullest potential and was hoping you 7 string veterans could give me some tips.

Generally I write original music and do not learn other peoples music, but I think in this case I should learn how other people use it to get a good idea of what I should be doing. I am a very big fan of periphery. Also Devin Townsend, Tessarct, Meshuggah and vildhjarta are bands who's music id enjoy learning. Ive been playing for about 7 years and am pretty confident in my playing but this is a new style that i'm not very comfortable with so if you guys have any recommended beginner 7 string songs by them I would greatly appreciate it.

I am currently tuned in AEADGBE, all flat. Any other tunings you guys recommend? To reiterate, I am completely in the dark right now and will gladly take any advice given to me. Thanks for all the help everyone, wish me luck!

 

[speedy thrash]

Tesseract uses some weird tunings, but I'm pretty sure the first part of concealing the fate uses the tuning you're in. Most Periphery songs use that tuning as well. I tune a whole step up from where you are and find it to be my favourite so far. If you tune it to drop Bb then you could learn Keith Merrow stuff like Heart of the Sea Nymph. Just play around with it. I found learning more complicated 6 string stuff that went all over the neck to change my approach to 7s.

 

[Given To Fly]

It doesn't sound like you are in the dark at all. I would also recommend standard tuning.

 

[Mastopeth222]

It doesn't sound like you are in the dark at all. I would also recommend standard tuning.

What is considered "standard" tuning when it comes to a 7 string? Is that just AEADGBE? Or is the lowest string not even dropped?

 

[Hollowway]

BEADGBE is standard.

And the best thing to do is just noodle around. Come up with material the same way you would on a regular guitar. That's it. I think you're probably over-thinking it.

 

[jc986]

Standard on a 7 is BEADGBE.

 

[Mastopeth222]

BEADGBE is standard.

And the best thing to do is just noodle around. Come up with material the same way you would on a regular guitar. That's it. I think you're probably over-thinking it.

I was overthinking it. After getting all of the basics together and making sure my tuning was correct i played for about 3 hours and had a blast and am feeling more confident than i would be on a 6 string. Periphery still confuses me though