Drop tunings on an 8 string

[Cremated]

I've been wanting to buy an 8 for the sole reason of trying D A D A D G B E.
I love me some Drop-D

Indeed. I play one of my sevens A D A D G B E and G D A D G B E for a few songs i wrote. Makes for some weird chords. It's dope son. Can't wait to experiment with my incoming 8 since i no longer have one.

 

[Jordan Djenital Warts]

Of course dropped tunings for 8s depends on how regularly you intend to use the lower (8th) string.

I have mine tuned to EAEADGBE - this allows me to do my dropped 7 stuff then when I want to add emphasis / that extra flump I would slip in the lower E

 

[Eric Christian]

Here is a quote from another forum:

Finally, if you're going to have 1 extra low, 1 extra high string, maybe the 25.5" would be best (Chris from Scale The Summit uses an 25.5" 8-string tuned AEADGBEB for reference).

8-string neck scale questions | got-djent.com

This looks like a what I might try. Now to figure out a string set for this.

 

[Jordan Djenital Warts]

Here is a quote from another forum:

Finally, if you're going to have 1 extra low, 1 extra high string, maybe the 25.5" would be best (Chris from Scale The Summit uses an 25.5" 8-string tuned AEADGBEB for reference).

8-string neck scale questions | got-djent.com

This looks like a what I might try. Now to figure out a string set for this.

Tried it! D'addario .007 works a treat (on a 26.5" too)

 

[Rook]

EDIT: Ok got it now

An 8 will do a high G just fine, you could probably get it to A tbh.

 

[Eric Christian]

I'd use ADGCFADG. That embeds your whole-step-flat six strings in the center, continues the normal interval down, continues the interval up, and allows using a normal string on that high G.

I currently use the bottom part of this on 8-string (EADGCFAD).

I'm planning on using a superset of this on a 10-string (BEADGCFADG). Unfortunately I have to unexpectedly travel a lot in the next few months, and so I don't have the money for this go-around in the semi-custom shop.

To audition with the dude I need to be at AEADGBEG with the A being 432hz. I've got like 10 different packs of strings sitting here. Since you're pretty much the tension guru here what's going to be the most balanced set for this tuning on my 25.5 eight string?

 

[Winspear]

To audition with the dude I need to be at AEADGBEG with the A being 432hz. I've got like 10 different packs of strings sitting here. Since you're pretty much the tension guru here what's going to be the most balanced set for this tuning on my 25.5 eight string?

Firstly I'd disregard the 432 in terms of string tension. Not even half a semitone difference there.

Balanced..depends what you mean. Some people would take that to mean a normal 6 string set with a nice tension on the two either side. I.e..not balanced at all! (normal sets are all over the place)

What are you using at the moment and what tuning?

 

[Eric Christian]

What are you using at the moment and what tuning?

F#, B, E, A, D, G, B, E using 74, 54, 38, 30, 22, 14, 11, 8

 

[Dayn]

I used this string tension calculator: String Guage and Tension Calculator - Version 0.1.4 - 26 apr 1998

If you want your low A to be roughly the same as your low B, I'd use a .060. If you wanted it to be more like your low F# which has a little bit more tension, I'd use a .062. For your high G, a .007 would be the best choice. I imagine it would be far more flexible than when I had a .008 at G at 27"...

But just play around with the calculator. Make sure it's .074 instead of 74 unless you want half a tonne of tension.

 

[Explorer]

Here is a quote from another forum:

Finally, if you're going to have 1 extra low, 1 extra high string, maybe the 25.5" would be best (Chris from Scale The Summit uses an 25.5" 8-string tuned AEADGBEB for reference).

8-string neck scale questions | got-djent.com

This looks like a what I might try. Now to figure out a string set for this.

Funny that there's some guy here on SS.org who claims that Chris only tunes his high stirng to G. I wonder where he got that idea.

Yeah, I tune to B E A D G B E G
08 for the G.

I didn't find anything more recent which refers to Chris' 8-string tuning, but that source posted the same information for CL's tuning a few times. I can't vouch for how reliable his information source is, though.

Tried it! D'addario .007 works a treat (on a 26.5" too)

If you're claiming to have reached a B4 at 26.5" with a normal .007, I'm hopeful you'll contribute to the A4 and Beyond topic. Your success with this is pretty amazing, being as most strings would snap just past G4 at that scale length, and I'm sure I'm not the only one interested in hearing about how you reach even A4 with confidence.

 

[therapist]

Well, you could do as that guy up there said with the DGCGCFAD, or maybe you could have an extra higher string and a lower one, and go with GCGCFADG. It would be an interesting approach.

Our band uses two 8's using GCGCFADG with 74-09 gauge strings.
Works great, but tuning up the high G can rustle the jimmies.

 

[Konfyouzd]

Edit: Removed. Thread read fail.

 

[Jordan Djenital Warts]

If you're claiming to have reached a B4 at 26.5" with a normal .007, I'm hopeful you'll contribute to the A4 and Beyond topic. Your success with this is pretty amazing, being as most strings would snap just past G4 at that scale length, and I'm sure I'm not the only one interested in hearing about how you reach even A4 with confidence.

Sorry dude, was an eager post..as soon as I posted it; I realised it was down a tone (so it was G).

I haven't tried A...and I'm no magician, so I prob won't risk it

 

[Tone_Boss]

Hi, I'm playing a six string right now and want to dabble with an eight string. I play a good amount in drop D, if I tuned an eight string x-y-D-A-D-G-B-E, how should x and y be tuned? I've seen D-A-D-A-D-G-B-E suggested but that seems to defeat the purpose of an eight string in my musical theory lacking mind as it just seems like I'm replicating what I already have just lower.

 

[lucasreis]

Its gotta be Drop A to play with another dude that plays 7 strings. Plus his A is 432hz instead of 440hz. Confusing I know.

Why isn't it 440? Pardon my ignorance... but what's the reasoning behind this?

 

[PigTrough]

I have a 27 inch Agile 8 and I play in drop E frequently. the guitar is strung .09 - .80 (i bought an 80 guage bass string) and it plays great, even on high frets on the low E. As a player who wrote the majority of my music in E minor on the 6 string, i truly love drop E because all of my lead scales I memorized for years on the 6 string all can be applied with drop E tuning (ie the 12th position natural minor scale). Power chords below the 4th fret sound like piss though. Seems you can only really play power chords to maybe a G or G# before they mud out. that is not because of the guitar, its the same reason you dont see bass plays doing power chords rooted on the low e.

 

[Mordecai]

any of you do Drop Eb?

 

[MustBeWasabi]

F# B E A D G B E
F B E A D G B E
E B E A D G B E
E A E A D G B E
D A E A D G B E
F G# D# G# F A# D#

 

[MustBeWasabi]

any of you do Drop Eb?

thats called drop D

 

[Dayn]

any of you do Drop Eb?

I used to. Then I thought to myself that I'd really rather just standard tuning. So I just do Drop E.

Interesting story, I know.