Are Extended Range Guitars Actually Better For Metal? 

Rob Scallon’s Shovel Djent Stick is my go to.

6 STRING: LEAD 7 STRING: RHYTHM 8 STRING: RIFF 5 STRING: BASS

Architects uses baritone guitars, and Josh uses an evertune bridge, which fully effects intonation

You made a interesting point that I would like to make a topic. Possible next video. 80s metal on a 7-8 string guitar I personally would love this concept 💡

I agree with the whole “why not both?” Attitude. Why not try all of them? If you master the 8string, is it going to hurt your 7/6 string playing? Chances are, probably not.

I use 6 string drop C, 7 string 26.5 inch drop A, and 6 string 28 inch drop G. I play different music on all of them. My 7 is a total death metal machine, my drop C guitar is great for ambient and faster riffage, and my drop G baritone is for ripping off meshuggah.

Do you prefer regular 6 string guitars or extended range multi string monsters? :)

I love and have six string guitars, seven string guitars, and one 8 string guitar. 8 string guitar definitely feels like. Different instrument, but because of the lowest string you can make some very beautiful sounding chords with bass notes layered beneath. 8 string and above guitars are still pretty new compared even to 7 string guitars. Guitars are so much fun, and with different guitars you can do different things.

Being lower isnt always heavier. Heavy is about more than pitch

I want to play the doom and doom eternal soundtrack lol

A few things to add to the conversation: - Extended range guitars are built specifically for handling those low tunings, which unless you go with a baritone, you won’t get from a regular 6 - Personally, just having the physical difference in front of me, seeing more strings and bigger fretboard just freshens the guitar instead of using the same 6 over and over again and knowing exactly how it works inside out. With something like a 7 or especially 8 and 9, they’re a mystery, which makes them more fun and creates different ideas. - Unpopular opinion, longer scales feel more comfortable because of the larger fret spacings - To throw a completely different thing into the mix, there’s this thing: www.fastguitars.com/builds/527-8-string-guitar/ 25.5” - 22” scale I assume tunes B E A D G b e a. You can’t tune this high with a normal 6 so the extended range is absolutely necessary (Without crazy thin strings anyways)

After adjusting to the 7 string, going back to the old six string just isn't the same.. 7's hit the sweet spot! It's all personal preference at the end of the day tho

Just bought a Squier Bass VI recently, having played on an eight string for a while made me realize I just don't care for higher range playing so the Bass VI is a good option for me to have 6 string feel with 8 string range

Just for fun, tune your 7 string to std B (or drop A). 🤪 Simples! You keep your standard scales and theory (ignoring high e), and get to play around with other scale degrees adding some dimension to the sound.

Bass player, I bought a 5 last year and have barely played my 4 string since. It's an amazing instrument.

I personally feel like 6 string metal is more inspired and unique, mostly because anyone these days with a 7+ string guitar tends to write the same generic deathcore/melodeath type of riffs. Bands like Sylosis,Megadeth,Opeth or Metallica play in standard e/6 string guitars and sound fucking heavy and unique. Totally agree with the guy at 1:29

I don't mind either. I use a 6 string in B Standard and I use an 8 string in Drop E.

I tried the extended range guitars when Animals as Leaders came out. I was amazed by the sounds they created. It didn't take long for me to go back to just 6 strings though. I'm happy with just 6 strings tuned a whole step down/drop C.

Love the shout out to Ro and IBTS! Much love from Down Under, Pete!

I'll literally use anything tbh. 8, 7, and 6 have never really bothered me but something that does bother me is not being able to tune to certain tunings. For example, Drop G/G# on a 6. I actually use the higher strings so not having the High E would suck. Now before you say, "Just Drop the Low E to a G#" I have. And then I was missing a Low E.

Holy shit! I didn´t expect to see my IG comment on your video! Thanks Pet, great video as always!

I gotta say, man. I really like your channel. I stumbled across it a few days ago, and you're one of only three or four Metal/Rock/Music RU-vidrs that I enjoy. Keep it up!

I’ve always preferred lower tunings even back when I played 6-strings listening to Carcass, Morbid Angel and Suffocation back in the early 90s. However, I still love guitar players who play in standard. Ben Weinman from Dillinger Escape Plan is a perfect example. Love how heavy his tone is.

I love a 7 string, been playing them since 2006. They are great for metal and classical.

I think a lot of us can be guided by the guitarists we hear. I love carcass, at the gates and amon amarath, and they all use 6 strings on B/dropA so i prefer that.

I prefer 80s style metal over modern stuff so 6 strings is all I need. Playing guitars with multiple configurations can actually get in the way of getting better at the instrument, and even 6 strings are plenty and can give you enough challenge for a lifetime. So it's just better to pick something that resonates with you and stick with it.

I personally love my 10 string, I can play drop tuned songs without retuning my entire guitar which is really nice. Going from djent to power shredding gives me an interesting range.

I feel the same as you Pete, you are one of the main reasons I gave 7 strings a fair shake while back. More low notes without losing high notes for leads and I don’t have to recalibrate mentally where my notes/scales are on the fretboard.

Holy shit that transition into advertisement is so seamless

9 String Life because I just use a lanyard to mute the lower strings if I don’t want them lol. Sometimes the increased scale makes playing close to the neck difficult bc I have to stretch my fingers more but in general I don’t mind.

Generally, I prefer to use 6, 7, and 8 string guitars (since I bought one of each of them). 9 string guitars are pretty much for me to use, and I really don't want to think of using a 10 STRING at all. I never played a baritone guitar, and I hope one day I can get one just to see how it compares with a seven string.

I use a 8-string. The 6-string guitar is still there just with 2 other strings added on. Easy enough to ignore them, just takes some getting used to. Plus it is fun to mess with tunings on an 8-string. I've dabbled with E-A-E-A-D-F#-B-E and that is pretty fun. It is basically a drop A with two extra strings surrounding it (high and low E). It is also fun to have notes below your lowest root when you find yourself using the four cords yet again.

There is a certain tone that I don’t like with seven strings there seems to be a sweet spot to my ears when I hear a good six string.

I own three 6 strings and an 8. I have large hands with long fingers. I have used the 8 for a year now and just tried going back to a 6. The 8 is so much more comfortable to play with my hand size - thinking of selling the 6 strings and if I only need the normal six E to E set up I can play on the 8 with more ergonomic comfort. Personal preference I know, but after 30yrs playing it is like a revelation 😎

Great stuff. It’d be cool to have a short demo of each type of guitar to showcase the added benefits of each new string. Maybe more baritone inclusion as they do have a place too. Love your channel. I’m sure you hear this one all the time too, “it’s hard enough to play six strings let alone seven or more” lol. Keep up the great content!!🤘🏻🔥🤘🏻

I love playing open note chord progressions on my 7/8 string guitars, usually arpreggiated and with a sea of reverb. Get the metronome going and put it on the looper pedal, then improvise around all day. Literally heaven.

I play my 6 string bass the most, but it makes me most comfortable on 7 string guitars. I'm already used to a low B and can do the same trick I use on bass where I shift octaves when playing a repeating chord progression. It expands the song and makes it sound bigger. Also on 7 strings, the frets tend to be close enough that you can usually play the same chord in 2 octaves simultaneously which offers some cool sonic options. I'm about to pick up my first 8 string though, so looking forward to seeing what I come up with on that!

I still love normal 6 strings they will always be home , but every now and then. It’s fun to fuck around with my 6 string 30 inch baritone guitar

7 string would be good for current metal though you can be plenty heavy with a 6 string. Also I really like that desktop wallpaper. Excited for this fall release?

@UCXOf0fbOAhL_BPpVGDP_VnQ Extended Range gives us more versatility. The 7 String Guitar is called the Van Eps Guitar because George Van Eps added a Low B String to his Guitar, so he can play some lower notes to extend his Voicings. You can also use Extended Range Guitars in a Gospel Setting because the additional Strings make transposing & reading Band charts easier. Gospel Choirs love extended Range Guitars too.

Great content, I loved this episode, keep up the good work man. I'm a 7 string guy myself, at the mo I only have 7 string guitars and a 5 string bass. I agree, that's the middle ground, a best of both worlds. I must admit that I do miss a 6 string very occasionally tho, so I might get one soon.

I only have 6 string guitars currently but any time I go to a guitar store I always have to try a 7 string and since I like almost any kind if metal 7 strings are great to get the Djentyness of periphery while also being able to shred some Metallica!

I bought a 7 string earlier this year just because both Epica and Unlucky Morpheus use them. Now I can't go back and already ordered a second 7 string 🤘

One thing is that keys are really important in music, six strings allow you to be in a different key if you down tune/drop than you would on a 7 string guitar. Some riffs just dont sound good on a 7 string and vice versa, so you can create completely different music with both instruments.

I see baritones as extended range, because theyre designed to handle lower tunings without needing ridiculously thick strings, although i could also see them being considered a sorta middle ground, being able to go lower like 7+ string extended range guitars while still only having 6 strings

7 makes it possible to play softer styles too, like country and such. Baritone guitars are already popular in other styles (including country and jazz), and a 7 makes it possible to play in both ranges without switching guitars (plus it makes it fun for rockabilly low string walking)

You are the one who introduced me to sylosis! Thanks mate!

Honestly I love them both equally and each has their place

Always love your content Pete

Started playing 7 string exclusively back in 2003, recently moved up to an 8-string because my wife bought me one, I’m absolutely addicted to it. My favorite reason to play extended range is because I can cover so many tunings/genres simply because I have an extra string. I can even tune my 7 string UP and it’s the same thing as tuning my 6 string down 2 steps, and it always sounds much clearer than doing the latter, ESPECIALLY when recording with finicky 6 strings that won’t stay in tune because it’s detuned so far.

Interesting... As a bassist I know that 5 string basses came about mainly for making it easier to play in different positions on the neck, so I assume the original creation of 7 string guitars was for the same reason. I remember seeing some jazz hollow body 7 strings. This one local artist in particular.. I wish I could remember her name, but its been years since Ive seen her perform. Also having a few extra low notes added the extra possibility of an extra octave. I think I'd have to agree that the 7 string guitar is the most versatile, for any genre of music. :)

Well, I played one day in the past, where 7/8 strings were already in the game, my Ibanez SZ320 6-string in standard tuning just in a freestyle Internet live stream and people started to ask me which tuning I was using. It was surprising the audience. Reason why some got puzzled was the tight setup of this wood. Thicker strings and quite flat string level (yeah, greetings to Korn). Also, maybe the fact that it was passive pickups used, audience weren't used to this sound anymore 😉 You can go pretty heavy and modern with 6-strings in standard tuning. All a matter if the playing style

If I may, I actually don't quite like the question this video is posing and I'll try to explain myself. Firstly though, I like a lot of different artists across the whole range in metal music. I like Meshuggah, Archspire, Gojira, Opeth, Periphery, Mastodon, Behemoth, Nightwish, Cattle Decapitation, Sabaton, etc., and so I've really come to appreciate all of the different sounds that metal music has achieved and continues to experiment with. But I think what bugs me about this question is the somewhat implied assumption that there's an answer to which range of notes or pitches is actually "better" for metal (or more generally speaking any style of music). It's kind of like asking, "where can 'better' music be found? Is it in the range of E standard, drop C, A standard, drop D, Eb standard, or that weird time Pantera tuned between E and Eb standard? The question can keep going down a rabbit hole that eventually becomes mostly nonsensical. And I think the answer that all of us would more or less agree with is this: It is not about a specific range of notes or tuning low enough to get specific notes. Good music lies in the composition. It's the melodies, it's the interplay of instruments, it's taking listeners' expectations and subverting them in ways that are new and refreshing, or rehashing a good solid song structure that's tried and true and makes you bang your head no matter how many times you hear it. Does anybody else feel this way or get where I'm coming from? What are your thoughts? Best regards, cheers.

For me its about what feels comfortable to play. I just feel like holding and fretting a 6-string is the most comfortable for me. On the other hand I got a 5-string bass the first time because the necks of 4-string bases just felt too narrow.

I have a baritone that I use for lower tunings. I find I don’t need the super high register if I’m playing anything super heavy so I have find it’s the best of both worlds. The comfortability of a 6 string, with the lower register of a 9 string

I agree, 8 strings are like in a category on their own whereas 7 strings are like that middle ground but closer to what most people are comfortable with seeing how most people start learning on a 6 string.

There is a need for everything. Want to play Anchor-EP stuff? 8 string is your friend. Want to play some Maiden? 6 string in standard's what you need. Into Merrow and Conquering Dystopia? There you go 7 string. Tuning down to D standard with A in the bottom on a 6 string? Mastodon asks for it. Doing the same thing a half step lower and sometimes dropping the bottom even to F#? For that Architects stuff a 6 string baritone might come in handy. Another one in B standard to drop A? For At the Gates, yes. Apart from that a 6 string in D standard, Drop C# to C and C standard for classic Death Metal, Metalcore and QOTSA stuff. So yes, everything is needed. :D

Heck yeah to the baritone! I can't sing a lot of songs I like in standard tuning so I often tune down to D Standard and something like a B Standard 6 string would be amazeballs.

This is a little convoluted way of looking at it, but here I go: 6 string guitars are like Gen 1 of Pokemon. I love them and it's a ton of fun to play. Then, a 7 string is like Gen 2, super exciting, new features, and overall, an extension of something awesome. But then 8 strings are like Gen 3 for me: it's starting to get a little too much. 9 strings is Gen 4, which is now ridiculous. 10 strings: Gen 5... who cares anymore? I won't even bother.

I play 6, 7, and 8 string guitars. It's all up to what specific sound I want to achieve and what style I'm going for. They all serve their purposes within the genre, I don't think any string configuration is necessarily better than the other. You're only limited by your creativity.

For me, I love playing on 6 String guitars. 7 Strings are awesome too! 8 Strings do get a bit too much sometimes, but 8 Strings are like my maximum level of strings. I mainly stick with 6 and 7.

i like 8 because it leaves room for the bass to still go an octave below without going under human hearing, and i'm not hurt by the extra strings if i'm not using them-- they're just as easy to mute as normal

My 24.75 scale has been able to handle Drop A, GGCFAD tuning with no problems. I switched to 7 string because I think fretboard memorization and knowing the notes, chords, scales you're playing is important rather than just playing cool riffs, which is fine too. I don't think I'd do 8+ versus downtune a 6 or 7.

I have done allot of thinking about extended range guitars, the conclusion I've come to is that the reason a 7 string feels kind of perfect after you're used to it is because it creates a weird perfect symmetry that your just able to pick up on naturally. I personally never play in alt tunings unless I'm playing Yvette young stuff, but the base of a 7 string is BEADGBE so you get the physical symmetry of having 7 strings in general however you get the additional symmetry of the double set of BE. It feels incredibly weird to jump into but after you're body adjusts it becomes really natural. The only thing I really had a gripe about is it limits my ability to use my thumb efficiently (not totally) as a note holder the same way I can use it for bluesy low e string stuff on my 6 string.

I like having a 7th string because I like having a few extra low notes. More than that and the bass is competing with guitar for that range.

6 string 28" scale baritone guitar will achieve any of the heaviest riffs and super low tunings as your dirty lil' soul desires. Speaking of, I am getting a Chapman ML1 Pro Modern Baritone here in the near future!🤘

I play a 6 string Warwick Thumb Bolt-On bass. Not very metal, but boy does it give you such freedom: low B string for metal and the high C for the occasional melodic solo.

Well, since I got my 8 string Ibanez I fell in love with it. And I really don't djent, like I usually play on clean channel with a bit of Cathedral reverb on that and oh boy it's great.

I prefer playing sixes, and typically in standard or drop D. I did a lot of time playing 7's and 8's, which are great, but I generally just like the way those tunings sit in a live mix much more than lower tunings.

I started my music journey from little me discovering Bolt Thrower and Dismember. I knew they are playing 6 strings but tunned down. Then Korn comes and that changed my game. I luckly won a prize in lotery and being able to buy Ibanez K-7 My only and my lovely guitar :D

I only have 6 string guitars right now, cause that's all I need for my punk rock, and thrash. I will be getting a 7 shortly so I can start a heavier project that sounds entirely different from my current stuff

I think my favorite way to use a 7 string is to play it like a normal guitar and have some of those surprising moments where you dip into that low guttural range out of nowhere. It's a nice surprise because you get used to the feel of the song and then suddenly it drops into the caverns. Edit: Nolly covering CKY at 0:53 in this video is a good example of what I'm talking about. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6yx2h4fdI-o.html When he hits that bottom string it just has that growl to it that adds so much to the sound.

I only have a 6, but I really wanna buy a 7 for the reasons you described. Easy learning curve, extra string doesn't get in the way too much if I want to play 6 string stuff, small neck, and I rarely like the sound of stuff that's lower, like and 8 or a 9. If feels like the perfect middle ground.

I play and write mainly in e and d standard. The lowest I go is b standard and I go there pretty rarely (something like one in every 6-7 songs) and I mainly use the bottom 3 strings for those riffs and songs only. So I don't need an extended range guitar

As a personal die hard Sylosis and AAL fan i prefer 8. If im doing something super technical I'll probably pick the 6 string, but honestly i love the way an 8 string multiscale feels in my hands. Both have their applications but i find myself picking up my 8 string 90% of the time, so much more versatile. Even playing Sylosis on an 8 is fun. Love both but if i had to pick I'd pick 8 for the versatility.

I don't see them as the same instrument. I think it is all about picking the correct tool for the job. Playing an 8 is a whole different animal. I picked up a Damien Elite 8 by Schecter back in 2012. I can say that it can be used like a normal 6 string, but taking advantage of all that the 8 string offers is something that has taken me 8 years to really get into the groove of using all 8 strings.

I own guitars with 6-10 strings and they're all good for their own things. Something people don't often take into account is that when you get into 8-10 string territory, you have the option to play well below the root note, but still have a low root note. It helps give your music extra flavor it wouldn't get otherwise

I like a lot of variety in playing guitar; I have a 6, 7, and multiscale 8 string

Let me also weigh in for baritone guitars - they can be really helpful if you prefer to play lower down, but don't necessarily want to bother with the extra strings

7 string is my go to. I love being able to have low strings for meaty breakdowns and chuggs while still having the higher range for all kinds of chords. However I own several 6 7 and 8 strings and love all of them. They all have their place and I find each guitar brings something different to the table.

I'm a 7 string guy (mainly) but I can definitely gel with a 6 string if the mood hits. It doesn't matter what you use, as long as it suits you. Same way as people saying 'you only need 6 strings'. Fuck off, I'll have however many I want. The reason I use mainly 7s is because of the tunings I use. If you've heard of the Monuments/Tesseract tuning, I use that in A or B. The actual tuning is AEADead and as you may notice, there's a repetition of the EAD strings. What I use this for is taking a riff written on one set of those strings and then easily moving individual notes, chords, or even entire riffs/parts I've come up with up or down an octave. This helps for scales and such as well. I tried 8 strings. Not for me but I can definitely see the appeal. If you look at someone like the Meshuggah guys and Tosin Abasi/Javier Reyes and claim that many strings are absolutely unnecessary, you need to get the fuck out.

I've always played 6 string guitars. Never really had problems with lower tunings, my go to tuning atm is C# standard. But lately I've been thinking about buying a 7 string because of the extra 4 - or so - notes.

I love 7 mostly! The chords you can get sound massive. I dont lose any of my range of 6 and still have a low string that can give me some heavy stuff. I also really like 9 strings and yes it sounds excessive but it really does add a lot of depth and such especially while clean. I can get stupid low but also keep my normal standard stuff

I play 7 string, it's just nice to have the option of an extra string. It can do everything a 6 string can and more, without being ridiculous

as mainly a rhythm guitarist, i gravitate more towards 6-stringers (including baritones) for recording; i only pull out the 7 if the riff necessitates using all 7 strings, or if i'm performing that song live and need access to the low B/A and the high E in the same song. for example for songs in Drop A, i'll have my baritone setup for Drop A 7 string tuning without the high E, and then my other guitar in standard for leads. then again, not everyone has 3 or more guitars to do this with...

I'm mostly a 6 string kind of guy, but I do have an 8 string as well. I had a 7 string before and it was ok but it felt like it was too specific in what it could be used for. Also if you want to record with it, you pretty much need a 5 string bass. So I got rid of the 7 string and 5 string and got an 8 string and it's fun. I have small hands but it didn't take long to get used to. So now I can just use a 4 string bass to record with the 8 string because of the tuning I write in, which is DGDGCFAD. Basically it's dropped G with a low D. So I just tune my bass to DGDG, create a sub octave track, and it works really well. The sub track on it's own sounds pretty bad but if you mix it with the higher octave it really fills in the mix and gives you that rumble that you expect. And if you're feeling particularly 7 stringy, just take the 8th string off. 😂

I just got my first 7 string a couple months ago. The Matt Heafy epiphone that Pete mentioned, actually. 24.5 inch scale length makes it feel like a normal guitar, but it's slightly wider around the neck. It's a lot of fun. I kinda like both. I mean, why limit yourself to one option? I figure I can play all 6 and 7 string standard tuning songs on the 7, and drop the 6 string to maybe drop C# or something fun like that. You can transpose D standard stuff onto a 7 easily (for the most part). Is really, both is best. Plus, I always feel like I can play so much better on a 6 after playing on a 7 for a long time.

My main guitars are Ibanez K7, 7620, and a 2120z Prestige. The k7 and 7620 are 7 strings and the 2120z is the silver RGD that's 26.5. I love 7 strings and I feel like it opens up so much more ideas for me personally I just can write so much more with one. 8 feels like a different instrument and the scale length difference you need between the top and bot strings is rough, I have one but use it for some songs.

I had a 7-string for a while. Sold it. Don't remember why. Now I have a 28" baritone, which is a lot of fun to play. Maybe it's the ability for tuning lower without having to put on super thick strings? 🤔

I play mostly 6-7 strings for different things. My 6 strings are either tuned in Eb standard or C# standard. My 7’s are either in B standard or Bb standard. Really depends on feel of the song. Bass though is a totally different thing because I’ve always played 6 string basses.

I don't know I kind of agree with that dude at 3:30. I have a 6 string baritone with 72-14's on it in A standard and it chugs, destroys, dooms and booms, really comes down to a proper setup and proper pickups.

I bought an 8 string for my first (and so far only) extended range and I end up only seldom using the 8th string so I very much understand the idea that 7 is the ideal middle ground. Whenever I get another guitar I'll likely go 7

For me, 7 strings are perfect. They offer more options without feeling too bulky. 6 strings just feel a little limited now that I'm used to 7, and 8 strings are generally too big to be comfortable for me. Still, I've never played anything more than 8 strings, and I'm curious to try some 9s or more.

why are you on a slope my brain can not comprehend this but it makes me want to keep watching

I love both 6 & 7 string guitars. My approach to writing riffs is definately influenced by the guitar & tuning I use. I probably play my 7 in B standard the most, but I like to switch up to keep inspiration going. Drop D on 6, Drop A on my other 7 or if I'm feeling bluesy I prefer my standard tuned 6. Although blues in B on a 7string is quite fun to play. When it comes to metal, or any genre, what ever guitar you play, if it feels right it is, cheers!

The actual Andrew Baena hahahahah fucksakes

I personally own both 6- an 7- string guitars, so I play one or the other depending on a particular music style. For me it’s a perfect combo. To be honest, I think that if you’re not Tosin Abasi, going beyond 7-string is a bit ridiculous for playing just 0-0-0-1 on the lower string...

I love using 8 strings just for the fact that I love to play/write in different styles. They are so damn versatilie in my opinion as I can easily switch from super low metal sound like Vildhjarta to more metalcore'ish stuff like Veil of Maya without having to completely change my tunings. It's just a comfort thing for me :)

I'd agree with alot of the 6 string guys here Like, maybe have a (singular) 7 string guitar for the odd song where you need to go lower - but I generally stick with 6 strings I keep one in standard E Two in drop D And one in drop C Plus a steel string acoustic in D standard aswell (cappo on 2nd fret for standard tuning). That being said, I'm now in the market for a good 12 string hollow body.

Octave low string tunings on 6 strings sound so good - the 5th on a power chord on drop A tuning sounds muddy so just cut it out and have an instrument that’s easier to play leads on. Periphery/architects use the GGCFAD or F# equivalent tuning a lot