7-string guitar tuning (B E A D G B E)
Metal and progressive players first, but also jazz guitarists, who were using 7-strings decades before djent.
A 7-string guitar in standard tuning is a regular guitar with an extra low B underneath: B E A D G B E. The top six strings are exactly standard tuning, so everything you already play still works, and the seventh string adds a fourth below the low E.
That is the whole point of the instrument: the range of a baritone without giving up the feel and the fingerings of a normal guitar.
Notes and frequencies
From the thickest string to the thinnest, at concert pitch (A4 = 440 Hz). This is the reference every other 7-string guitar tuning is measured against.
| String | Note | Frequency (A4 = 440 Hz) | Change from standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | B1 | 61.74 Hz | as standard |
| 6 | E2 | 82.41 Hz | as standard |
| 5 | A2 | 110.00 Hz | as standard |
| 4 | D3 | 146.83 Hz | as standard |
| 3 | G3 | 196.00 Hz | as standard |
| 2 | B3 | 246.94 Hz | as standard |
| 1 | E4 | 329.63 Hz | as standard |
Tuning to Standard in TuneGlass
- Open Settings and choose 7-string guitar.
- Standard tuning is already selected. Play any string: the dial shows the nearest string and how far off it is.
- Play one string at a time. The needle turns green and the scale fills when the string is in tune. Hold a string circle to hear its reference note.
Tips
- Tune the top six strings as usual, then the low B. Check the B against the fretted B on the fifth string (2nd fret) an octave up.
- In TuneGlass pick 7-string guitar in Settings so the string row shows seven circles and the detector listens lower.
Questions
What is standard tuning for a 7-string guitar?
B E A D G B E, low to high. The lowest string is B1, a perfect fourth below the usual low E.
Is the low B hard for a tuner to hear?
It is low (61.74 Hz) but a clear pluck reads fine. TuneGlass automatically lengthens its analysis window for 7- and 8-string guitars.
Related tunings
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