# Looking for simple 7 strings songs, standard tuning



## pott (May 20, 2016)

Just got my first 7 strings guitar (I know I know!) and I want to get started with a couple of tunes.

I tried some Nevermore and Monuments last night, and realized none of the songs I was getting to were in standard B tuning (I don't want to down-tune because the guitar has a vibrato which I've not blocked yet). Sound of Silence was in Bb, I the Destroyer uses a weird tuning... Eh. 

I tried 'Circular' by Textures and while the song is indeed in standard 7 strings tuning, I've never played songs with this type of rhythm and am FAR from being able to play this fluently, even though it's not that demanding technically. 

So I'm looking for some more straight-forward songs to try my hand(s) at 7 string playing. Anything Dream Theater until Octavarium, easy Periphery from Alpha/Omega (can't stand anything else they did), Tesseract (if relatively straightforward) etc... 

Even if I'm not sure to like or have heard of, there's no bad suggestions  And yes, I'm looking at multiple forums, threads etc... but I also do like to get up-to-date suggestions!


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## Pweaks (May 20, 2016)




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## MajorTom (May 21, 2016)

Pretty much all of Korn's stuff.


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## Lorcan Ward (May 21, 2016)

Check out anything by Carcass, At the Gates and Soilwork(earlier). They don't play 7s but they are tuned to B standard so you can play all the riffs. Thats what i played to get the hang of 7s when I first got one.


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## TheShreddinHand (May 21, 2016)

Amon Amarth songs are 6 string in B standard but very easily played on a 7 in standard and fun to play.


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## Mathemagician (May 21, 2016)

Literally At the Gates & Amon Amarth. Also Unearth. 

They will get you used to using the 7th string and you won't "waste time" learning technique like if you were trying to play some tech-death stuff.


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## MrWulf (May 21, 2016)

Talks about tech death, any good gateway bands/albums that can help someone who wants to learn the style? As a style, it is technically impressive but I have to wonder if I want to learn the style then which bands should be first to learn?


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## pott (May 21, 2016)

Good call on Amon Amarth  Actually the first song I played on the JPX-7 was Slaves of Fear!

Will give At the Gates some thoughts. The new album was amazing... there'll surely be a riff or two I want to grab from there. 

Thanks! Keep'em coming


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## Mathemagician (May 21, 2016)

At The Gates blinded by fear is honestly 3 riffs, a small solo, and a bridge. The end. You can learn it in an afternoon and refine it over the next week. I learned it back in March (I'm new to 7's too).


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## pott (May 23, 2016)

Great suggestion from a great album, thanks!

Also just remembered: The Glass Prison (the first Dream Theater I ever heard, and the song that got me into the band) is also played on a standard-tuned 7 strings, has some time signature changes and is just technical enough overall to be challenging (rhythm wise of course; I won't even try the leads!).


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## WhoThenNow7 (Jun 1, 2016)

MajorTom said:


> Pretty much all of Korn's stuff.



Korn plays one step down.. but it's all still played the same.


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## bostjan (Jun 1, 2016)

The Mirror and Lie by Dream Theater are straightforward in spots. The guitar solo is pretty facemelting, of course, but if you hold off on tackling that, that's one place you could start.

Pretty much everything that gets my blood pumping, though, is down a half or whole step, it seems. It's a common problem nowadays. In the 90's, I got a seven string so I could avoid having to retune to play songs that were a whole step down or a step and a half down. Now you need a damn nine string to play along with stuff, since so many bands using eight strings are even tuning down to F or E or whatever...


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## takotakumi (Jun 2, 2016)

Fallujah
Beyond Creation
Spawn of Possession
Animals as Leaders (Some only use 7 strings)
Scar Symmetry (Some are Standard, others drop A)


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## JumpingInFire (Jun 2, 2016)

I believe all of Angel Vivaldi's stuff is in standard tuning.

He had some tabs on his Facebook page and also has his last album on Sheet Happens.

Angel-Vivaldi | Sheet Happens Publishing


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## chopeth (Jun 3, 2016)

takotakumi said:


> Fallujah
> Beyond Creation
> Spawn of Possession
> Animals as Leaders (Some only use 7 strings)
> Scar Symmetry (Some are Standard, others drop A)



Yes, absurdly simple songs, especially Beyond Creation and Spawn of Possession.


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## takotakumi (Jun 3, 2016)

chopeth said:


> Yes, absurdly simple songs, especially Beyond Creation and Spawn of Possession.



 woops i somehow skipped the "simple" part haha
looks like I failed, specially with spawn of possession


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## Lorcan Ward (Jun 3, 2016)

pott said:


> Will give At the Gates some thoughts. The new album was amazing... there'll surely be a riff or two I want to grab from there



The new ATG album would be a perfect place to start. There are so many good riffs on it and they really utilise the low B string. I think the whole album is on Ultimate Guitar in guitar pro format so you can dive straight in.


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## CapnForsaggio (Jun 3, 2016)

I recall my first seven string and the albums I was into then:

Darkane - Insanity and the Expanding Senses
The Haunted - Made me Do It


If you haven't heard these albums, I hope you give them a listen. Both are very good.


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## gabsonuro (Jun 3, 2016)

trivium- kirisute gomen and down from the sky


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## Glosni (Jun 4, 2016)

"A Change Of Seasons" by Dream Theater is in B-standard, easy (by DT standards) and fun to play.
"Enemy Inside" gets your right hand going, also check out the main riff from "Dark Eternal Night".


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## InHiding (Jun 4, 2016)

At the Gates actually plays six strings in B, but obviously it works with 7 strings. I recommend Roswell 47 by Hypocrisy.

Edit: I think The Haunted use D standard btw


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## pott (Jun 4, 2016)

Only songs by the Haunted I play regularly are In Vein and The World Burns, and that's in E and Eb respectively (I think... It's been a while). I guess they tuned lower for their later albums. I do love that band, no clue why I've not picked up more songs from them!


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## Given To Fly (Jun 5, 2016)

"Misunderstood" from _Six Degree of Inner Turbulence_ - Dream Theater

"Searching" from _Is There Love In Space?_ by Joe Satriani (Mainly just the rhythm part and melody. The rest of the song is pretty much a long improvised solo.)

"Mind Storm" from _Strange Beautiful Music_ by Joe Satriani


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## haydn (Jun 5, 2016)

Dream Theater - Build me up Break me Down

Fairly simple main/verse riffs but so much fun to play. The solo is a great sweep-picking workout while not being too difficult.


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## extendedsolo (Jun 6, 2016)

A couple cool parts from Animals as leaders are the intros to Tooth and Claw and On Impulse.

Otherwise try suicide silence (Drop A) for really easy stuff.


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## Paul McAleer (Jun 7, 2016)

I think chimp spanner plays in B, I don't know what's simple for ya but some songs on "at the dreams edge" could be what your lookin' for!


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## pott (Jun 7, 2016)

Good suggestion! I think I tried with Three Rings, but I think the tuning didn't match. Will look out for some others in B


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## 7stringtheory (Jun 29, 2016)

Look into some of scale the summits stuff, especially from carving desert canyons. Lots of tasty riffs to play (all in standard 7 string) that aren't too difficult


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