# What scale for djent?



## sevenstrangkang (Jan 18, 2012)

Looking for a 7 string to get into playing djent style music with. What scale would be the best? Should I go with a 27" for increased string tension at low tunings? I noticed that a lot of guys play in Drop G# with a 25.5. Does the lower string tension give it more "Bow bow"? Is a 25.5 gonna stay in tune well in drop G#?


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## Dan Halen (Jan 18, 2012)

I'd say it's more of a "Bowmp" rather than a "bow". and I'm guessing you havent really played anything with a longer scale length, no? what you could do is find out from guitar center or just online in general what guitars have a tad longer of a scale length like maybe a 26.5 (Ibanez RGD7321 or 7320) OR A 27" (NO EXAMPLE) and find any of these guitars at either guitar center or a local retailer and play them. 

it's more of a preference thing i think. I play 25.5 because my hands are small. but if it's any consolation i tune my SG which i think has a 24.5 scale length to Drop A# (Bb) on the low E and Dropped Db (C#) on the rest of the strings so it simulates the tuning Bulb uses for Racecar and that seems to hold tuning. The tuning looks like (A# C# G# C# F# A# D#) Minus the last D# because im on an SG. Which inversly the tuning looks like (Bb Db Ab Db Gb Bb Eb)


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## bigchocolateman (Jan 18, 2012)

You can use any scale length.


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## sevenstrangkang (Jan 18, 2012)

Dan Halen said:


> I'd say it's more of a "Bowmp" rather than a "bow". and I'm guessing you havent really played anything with a longer scale length, no? what you could do is find out from guitar center or just online in general what guitars have a tad longer of a scale length like maybe a 26.5 (Ibanez RGD7321 or 7320) OR A 27" (NO EXAMPLE) and find any of these guitars at either guitar center or a local retailer and play them.
> 
> it's more of a preference thing i think. I play 25.5 because my hands are small.



I just got back from Guitar Center. Played a Schecter 26.5 and an Ibanez 25.5. I honestly didn't notice much difference in the size of the frets until I got down below the 12th. The 25.5 had more "Bowmp" but it might have been due to the strings. The 26.5 seemed like it had some pretty thick strings on it.


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## stevemcqueen (Jan 18, 2012)

Well I have heard "djent" from everything from a 30.2" scale to a 24.75" scale. Whatever suits your needs, honestly.


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## VILARIKA (Jan 18, 2012)

"Misha had very strong feelings about scale lengths and the 25.75&#8243;-24.75&#8243; mixed scale is intended to match his requirements. 25.75&#8243; on the low-B was tried and tested on #5 and provides just that extra little length to provide a good tension and tone."

Strandberg #15

Rule of djent: Get whatever Misha Mansoor or Tosin Abasi get.


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## Valennic (Jan 18, 2012)

For fucks sake...more with this djent.

It's more of a technique. It's a metallic clicking sound you get when you palm mute up closer to the bridge pickup. Seriously. This djent thing has really gotten out of hand.

EDIT:

To be helpful, the scale length does not matter. Its whatever you find comfortable.


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## sevenstrangkang (Jan 18, 2012)

Lol, I knew someone was gonna get pissed about me throwing around the "Djent" term. How else am I supposed to explain it, though?


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## Valennic (Jan 18, 2012)

sevenstrangkang said:


> Lol, I knew someone was gonna get pissed about me throwing around the "Djent" term. How else am I supposed to explain it?



You're looking for more of that low end bwop that gets associated with these "djent" bands. Its sort of like the string goes like a quarter step higher then returns to normal right? Any scale works fine for it, just gotta get the right gauges on it. I use a .64 for Bb and drop Ab and it gets that sound just fine.

EDIT:

Just to be clear, I'm not pissed about it. Its just irritating when the description for a metallic rake of a palm mute goes into this whole low string bwopping craze it had nothing to do with.


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## VILARIKA (Jan 18, 2012)

Calm down Mayor West 

No need to be so harsh about it. If someone is into the trend and has a question about it, I don't see what the issue is. Sure, it's not your thing, but there's no need to to express it.


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## Valennic (Jan 18, 2012)

VILARIKA said:


> Calm down Mayor West
> 
> No need to be so harsh about it. If someone is into the trend and has a question about it, I don't see what the issue is. Sure, it's not your thing, but there's no need to to express it.



I just need him to understand. I needed to remove the A's from my body. 

Didn't mean to come off as harsh, I actually like quite a few "djent" bands. Hell my favorite band is Periphery, its just I think the term gets tossed around a bit too much. Sorry 

But yes TS, find the scale you find comfortable, then we can help you find the gauges from there


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## VILARIKA (Jan 18, 2012)

Valennic said:


> I just need him to understand. I needed to remove the A's from my body.
> 
> Didn't mean to come off as harsh, I actually like quite a few "djent" bands. Hell my favorite band is Periphery, its just I think the term gets tossed around a bit too much. Sorry



I agree with you, I don't like how the term is being used either, but it's the trend. Going to a Periphery show is where it really gets out of hand though, you can't walk a foot without hearing someone say the word djent


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## Don Vito (Jan 18, 2012)

It doesn't matter.


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## Jonathan20022 (Jan 18, 2012)

Nothing wrong with it, it's just annoying and you see it used quite often around these parts haha. It depends on what tuning you want to use, honestly you can stick to 25.5 if you feel comfortable and all you're going to tune to is Standard and a Half Step Down. But anything under I recommend getting something a bit longer, because my problem is finding strings to honestly match tension at lower tunings. It adds up quick and can get really pricey fast.

It's just something to consider, if you feel you really need to tune lower yknow? I don't think I personally do, so that's why I just tuned to standard now and have one guitar a whole step down.


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## Danukenator (Jan 18, 2012)

Valennic said:


> For fucks sake...more with this djent.
> 
> It's more of a technique. It's a metallic clicking sound you get when you palm mute up closer to the bridge pickup. Seriously. This djent thing has really gotten out of hand.
> 
> ...



Hell, I'd take djent over metalcore any day. At least Djent tries to have a groove.

I honestly don't get the hate for Djent. Sure, most of it ain't the best music ever written but still, they could have started a reggae or pop-punk band so count yer blessings.


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## Don Vito (Jan 18, 2012)

^ But reggae is awesome.

brb starting reggae/groove metal side project


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## Don Vito (Jan 18, 2012)

double post

fuck the internet


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## Valennic (Jan 18, 2012)

Danukenator said:


> Hell, I'd take djent over metalcore any day. At least Djent tries to have a groove.
> 
> I honestly don't get the hate for Djent. Sure, most of it ain't the best music ever written but still, they could have started a reggae or pop-punk band so count yer blessings.



I don't hate it. I hate the term. The term makes no sense. Djent is a metallic palm muting sound, not a groove on a low string. That's groove metal


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## DraggAmps (Jan 18, 2012)

Valennic said:


> I don't hate it. I hate the term. The term makes no sense. Djent is a metallic palm muting sound, not a groove on a low string. That's groove metal



Right, it was Meshuggah who originally coined the term, right? But Misha made it popular and it became quickly associated with his music and the techniques he used, including the rhythms and low end bwops and all of that. The term just gets that point across very quickly.


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## Valennic (Jan 19, 2012)

DraggAmps said:


> Right, it was Meshuggah who originally coined the term, right? But Misha made it popular and it became quickly associated with his music and the techniques he used, including the rhythms and low end bwops and all of that. The term just gets that point across very quickly.



Yeah but even Marten and Fredrik used it to describe that metallic sound. Misha did too . People just suddenly decided HE MUST NOT BE SAYING WHAT HE IS ACTUALLY SAYING I WILL UNDERSTAND IT THIS WAY.

And here we are.


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## FckingTrippy (Jan 19, 2012)

drop G# isnt that low for a 7 string. its just a half step down with a low G#


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## somniumaeternum (Jan 20, 2012)

Forget about worrying if you have the "right" or "wrong" scale length, and focus on understanding how altering the pick attack can change the sound of the notes. 

You can chase the minutiae with gear but the baseline will always be technique. Get that down first; you need to be pretty much in the right place before the details will matter.


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## GSingleton (Jan 20, 2012)

bigchocolateman said:


> *You can use any scale length.*


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