# Why is an 8 string tuned with a low F# anyways?



## somniumaeternum (Mar 22, 2011)

I've been wondering.. why is the "standard" tuning for an 8 string to have a low F#? Wouldn't it be better to have a G so it matches all the positions you're already familiar with, etc?

I get that it's supposed to be 4ths but still.. does it really make sense?


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## Scar Symmetry (Mar 22, 2011)

Nope.

F# is the logical tuning. The space between F# and B is the same space between B and E.

F# allows you to use it in the way that most people will want to - using powerchords and transponsing scales.


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## somniumaeternum (Mar 22, 2011)

Scar Symmetry said:


> Nope.
> 
> F# is the logical tuning. The space between F# and B is the same space between B and E.
> 
> F# allows you to use it in the way that most people will want to - using powerchords and transponsing scales.


 
Right.. but it doesn't match the already establish tuning in the higher strings..

Hm.. but i get it kinda fixes the transposing "issues" as you mention. Although still doesn't seem right to me for some reason.


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## Scar Symmetry (Mar 22, 2011)

I see what you're saying, looking at GBEADGBE makes sense, but when put into practise... not so much.


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## somniumaeternum (Mar 22, 2011)

If you come from a shape or box perspective, what happens when you have 9 string guitars? I think it'd be better to have it slightly awkward but matching the rest than to have basically 2 different registers tuned differently. 

Then again, if I get an 8 I may think differently


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## Kali Yuga (Mar 22, 2011)

It doesn't make sense to me to tune to G since a guitar is normally tuned in 4ths, but do whatever works for you. I'm not sure too many people use powerchords on the lower string though. It's too much!


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## Scar Symmetry (Mar 22, 2011)

Kali Yuga said:


> It doesn't make sense to me to tune to G since a guitar is normally tuned in 4ths, but do whatever works for you. I'm not sure too many people use powerchords on the lower string though. It's too much!



Don't forget that you can play powerchords above the the open note: G, G#, A and A#


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## somniumaeternum (Mar 22, 2011)

Kali Yuga said:


> It doesn't make sense to me to tune to G since a guitar is normally tuned in 4ths, but do whatever works for you. I'm not sure too many people use powerchords on the lower string though. It's too much!


 
It's not really. G -> B is a major 3rd. Basically, what i'm trying to get at is that you've built in the tuning of a major 3 around the B string in the higher strings.. why not replicate that below? And if the idea is to "fix" the tuning, why not have EADG*CF* ? 

But i get what you guys are saying so no point


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## Kali Yuga (Mar 22, 2011)

If it makes more sense for you, tune to G. Problem solved! 

It seems like everybody here has experimented with unorthodox tunings.


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## ZEBOV (Mar 22, 2011)

You could tune low F# down a step lower to E.


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## CooleyJr (Mar 22, 2011)

I just tune my 8 with an extra high string instead.


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## Tranquilliser (Mar 22, 2011)

the way I understaind 8 string tuning is just the same as 7 strings.
the 5th fret on a low B = E
the 5th fret on a Low F# = B
Simple as that


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## ixlramp (Mar 22, 2011)

somniumaeternum said:


> I've been wondering.. why is the "standard" tuning for an 8 string to have a low F#? Wouldn't it be better to have a G so it matches all the positions you're already familiar with, etc?



Good point. It should be all-fourths ... but ... tradition 

I consider standard tuning, with that major third interval, to be a stupid tradition and a bad habit guitarists get into when they first learn. It only benefits big-chord strummers. Even before I owned my first instrument I learned about standard guitar tuning and rejected it. I see it as an open tuning to make certain chords easier and therefore an alternative tuning.

Luckily it's just a case of semitone retuning to switch between standard and all-fourths.


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## Fred the Shred (Mar 22, 2011)

The tuning makes sense from a pure 4ths on the bass strings viewpoint. Personally, I prefer to tune it to E due to the chordal possibilities, form extended intervals to simple playing around with melody and bass parts. It's a simple matter of taste and what's comfortable for you. I also love to have a high A or G, for instance.


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## Variant (Mar 22, 2011)

somniumaeternum said:


> It's not really. G -> B is a major 3rd. Basically, what i'm trying to get at is that you've built in the tuning of a major 3 around the B string in the higher strings.. why not replicate that below? And if the idea is to "fix" the tuning, why not have EADG*CF* ?



Which I never understood for the life of me... but since I learned all my scales and chords based on that being the case, I have no desire to relearn that. 

That said, if I'm adding another string to the guitar on the bottom, it's gonna be a fourth interval.


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## MF_Kitten (Mar 22, 2011)

i always thought adding a low E made much more sense:
EBEADGBE

it makes the most sense when used in practice to me, when compared to low f# or low G tunings.


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## Kali Yuga (Mar 22, 2011)

I can't stand drop tunings.


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## Winspear (Mar 22, 2011)

Looking at GBEADGBE does seem to make more sense, yes. But you need to realise that a tuning has nothing to do with how nice the letters look.
Going by this logic, a 6 string would make more sense tuned to DGDGBE, just so a couple more strings 'match up'.


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## Tranquilliser (Mar 22, 2011)

I don't get why everyone thinks that G is the logical tuning.
Take an E down 2.5 steps, B
Take B down 2.5 steps, F#
The tuning might *appear* to follow the higher strings' tuning, but it doesn't. :l


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## LamaSabachthani (Mar 22, 2011)

Tranquilliser said:


> I don't get why everyone thinks that G is the logical tuning.
> Take an E down 2.5 steps, B
> Take B down 2.5 steps, F#
> The tuning might *appear* to follow the higher strings' tuning, but it doesn't. :l



I think it's probably based on the assumption that the idea is to reproduce everything an octave or several octaves lower when it isn't necessarily to do that (to most players). The idea is just to open up a lower range of notes, and for many people wanting to play very low pitched 5th chords, the f# makes sense. It's also probably the easiest in terms of not having to relearn or second-step your scalar shapes.


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## rythmic_pulses (Mar 22, 2011)

Kali Yuga said:


> It doesn't make sense to me to tune to G since a guitar is normally tuned in 4ths, but do whatever works for you. I'm not sure too many people use powerchords on the lower string though. It's too much!


 

It works but it can get muddy if too much gain is used or if you have a less than capable amp but yeah the stretch is a little bit big depending on what make you have or what string size haha!


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## MF_Kitten (Mar 22, 2011)

yeah, the idea is to increase the range, while keeping a constant interval, so it's easy to adjust to it, etc.


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## Explorer (Mar 22, 2011)

It's interesting to read all the different perspectives.

Standard tuning for six-string guitar came about in order to provide a compromise, allowing easy access to a wide variety of chords and key centers. Sure, some folks use various open tunings, but standard tuning allows quite a bit of classical guitar music. (Personally, I don't find standard tuning to be a bad habit as asserted. Propose a different tuning which matches the same criteria, of easy access to various chords/key centers, and I'll be willing to consider the argument. How much simpler could a barre chord be? I'm ready to learn!)

Some people prefer to extend the pattern play of standard tuning, leading to the fourth intervals at the bottom. Some prefer to pley chords more in the style of open tunings, so they just replicate the lowest notes of standard tuning. That's valid as well. Not everyone needs to do scale lines. 

----

Anyway, the first post's already been answered. All the arguments about what tunings are inherently better... why waste time? 

Or, better yet, heed the words of Musashi: "There are many philosophies. The only thing which makes matters is surviving the battlefield." 

Make great music, whatever your tuing.


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## amassivetree (Mar 23, 2011)

The "right" tuning is probably whatever makes it easier to play whatever you are doing. My brother plays a lot of classical on a 7-string, and usually the low note is a C, so that he can hit an open note or grab a low one that's in the right key for what he's playing. At the minute he's in a guitar ensemble for the sole purpose of throwing in a low, low, G. 

Personally, the whole point of getting the 8 for me was to never have to have tune up or down or sideways ever again: I went through some open tuning and detuning phases, and I just like how I can find the notes to any song, ever, on the 8. I think the fourths across the low strings are great because it's just like a 6-string bass, which does make the transition a bit easier, although most of the time I'm either thinking 6-string bass, or playing normal guitar stuff up higher, and (even after 2 years), it's hard to think of it as an eight-string.


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## Origin (Mar 23, 2011)

Kali Yuga said:


> If it makes more sense for you, tune to G. Problem solved!



This to death. Do your own thing if it feels right to you.  It feels much more natural to me to have the fourth, if only because of mentally projecting the F# and B as the 'new bottom strings' and applying the same chording etc. to them as I would E and A on a normal guit. Unearth has it at G for The March (title song) and I think Letting Go, off their new album, which kind of opened my eyes to the logic of G in general, but F# is still my mainstay haha.


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## Eric Christian (Mar 23, 2011)

somniumaeternum said:


> I've been wondering.. why is the "standard" tuning for an 8 string to have a low F#? Wouldn't it be better to have a G so it matches all the positions you're already familiar with, etc?
> 
> I get that it's supposed to be 4ths but still.. does it really make sense?


 
I thought it was a little odd that Ibanez lists the tuning for their 8's (1D#, 2A#, 3F#, 4C#, 5G#, 6D#, 7A#, 8F). I just tune it to F# & B and then just like a normal guitar because it just sounds right to me for now. Eventually, I plan on going with tuning it to E standard instead of F# standard using a 070 & and a 058. Regardless of how you tune an 8 once you crank it up it through a half stack it sounds like demons are being summoned! Good times! Rock on!


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## theclap (Mar 23, 2011)

MF_Kitten said:


> i always thought adding a low E made much more sense:
> EBEADGBE
> 
> it makes the most sense when used in practice to me, when compared to low f# or low G tunings.



You could say the same thing about 7 and 6 string guitar than with AEA and DAD in the 3 lowest register strings, respectively. Do you agree? 



[B said:


> somniumaeternum[/B]]
> http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/ex...8-string-tuned-low-f-anyways.html#post2396685 _I've been wondering.. why is the "standard" tuning for an 8 string to have a low F#? Wouldn't it be better to have a G so it matches all the positions you're already familiar with, etc?_


_

I get that it's supposed to be 4ths but still.. does it really make sense?_


The static interval, P4 or P5 depending on direction, between the strings makes for transposable shapes horizontally across the neck. Also, it is possible to have G and F# in the same major key along with the remainder of the other 7 strings, G major. Therefore, you have a pretty good justification to go to G, but also a pretty good justification to not tune it to G. If you are the common guitarist who follows chord shapes and scales I would vote against it due to the transposing issue, other than that I have no qualms. You will probably find challenges but also rewarding neat licks due to the outlier interval. I personally don't think there is no right or wrong way to play guitar unless it hinders your health by bad technique or w/e.


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## somniumaeternum (Mar 23, 2011)

theclap said:


> You will probably find challenges but also rewarding neat licks due to the outlier interval. I personally don't think there is no right or wrong way to play guitar unless it hinders your health by bad technique or w/e.



I'm with you here. I don't think it's bad to use F# or any other tuning.. but I've never really liked non-standard tunings - I'm usually always in standard or at least the strings are tuned in a standard fashion relative to themselves. The idea of not using a G throws of a sort of idea of symmetry that I like I guess. 

But I've been playing with the idea of getting an 8 string (found one on CL and may do a trade with the guy) so it just got me thinking. A lot of the times, we do things just because that how they've been done in the past. I happen to think that one of the really cool things about 8 strings (and 7s to some degree) is that we are basically creating the "history" and "tradition" to how they're played in a modern setting right now.. what tunings, what styles, whatever. Sure, there've been guitars with more than 6 strings in the past but I'm seeing the scene really embrace them as something new and innovative only recently. Just wanted to know if the first step in this path was taken arbitrarily, out of hatred for the maj 3rd skip, or whatever other reason. 

Cool to hear all the opinions!


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## Waelstrum (Mar 23, 2011)

somniumaeternum said:


> And if the idea is to "fix" the tuning, why not have EADG*CF* ?
> :



An excellent point. I do that, and I find it great.

If G makes sense to you, go with G. I think I read about someone saying something similar a while back on this site, and if I was a standard tuning guy, I might be inclined to agree with you, or perhaps a low E. However, if you want to use the standard tuning so that you can read the tablature of other people, you might have to compromise your preferred tuning. Alternatively you could tune a semitone down with an F# in the bottom and read the tabs as +1 except for the lowest string.

I personally don't read tabs because I came from a standard notation background, so a using non-standard tuning hasn't involved that hurdle for me.

tl;dr: Tune to whatever makes playing the music that you enjoy the easiest.


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## saovi (Mar 24, 2011)

Try tuning it to low drop E - therefore:

E1 B1 E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4


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## Tranquilliser (Mar 28, 2011)

Eric Christian said:


> I thought it was a little odd that Ibanez lists the tuning for their 8's (1D#, 2A#, 3F#, 4C#, 5G#, 6D#, 7A#, 8F).



Ibanez 8 strings come factory tuned a 1/2 step down.


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## Jet9 (Mar 28, 2011)

Fuck tradition, and fuck standardization. Do whatever you want, problem solved.


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## somniumaeternum (Mar 28, 2011)

Jet9 said:


> Fuck tradition, and fuck standardization. Do whatever you want, problem solved.



Sure, that's a valid point.. but you don't see the usefulness of understanding what's out there and why things are done as they are in case it makes more sense?

I mean.. why re-invent the wheel every time just to "fuck tradition and fuck standardization"? I say use it when it makes sense and change it when it makes sense but you have to be informed about it before you can judge if it makes sense or not.


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## Explorer (Mar 29, 2011)

somniumaeternum said:


> Just wanted to know if the first step in this path was taken arbitrarily, out of hatred for the maj 3rd skip, or whatever other reason.



Although I can't talk about why others adopted whatever tunings they did, I wound up choosing my tuning based on wanting to be able to cover the normal ranges and techniques of electric bass and electric guitar. I use low E tuning (E1 A1 D2 G2 C3 F3 A3 D4), with the bottom four strings like a bass and the top six like a whole-step detuned six-string. That let me keep the chords I was already used to, espcially the funk chords. 

However, given that I came to that tuning *after* having used full fifths on my eights for a few years, I really feel that the advantages were clear once I started to investigate how I wanted to tune instead of full fifths. 

It actually wasn't until this thread that I realized that F# tuning is the same tuning I use, only tuned up that whole step and losing the lowest two pitches of the bass guitar.


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## Randomist (Mar 30, 2011)

keeping a constant interval across the lower strings makes the most sense to me, and I'll probably tune to F# WHEN i (eventually) get an 8...

the constant interval across all 8 strings does appeal to me, but it'll also screw with what I already know and some of my favourite "shapes" so I think I'll leave that experiment till I've got an 8 and have learnt to use the extra range (and I'd hope I can acheive more than djent on it).

as for the "right" tuning... what's the "right" favourite colour? what's the "right" beer? (ok, maybe a bad example, I'm sure someone has an opinion on that one )


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## Andromalia (Apr 1, 2011)

There's another thing for having a "standard" tuning: everybody knows it. I can't count the number of times I met guitar layers to just jam and they tried to make me play stuff composed with a tuning I'm not familiar with. (And vice versa)


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## braiiiiiiins (Oct 10, 2012)

I've been writing stuff on my 6s and 7s for years in GEADGBE/GEADF#B, so the first thing I did when I got an 8 in my hands is tune the F# up to G. It feels completely natural to me. Power chords aren't really even an issue, it's barely noticeable to slide your pinky over one fret.

*edit: necro bump, I be sleepy.*


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## Ninjahat (Oct 10, 2012)

somniumaeternum said:


> Right.. but it doesn't match the already establish tuning in the higher strings..
> 
> Hm.. but i get it kinda fixes the transposing "issues" as you mention. Although still doesn't seem right to me for some reason.



Technically Standard doesn't "make sense" bro, because of the major third between G and B. F# makes sense because it's a fourth.

If you really wanted to get down to it, the tuning that makes the most sense from this perspective would be one that has the same intervals string to string, e.g all 4ths or 5ths.


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## TTWC Ben (Oct 10, 2012)

EtherealEntity said:


> Looking at GBEADGBE does seem to make more sense, yes. But you need to realise that a tuning has nothing to do with how nice the letters look.
> Going by this logic, a 6 string would make more sense tuned to DGDGBE, just so a couple more strings 'match up'.


 

Great tuning!


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## stuglue (Oct 10, 2012)

If your only guitar is an 8 string then I'd say find a tuning that you like and stick to it, regardless of tradition.
If, like me you have other guitars then settling on a standard is vital, otherwise its head mash time when you pick up a different guitar.
I have an 8, a 7 and a 6.
The 8 is tuned B,E,A,D,G,B,E,A so 6 strings are the same, this makes it easy to remember positions as they are the same. The problem arises when I go from the 8 to the 6. Those two extra strings fuck my head everytime


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## ElRay (Oct 10, 2012)

Ninjahat said:


> If you really wanted to get down to it, the tuning that makes the most sense from this perspective would be one that has the same intervals string to string, e.g all 4ths or 5ths.


Or all Major 3rd's. It does cut-down on range a bit, but you get nice dense chords, 2-2/3 octaves in one position, etc. It's good for lead playing (especially Jazz/Blues), but (IMHO) it's a bit limited for me-myself-and-I solo-guitar playing.

Ray


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## ElRay (Oct 10, 2012)

theclap said:


> I get that it's supposed to be 4ths but still.. does it really make sense?


It's not "supposed" to be anything other than what makes the extra string useful. Add an extra high-string, if it's useful to your playing, add an octave string (another E, B, G, D, etc.), if it's useful, add a fourth, switch to an 8-string Open tuning, if it's useful, go all 4th, 3rds, etc., if it's useful, etc.

Ray


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## Given To Fly (Oct 10, 2012)

If you want to talk about tradition, lutes would tune their equivalent of a G string to F#. This is something classical guitarists do today when playing Renaissance and Baroque transcriptions. So why don't guitarists tune the 3rd string to F#? 

Just a word of caution, when you start delving into the history of guitar tunings you are opening up Pandoras box. The subject gets really insane and takes you back about 1000 years. If you want to sleep well at night I suggest embracing the Perfect 4th (or 5th) between the 8th and 7th strings as standard.

Ibanez lists (or listed, I'm not sure if they still do) that tuning because its how Meshuggah tunes their guitars.


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## ElRay (Oct 10, 2012)

Given To Fly said:


> If you want to talk about tradition ...


Oh, I know. It's not a problem that somebody, way back, decided to make a particular compromise between scale and chord playing in 1st position and "Standard" Tuning was created. The problem arrises, because to many people treat a stringed instrument's tuning as "sacred" and consider it dogma and treat people that do anything else, or even try to think about the "why's" as doing something wrong, or cheating.

Ray


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## Given To Fly (Oct 10, 2012)

I think having the strings tuned in 4ths is just the most practical way to play the instrument. If it was tuned in 5ths all of our scales would have to be 4 notes per string and that would be hard on the left hand. 
Also, there is a sonic benefit to having a Perfect 4th between the 7th and 8th strings. It's actually the foundation of "djent." When a Perfect Fourth is played hard and with lots of distortion a psyco-acoustic phenomenon takes place called a "resultant tone" or "sum tone." The harmonics of the two notes are similar enough that our ear perceives a pitch an octave lower. That's how Mischa can get those thick heavy power chords that sound lower than they actually are. This phenomenon is used on pipe organs too.


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## Bretton (Oct 10, 2012)

you can always adjust other strings to match as well, eg.
F# B E A D F# B E
...would give you the third interval in a different place, so you have repeating notes, but don't have to have the third interval twice,
You could tune it as a normal guitar an octave down with higher strings added:
EADGBEAD
...that would give you the same EAD twice, and again, only one major third interval.

tons of possibilities


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## vampiregenocide (Oct 10, 2012)

Eric Christian said:


> I thought it was a little odd that Ibanez lists the tuning for their 8's (1D#, 2A#, 3F#, 4C#, 5G#, 6D#, 7A#, 8F).



Meshuggah basically. The only reason they really put them out in that tuning. Seeing as when the RG2228 was released, Meshuggah were the only band widely known to be using 8s, it figured when people bought one they'd probably try learning Mesh, so to have them some in F standard made sense.


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## Cdub (Oct 10, 2012)

I haven't seen this posted, so I've considered taking standard 8 string tuning and dropping the G string a half step to F#. This somewhat corresponds with "one string lower, one higher", but still within the same range as F# standard.

F# B E A D F# B E

X320003X Would be a D chord using the shape of the basic g chord. By adding high/low string notes, you could easily add 2nd's (9th's), 4th's (11 chords) 7th chords...

Also, the 3 lowest match with the 3 highest, almost a Guitar solo cheat code.

For now, I'm having more fun building 8 string chords in standard tuning.


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## Krucifixtion (Oct 11, 2012)

To me a low E makes the most sense, but I play in F standard mostly, so when I drop I go down to D#/Eb. Think of all the whacky tunings Soundgarden used to do on just 6 strings. Guitars can be tuned whatever you like. I tried tuning what Tony Danza/ Josh Travis tunes his 8 tune and it was a bit weird for me. Everyone has their own taste.


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## Brill (Oct 11, 2012)

What would maje more sense would be 
F#,C,F,A#,D#,G#,C,F


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## braiiiiiiins (Oct 11, 2012)

Loxodrome said:


> What would maje more sense would be
> F#,C,F,A#,D#,G#,C,F


How does that make any sense?


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## Brill (Oct 11, 2012)

braiiiiiiins said:


> How does that make any sense?


Woops that doesnt make sense... Thats 7am and no sleep for you...


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## Go To Bed Jessica (Oct 12, 2012)

Loxodrome said:


> Woops that doesnt make sense... Thats 7am and no sleep for you...



Thank you for this reply. I think my head was about to explode with the effort of trying to understand how or why that tuning made sense.



I feel you on the sleep deprivation. I have no idea what is going on half the time at the moment (new baby in the house).


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## chromaticdeath (Oct 16, 2012)

This whole thread doesn't make sence to me, all you need to do is play an 8 string and you will realise why it is F#, i prefer to play mine in D#,A#,F#,E#,G#,D#,A#,D# (high to low) or Eb,Bb,Gb,Db,Ab,Eb,Bb,Eb, depending on my mood


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## frogunrua (Oct 16, 2012)

chromaticdeath said:


> This whole thread doesn't make sence to me, all you need to do is play an 8 string and you will realise why it is F#, i prefer to play mine in D#,A#,F#,E#,G#,D#,A#,D# (high to low) or Eb,Bb,Gb,Db,Ab,Eb,Bb,Eb, depending on my mood



I see what you did there. I tune F,A#,D#,G#,E#,F#,A#,D# and find it quite "normal" versus F#, A#,D#,G#,E#,F#,A#,D#.


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## Go To Bed Jessica (Oct 16, 2012)

I never really bonded with the F# tuning. I find EBEADGBE makes more sense to me and I find it generally more useful.

I have also dabbled with EAEADGBE but it kinda did my head in. Will have to come back that one at some stage, as I like the idea of it.


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## xenophobe (Oct 16, 2012)

frogunrua said:


> I see what you did there. I tune F,A#,D#,G#,E#,F#,A#,D#



I tune that as well. I do so because I'm not theory trained... I could never understand it because I over-thought everything way too much... I'm mostly self taught. I'm a positional player and expanding from 6-string to 8-string was mostly done in one sitting. In 15 minutes I was completely used to the neck, after 45 minutes, I expanded most of my scales to fit 8 string. I still sometimes get lost, but it's happening far less often than it used to.


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## chromaticdeath (Oct 17, 2012)

Go To Bed Jessica said:


> I never really bonded with the F# tuning. I find EBEADGBE makes more sense to me and I find it generally more useful.


 
Which is just standard tuning drop E, this is what i use but half step down, i've always liked flat tuning as my voice seems to register better. I think it's pointless tuning it to 4th's as you can't really use the F string for chords so i use it to have an octave lower for "6 string" playing, whether it be a bass root note or an octave drive feel.


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## Eric Christian (Oct 17, 2012)

I've had my Ltd H-308's tuned from High A to Low B for quite sometime now and its really working nice for me. I make up my own string set from a couple different packs so its basically 0.50 to 0.008.


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## chromaticdeath (Oct 17, 2012)

Eric Christian said:


> I've had my Ltd H-308's tuned from High A to Low B for quite sometime now and its really working nice for me. I make up my own string set from a couple different packs so its basically 0.50 to 0.008.


 
I'm interested in this tuning aswell, i think if i had a second 8 string i would tune like this, or go for a 9 string and have the high A as the extra string....... I think i need to buy more guitars


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## Necris (Oct 17, 2012)

I used to tune my F# string up to G and use it as a drone along with the low B before I sold my 8.


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## Devyn Eclipse Nav (Oct 17, 2012)

Given To Fly said:


> Also, there is a sonic benefit to having a Perfect 4th between the 7th and 8th strings. It's actually the foundation of "djent." When a Perfect Fourth is played hard and with lots of distortion a psyco-acoustic phenomenon takes place called a "resultant tone" or "sum tone." The harmonics of the two notes are similar enough that our ear perceives a pitch an octave lower.



This. I use this on my 7 string all the time, I love the way it sounds. You get these massive, thick, low sounding power chords, but without it being all muddy. I know Gojira does it (Tune to D standard, sounds like Drop G) and they use it to good effect. It's a pretty good trick to make it sound like you're tuned lower than you actually are.


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