Why Do Guitar Players Like 7 Strings?
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- Опубликовано: 10 фев 2025
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Why do guitar players like 7 strings!?! Your Uncle Ben Eller here knows, and he's gonna tell ya all about it!
In this video, I'm gonna give y'all 10 reasons we love seven strings. We're gonna talk guitar heroes, influential bands, tricks to extended scales and chords, and so much more, all the while taking a tour of my 7's I've collected and modified over the years (like my rad Ibanez swirls I did, and my Aristides 070)!!! I like things that are nice! Lets go!
I'll be playing these Bad Larry's through my Synergy rig into the UA OX.
Who is YOUR favorite 7 string player? Let me know in the comments!
#ibanez2025 #ibanez #beneller
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You made 500k wtf 😳 congrats 🥂
Love that riff and rake on Monster. 🤘
Meshuggah??
I grew up with korn and nu metal but for me the player that made me want a 7 string was Loomis…that opening riff from River Dragon still slaps.
Loomis is the KING of 7's! Insane player and a sweet guy.
@@warnerww83 Jeff Loomis 🙌🏽
@@BenEllerI hear they’re auditioning a vocalist and a bass player. If you know any bass players they should probably look into it
Yeah Loomis should have been on the list! His new jackson signature just came out
More=better of course.
How could more be less?
@@deathmagneto-soy More is more!
thats what she said
Morer = Beterrer
Lol only to play less 😂
As a young 20 something in 2008 the Shogun album by Trivium is what got me into 7 strings and lower tuning.
Same. It's still what makes me love 7 strings
That album and Holographic Universe from Scar Symmetry did it for me
Funny thing is shogun is in b standard lol
@@EvilSewnit don't think so, there's tons of footage of Shogun being recorded on 7 strings in standard. Matt used a 6 string for the clean section, but it was in standard tuning.
@@paulbuerger1792 7 string standard tuning is B standard.
Gotta throw some love to Meshuggah as well. A lot of people don’t know they started off on 7’s and that even nothing was recorded on a 7 and later redone with an 8👏🏻.
They actually started with 6s up till the None EP, although Fredrik seems to be playing an Ibanez Universe 7 string on the Contradictions Collapse studio footage
@@MaestroKatProductions7 string Meshuggah > 8 string Meshuggah.
@@Hegder Actually iirc shortly after Meshuggah jumped into 7 stringer they were really tuning down as you would tune an 8 string guitar a full step down (E1, same as a bass) and only later switched to actual 8 strings but the songs were recorded on down tuned 7 strings for
that’s probably true; this is just my way of saying I much prefer the earlier stuff (up until about Chaosphere).
The original Nothing sounds way more gnarlier
Good call on the morbid angel… That “where the slime live“ riff is awesome
And I personally don’t really care for seven strings, but would still like to say thanks for another great video.
Formulas fatal to the flesh,.........epic fucking album( cd)😮
"Because why the fuck not" is a good start.
Got my Ibanez s540 7 string in ‘91. Still have it!
I actually don't own a 7-string, but if I did it would ideally be one of those black Ibanez Universes with the green pickups. One of the sickest-looking guitars ever made.
Just get one!
I like that low chug.
It was actually Steve Vai who inspired me.
i see you everywhere
@@guitaristslair , I enjoy guitars. I follow several guitar related channels. /shrug
I can get that low chug on my 6 lol 😂
@@Divine_Serpent_Geh , I also own a couple of 6 strings. One is tuned lowest B, F#, lower B, G, high B, & E.
Here's the difference. I had to get that guitar set up special.
The silence and punchline at 9:20 was absolute perfection. 😂 Nicely done
Another great video that made me pick up my guitar, thanks for that!
I ordered my first custom guitar from Balaguer guitars earlier this week and ofc it's a 7 string! The wait's going to be torturous, but I still got my other sevens.
I still smash Korn's Blind and Here to stay in between in Drop A. Sometimes I dare to drop the B to E and unleash hell.
As for 7 string inspirations I would probably go for Jeff Loomis, Tony Macalpine and Dave Davidson, those men are wicked!
18:37 It was actually on the album Awake with The Mirror. The intro is basically chugs on a big ol' B5 😎🤘🏻
"Reason number 3: Steve Vai. Just Steve Vai" 😂😂😂 YES!!!
I heard scar symmetry and Jeff Loomis and never looked back. At this point I’ve clocked more hours on 7s than 6 haha.
The UV777 has been my favorite since i was a teen. I was just talking about it the other day and showing photos of it to a friend.
Weeping China Doll by Vai is one of the best 7 string pieces I've ever heard.
Wasn’t expecting the old Arc bangers 🔥
ARC sounds very Mastodony. New word for ya'. Sounds great.
Dude how did you know... Just got my first seven string a week ago. PRS SE 24/7. I'm IN LOVE!! AAGHH! Been in Nevermore heaven trying to learn everything they've put out.
i got my first 7 string (Ibanez RGR752 Prestige) a week ago too
Not even remotely joking when I say this but I've been eyeballing a Schecter Banshee Mach-7 FR S for the past week and trying to convince myself I don't need a 7 string.
It's like he's reading our minds.
The only mistake you made is not going for an 8-string
@@doju4166 - Does it not bother you that you can't hook your thumb over top for that aggressive Gary Moore vibrato or those Hendrix chord tricks? Or were you blessed with the kind of hand Dave Grohl had in that one Foo Fighters video?
@@redshiftdrifter who in the world does only have one guitar? So no, it doesn’t bother me when I’m playing 8-String stuff 😉
Awesome video Uncle Ben when are you gonna break down some of your Arc songs? They’re awesome!
Thank you! I guess if there was demand for it I would!
I got one in 2020 and never looked back. I float between Drop A, B flat and A standard. Just so much fun to play and I think it made me a better player. Great video uncle Ben!
Maybe I am just a nerd but one of the reason why 7 strings are my main guitar is because of how symmetrical 3 note per string scales are. People are coming out with courses now based off 3 note per string systems and all of it comes from playing 7 strings. The patterns became vary clear with 7 strings and it makes it super easy to play all over the fret board without really thinking about it. Also the number 7 is super important in music theory. There are 7 notes in a diatonic scale and with a 7 string you can play all 7 notes of the scale in one chord simultaneously, you might not like the sound but if your into jazz or experimental music it is really cool. There are also 7 modes and with the 3 notes per string system you have a mode on every string in one position. It also makes it much easier to do 4 octave patterns.
Sam Vallen is a crazy talented guitarist that mostly uses 7 string guitars for Caligulas Horse. I went the universe route myself after seeing him play the white one in C-Horse clips
I want to be Sam when I grow up.
Yeah! Let's hear the stories about all your sevens. I've only ever played cheap sevens that play like crap so I've never liked them but always wanted one. Your chord suggestions are super helpful and would love to see more about chord shapes that can include the low B. I'm definitely more encouraged to get one now.
Those old 1990s Ibanez guitars are it! My main guitar throughout all these years is still a highly modded RG7620. The original Wizard 7 neck and the lo pro edge bridge just have it.
That Universe is just straight up godly!
I got the Premium reissue almost a week ago and I love it to bits ;)
I play 7 and 8 strings and I will never go back to a 6 string. I love the low chugs, the baritone scale, the endless depths you can reach, the range, simply all of it.
I mostly play dark ambient metal, djent, thall style riffs and my god 7 and 8 strings are just PERFECT for that. HUGE chords voicings, insane melodies possible and riffs that actually use all 7 or 8 string sound HUGE. I actually feel limited when going back to a 6 string. It feels... wrong... love my Ibanez RGDMS8 and my RGD71ALMS. Perfect guitars that play BEAUTIFUL!
People who say that nobody needs 7 or 8 strings is just wrong :D Great vid ma doode!
Personally I would like to see a video dedicated to your whole guitar collection and how you use them / what you use them for !! I love everything guitar !!
Awesome video as always!
Glad you enjoyed!
I am thinking of getting an Ibanez UV70P-BK for my first 7 string guitar
Great video. I recently got my first 7 string, a Harley Benton Amarok 7 and I love it.
I just started on 8 strings. Never had a seven string, always had a five-string bass . I tune it in such a way that if it's an f sharp standard, I turn the g string into a little f sharp so that all the standard chord shapes can be played on the middle sixth strings they're just in the key of b at that point, then I just use the 8 string in either drop e or it's regular f-sharp and I get this cool effect and very unique sound from it and I don't think I would ever go back. I like the symmetry of having the four tuners on each side of the headstock.
My RG550 is in my profile pic. More is definitely more . But when getting with my garage band buddies. The diversity between individuals had us going nuts grabbing different guitars. We were playing Beatles, Led Zep , Korn and AIC . Thanks for the ideas the cowboy stuff is cool . You have really nice guitars .
I still remember when Dead Heart in a Dead World by Nevermore was released. This is where I discovered both, 7 string guitars and Jeff Loomis. What an insane guitar player. It took a while but I got his Schecter signature... this video has become a perfect excuse to bring it out of its case.
Perfect Timing. I just ordered my first 7 string guitar!
JP first used a 7 string in the Mirror in Awake, even the video features it. Loving the content mate
Yep, The Mirror, Caught in a Web, and Lie
the band that got me into playing 7-strings is Spawn of Possession. got myself an RG7420 and then a UV777BK in 2012. i’ve kept the UV ever since-it’s the best 7-string guitar this planet has to offer
Fit for an autopsy got me into 7s. More is definitely more better. 🎉 sick vid uncle B
Love this vid bro!!! And your riffs!!! Fantastic! Dude all ur ibys!!!!! The green dot!! Man! I’d love one of those OGs
Great vid Ben. Yes let’s see a 7 string gear video! 👊
Definitely would love to geek out on all them there 7s. I'm a huge Ibanez fan boy. I didn't know you had so many, dude. I'm green with envy. Nice work. Much love.
Thanks Steve!
I just got another 7 string again, finally! My 8 was physically Too Large & Heavy to play comfortably, but my Q547 is perfect
I regret selling my green LTD H-207 back in the day
Oh, and I can’t forget frequenting the same boards on SSO with Uncle Ben himself - that’s where I saw ya post the very first weekend wankshop! Went by Zeno back then
I'm sure many will point this out but Awake came out before ACoS. More 7 string vids please Uncle Ben!
Ah! Got me
Great video, as always, uncle Ben! And it was nice to hear you mentioning Roger Wooten and Scott Mishoe! I'd add Christopher Godin to this list too. He was one of the pioneers on slap guitar, amongst with the beats you've mentioned!
happy new year uncle Ben, regards from Mexico!
YES!!!! Do a video about all your Ibanez guitars!!!!
Vai for me as well!! My biggest miss with gear was a friend told me to go to the local shop and get a Bob Bradshaw foot controller in like ‘97… For a rig I didn’t have… But someday…
In the corner was a 7-string for about the same price as the controller. It wasn’t a Universe, not even close, but it was still a 7. Left with the controller, but came back the next day and it was gone….
I play a 7 as a 6...just felt in love with the neck and freatboard of my rg1527
I haven't been playing enough guitar for a long time but all I've been thinking about at work recently is playing and learning songs from a lot of my favorite bands. Mostly 7 string players (Mnemic, Fear Factory, Revocation, Cognizance) so I've been shopping around online thinking if i should buy one. This is the push I needed! Thanks Uncle Ben! 🎸🤘
Such a joy to watch! I'm lucky enough to have a green dot original Universe like you, got it in the late 90's. After 25 + years of fun, I finally figured out my preferred way to tune, which is treating the B as the lowest of six strings. Suddenly it feels so much more logical, you're playing a guitar in B standard, you get a wound G, and an extra high E on top, and can reap the benefits any way you see fit! Have you tried this? Has anyone else?! Best wishes!!!
Thanks Uncle Ben, Great historical of the 7 string, Much luv yr collection 👍
Yes please do videos on your individual 7s. Great video as always!
There’s only one Uncle Ben - awesome video !
Bought an rgix27feqm after amp shopping years ago, grabbed the first 7 off the wall to test the amps because I was playing a 6 in C, fell in love with the guitar and the next day I wet back with my amp layaway money and put it towards the guitar. Although I like to play in B flat now, I love the versatility of the 7 and feel more comfortable with it than anything else. I will say that 8 was had to wrap my head around and I went back to 7 quickly
THANK YOU, STEVE ! Thank you, Brother Ben. I, too, love all 7 of my 7 strings 😅 great thunder coming from your playing. Thank you for this video..
I can play anything on drop A or below without changing the tuning
Or if i need standard tuning i can just use it from the sixth string
I got into 7 strings through Keith morrow and got me (surprise) a km7-hybrid.excellent video uncle ben , as always 🤘
Yes, we do want to see all guitars individually! And a great video as always
More ARC dude!!
Lacuna Coil and Korn got me into 7 strings back in the early 2000's, been playing them ever since!
Nice kit you've got going on!
I was hoping you were going to mention Morbid Angel. Most people gloss over their contribution. Trey and Erik are why I got my Universe's
Thanks Unc!
My god. Do you have any Arc albums for sale?!?! I have been an avid 7 string player for decades, and I love what I'm hearing!
They are just on SoundCloud as far as I know but maybe we could throw them up on Bandcamp as well and then they'd at least be downloadable to put on devices or cd's or whatever.
If you're into the choppy chugs, check out the early djent bands like Fellsilent. Meshuggah also used 7 string guitars for a while
on another note... i 'm going over your "Still of the Night " tutorial... as i wipe away my tears from learning the sorrowful chords of sadness... im wondering.. When is Ben going to cover another SYKES sONG!!!!!
I just recently picked up a 99 translucent blue shecter diamond a few months ago. Looked almost untouched got it for a song with a serious travel case. Saw it and brought me back to late 90s park 2ks when I had my band and we started seeing 7 string options other than ibanez available.
Thanks, uncle Ben :) Artificial Brain is the band that made me want to get a seven string. Those Arc songs are awesome. I will definitely be spending some time trying to learn them!
Thanks, Steve! Ironically, I got him to sign the the backing plate of my 7-string at a meet & greet a couple of years back.
Guitar collection vid? Amazing guitars!!!
Love the swirls! I’d love to know more about your Ibanez collection in general. I know absolutely nothing about Ibanez guitars and I’m thinking I need one in my life.
Arc sounds amazing bro!
7 String Forever😎🤙
Thanks Steve.
That Ibanez universe’s Floyd looks like a dragster. That shit sounds evil and tight af. Great finishes on your guitars. Thanks Steve. Diggin the ARC Riffs too.
Thanks Neil
Petrucci and Heaffy are the reason I got into seven strings.
Ironically though I just finished building a six string custom RGD-550 looking abomination that is set up for baritone B standard tuning. For the time that I owned a bog-standard RG7421, I began to enjoy living in the low end of stuff but I never truly grasped the best way to use the low B with the other 6 strings XD and upon trying out "baritone" tuning for abit, I decided that's what I truly wanted. Just my thoughts I guess, but maybe one day I'll get another 7 for fun.
Meshuggah in the 90's was the 7-string revelation to me, and still #1 in my "best band ever" -list 🖤
Meshuggah the 1 string band.
Long time viewer & fan, first time replying. Love the content Ben, and this one's right on the money!!
I got into the 7-string movement right as it became huge in '98. I was alrwady playing 6-strings tuned to B anyway, so the 7-string just seemed like a no brainer. The tuning of it was easy, I loved the versatility of having my normal 6 strings - with an extra low string , to cover just about anything I was going to play at the time... plus the 7-string neck just seems to fit my big hands better, so all wins as far as I was concerned 😂😂! Everything you said in this video is soooo right on the money - with one slight correction... On Whitesnake's "Slip Of The Tongue" album, that was actually recorded with the Universe prototype - "Metal Mutt" Steve named it - that Ibanez made for Steve Vai in 1989. But also: HUGE kudos for mentioning Trey Azagthoth & Morbid Angel, they really are pretty much the first ones to bring the 7-string into the world besides Steve and help demonstrate what its capable of outside of the virtuoso realm of it... You also touched on a few aspects of the 7-string's histroy, which still not many people are aware of, which was very cool too!!
Lastly: the stuff you did with Arc sounds killer! I didnt know you had that project, and I'm gonna have to see if I can find and add ot to my music library! Keep up the great work, awesome videos & content! Happy New Year man!
🤘😎🎸🍻✌️
Thanks so much dude!
I sold my old school Universe (uv7bk) in 2002 because life. It was my favorite guitar from when I got in 1991. Still miss it.
Picked up a beat up AX a few years ago for literally $100. Best purchase Ive made. Just extra range and chug, just SO comfortable to play.
Revocation! Please do a video on Dave Davidson and Revocation!
I know I'm pretty late; Buuut(t) happy new year uncle Ben!
7 String in the Beginning felt like playing a harp to me, but if you get used to it- Boom!
Cool video! I think I decided to pick my first 7 string after getting obsessed with Nevermore and those sick riffs Jeff Loomis wrote there. Have played 6s, 7s and 8s I still believe 7s are the sweet spot :)
Hi Ben, nice video and awesome seven strings collection. I like your tone and the great job that you have done with your guitars. I think you´re a collector of 7 strings guitar. There is a 7 string guitar that impressed me the first time i saw it, i´m talking about the Parker MaxxFly 7 String DFMV7MR. Awesome guitar, it would be awesome watching a video about you playing that guitars. regards from Vietnam dude!!
Very cool. I used to play 7 string guitars. I was in high school during the "Nu Metal Wave" and thus my first band, Asunder, was a nu-metal screamo band, with lots of Korn influence. I was stoked when the guitar solo came back with bands like Atreyu and Killswitch Engague, Bullet for my Valentine, etc (The metalcore days).
My first real world experience with seven strings was taking guitar lessons from Steve Smyth who at the time was playing in Nevermore and so always had a seven string in our lessons. At the time I was playing in C standard and my strings felt like wet spaghetti. I was listening to a lot of Nevermore, DreamTheater, Scar Symmetry, Blotted Science, Animals As Leaders and realized I could have my low tuning without sacrificing string tension. Now I’ve been playing seven string guitars almost exclusively for about twenty years and I’m never going back.
My uncle turned me onto Steve Vai growing up and seeing him with that universe made me freak out as a kid in the early early 90's. growing up through the 90's with bands like KoRn, amd Deftones made me instinctively want to pick up a 7 string eventually as well. I played 6 up until 2016 and finally spent my tax return on an Ibanez RGIR37BFE and its been my main guitar since. I absolutely love that guitar to death. I just love the fact you can go heavy with the tunes and drop but still keep your highs as well.
I just feel like 7 is the best of both worlds.
@16:26 it sounds like a Chris Poland influence going on there. Love it 🤘
Great video - saving this for future ref - actually chilled me out over the fear of 7-strings (I can't even play 6 yet but want a 7 anyway!)
awesome vid, awesome content and compilation. missed the fredrik thordendal and what he did with meshugga's destroy-erase-improve 1995, with his UV greendot.
Definitely curious about the swirling process!
"Hombre de Siete" - LOVE IT! 😄
Your BEADGbBe tuning made me fall in love with the 7 for a second time
Isn’t it great?! Love to hear that. Also, meshuggah, opeth, and Aphex as your avatar = you rule
Was introduced to the seven string axes in 2021, can't get enough since. That low B gave me SO much versatility, that now I simply cannot adapt to the six string)
I want a Universe so bad. I’ve always loved these videos because you always pull it out lol
Started using an RG7 in 2000 and never switched back to six strings. Mainly use an LTD SC-607 now. The sustain with the neck through is insane.
The mahogany body 7 string sounds awesome. And you're a pretty damn good artist too!!
I know why I like 7-strings. I’ve been playing them since ‘97; my Ibanez 7-strings have a particular “growl” to them that regular guitars don’t have.
Plus, I like the big necks.
7s are where I'm most comfortable. I learned guitar 'wrong' by using a 7 string and in open tuning (Bsus4), but when I was starting out I found it more comfortable to tune the G string down a semitone on a 7 string in standard. That gives you a big ol baritone guitar in however low you want to go on the low 6 strings with a high 4th rather than a standard E guitar with a funky low note that messed up where your head's at if you learned on an E standard or drop D guit. Just a cool way to easily transpose all your information relative to the lowest string of your guitar.
Great vid as always!!!
I almost exclusively play 7 strings. I bought my first one when I was 16 when I was obsessed with Whitechapel and Chelsea grin. Never really looked back I’ve Mained 7 strings for 14 years since then. I have four 7 strings, one 8, and only two 6 strings that I do not play.
My favorite tunings are drop A, Bb standard and drop Ab
Lets not forget…not only the extended lower range and different key change possibilities, but for me its more about the feel with a longer scale…fretboard is a bit roomier especially up higher on the neck. Thats just how i think of it tho…Keep on rockin those sevens if thats what makes ya feel good!!!