Pros and Cons of Baritone, 7 String, or 8 String Guitars? | Extended Range Guitar Discussion Review

Рет қаралды 7,406

Күн бұрын

This is a discussion about extended range guitars - 7 string guitars, 8 string guitars, and even baritone 6 string guitars. Do you really need this extended range and these extra strings or are 6 strings enough and these are overhyped gimmicks? This unsponsored discussion goes over the pros and cons of these types of instruments to provide information in case you’re wondering if this type of guitar is right for you.
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Over the years I’ve used both downtuned 6 string guitars as well as 7 and 8 string guitars to create music that’s both performed on KZfaq and distributed on streaming services such as Spotify. There’s no denying the utility extended range guitars provide. Even if you’re not playing heavy metal, which is where they’re most common, you can still use them to freely create music. For example, background music used in this video was recorded on the 8 string Abasi Larada Master Series you see (Contexture Campaign EP on all streaming services).
Extended range guitars push the physical limitations of the guitar both mathematically (see the acoustic beating phenomenon) and practically, stepping on the toes of the bass. You will need to rethink your guitar tone and choice of notes. If you do, a world of octaves below the standard is available to you and you can create any kind of music from hard hitting modern metal to free meandering jazz.
There are difficulties when picking up an extended range guitar. The extra strings demand both improved muting technique as well as increased attention as the additional string will get in the way of seeing what you’re playing. The difficulty is compounded by any non-standard features such as a multiscale fretboard. These strings will always be present even if you’re not playing them for most of your set, so take into consideration whether you really need those lower notes and whether they’ll fit into your recorded song’s mix or your band’s frequency space.
00:00 Intro and not sponsored
00:39 Use both drop tunings and extended range guitars
00:50 Discussing guitars with either longer scale length or more than 6 strings
01:06 Not reviewing these guitars
Why Extended Range Guitars?
01:17 Benefits of extended range
01:22 No Substitute for hitting the actual low notes
01:51 Trick to get low notes on a 6 string
02:15 Access to low notes without downtuning the standard 6 strings
02:42 Don’t have to play the lowest strings every song
03:03 Baritone 6 strings have the same width neck as standard 6 string guitars
03:10 Guitars with more strings have a wider, flatter neck
03:22 Longer scale lengths for better intonation, tension, and more space at the higher frets
03:28 Multiscale fretboards
Disadvantages of Extended Range Guitars
04:15 Disadvantages
04:26 Thin wide necks back if you prefer thick round necks
04:48 Some songs not possible on extended range guitars if they rely on 6 string tunings
05:34 Looking at more strings takes more thought
06:05 Multiscale shifts top fret markers away from treble side fret positions
06:52 Extended range guitars feel like a different instrument than a typical 6
07:07 Acoustic beating makes close intervals between low notes sound dissonant
07:45 Pitch drift on lower strings
08:07 Evertune is helpful but feels different
08:57 Lowest notes overlap with bass
09:26 Baritone 6 strings long scale length long stretches
09:44 Tuning really low because inaudible clanging
My Preferences
10:19 My preferences based off of my experiences
10:30 Extended range guitars are usable
10:43 6 string guitars will always feel like home
10:59 Use 7 strings if the song calls for it
11:23 My tunings
11:38 8 string as last resort
11:50 Why 1 whole step down tuned
12:07 Mixing low tuned guitars becomes a challenge
12:31 Pitch drift is a big factor
Overall
13:00 Do you need an extended range guitar?
13:04 Yes if you need to hit the low notes
13:24 Otherwise definitely not
14:13 Outro
14:36 Cat

Пікірлер: 83

@DarthCalculus Ай бұрын

As a (primarily) pianist I definitely identify with stepping on other instruments' ranges. Had a bass player once point to my lowest octave and basically tell me not to play those notes

@HighZ Ай бұрын

Haha hopefully that's before you guys started playing and not after!

@EmileA-gs1kk 27 күн бұрын

I mean… you bought the whole piano, go use the whole piano.

@OceanMan69 19 күн бұрын

Really loving the non-biased, down to earth attitude. These types of videos are worth so much more than those sponsored 3 trillion sub channel reviews. Thanks for adding real quality to the online guitar community.

@HighZ 19 күн бұрын

Thank you for the kind words! I figure since I have all these, I might as well put out the information I was looking for when doing research. Figure I'll keep making videos like this as long as I have something useful to say. Cheers!

@ProgSchmock 28 күн бұрын

Pro: sounds sick :) Con: harder to play :(

@HighZ 28 күн бұрын

Pretty much

@adrianmyers7927 14 күн бұрын

Bought my first 8 string, I absolutely love it. Definitely not everyone's cup of tea, definitely wide fret board, but the sound of chords with more bass just make is so worth it. It helps that my hands have naturally long, thin and stretchy fingers to really hit the wide amount of strings.

@HighZ 14 күн бұрын

Sounds like it fits you well. Can't wait to hear what you do with it!

@ALBOIN85 22 күн бұрын

Quite a collection of guitars you have there!

@HighZ 22 күн бұрын

Thanks!

@necroticpoison 6 күн бұрын

My favourites for both: For 6, comfort and layout, plus 4 round octaves. 7+: playing off the e but having the few notes lower you can pedal off of or make chords with. You can basically approach the key centre note (e) from below. A song that highlights it is Kirisute Gomen. Can be very refreshing to listen to and play. For me, I'm going to stick with 6 tuned low. 6 just feels right, like a smooth road. With a 6, you can still do the 7 string's play off the e thing with lower note access, you just need to tune low to get your desired key to be on the 5th string, so often need a bari. Great vid.

@HighZ 5 күн бұрын

Thank you! Very insightful thoughts too, I gotta listen to that song. Definitely going with a lower tuned 6 string primarily. I have almost all of my 6s in drop C!

@Panurg81 11 күн бұрын

i really like your attitude. not claiming anyting and still very educative. thanks for your content. would love that more ppl be so open and transparent. really appreciate it.

@HighZ 11 күн бұрын

Thanks! I agree. I'm doing my best to make the videos I would have wanted to find so that means a lot

@michaelbeach3269 23 күн бұрын

Finally a normal guitar review!!!!

@michaelbeach3269 23 күн бұрын

Correction not a guitar review...... extended range review lol

@HighZ 23 күн бұрын

All good. I try to give information and not twist anything! There also are guitar reviews on the channel like this too

@13_cmi 16 күн бұрын

Low tunings are of course great for the crazy metal. I love that stuff. But sometimes I just put on some reverb and delay with a clean tone and it just sounds beautiful. A few times doing that I nearly fell fell asleep. I could enjoy a 7 string for sure.

@HighZ 16 күн бұрын

Clean tones are definitely fun to use! I used the 8 string and clean tones for my video background music so I definitely agree

@str11pes 24 күн бұрын

this is really good bro. subd

@HighZ 24 күн бұрын

Thanks, I appreciate it!

@heavenly2k 19 күн бұрын

I think this video will be really helpful for someone curious about guitars that arent your typical 6 string. I'm 23 and have had my 6 string since I was in elementary school and just recently got a new guitar finally. It's a 7 string with an evertune bridge and I'm definitely in love. I'm now more used to it than my 6 string. For the record, I dont just make metal. I'm tuned to Drop E but that tuning is good for basically everything lol even dream pop and shoegaze . Have had my guitar for over a year now and I haven't found it to be too hard to get used to.

@HighZ 19 күн бұрын

Sounds like a huge upgrade! 7s aren't for everyone but for those who can think of how to use them and enjoy the feel and function, they're so useful and fun!

@connor_ge 14 күн бұрын

I finally admitted my hands weren't big enough and sold my 7 and 8 string, now I have a 6 string baritone and don't really miss the high notes

@HighZ 14 күн бұрын

Always important picking the right too for the job that's comfortable to use!

@Crispy_Music_2024 23 күн бұрын

Thank you for making these types of videos. They are really enjoyable to watch and the info you share is valuable, especially when we can't get in-person experience with guitars and have to buy before we try.

@HighZ 23 күн бұрын

Thanks! I'm glad these are informative and enjoyable. I wanted to make videos covering things I wish I knew when researching, so your kind words mean a lot!

@Piano-music-with-İuliia Ай бұрын

Excellent video, my friend, - thanks for information !!😊❤🔥

@HighZ Ай бұрын

Thank you, glad you liked it!

@avidia_music Ай бұрын

What a wonderful collection of guitars man, I'm so jealous!!

@HighZ Ай бұрын

Thank you! I figure I can use them to give useful information in addition to making music

@cameronneal4 20 күн бұрын

This is a very pleasant video.

@HighZ 20 күн бұрын

Thank you very much!

@gardengit Ай бұрын

Great and informative video. There is also the 7th string on classical guitars which can be a new color. Thanks so much for sharing👌

@HighZ Ай бұрын

Thanks! Yep I've seen them in videos. Waiting for the day to see one in person!

@Consolous Ай бұрын

I'm familiar with the different voice types and one of the male voices is Baritone so I always wondered about Baritone guitars. This is some great info, maybe in the future I'll consider one for heavier stuff and lower tones like Sludge metal. Beautiful guitars by the way and another great review my brother

@HighZ Ай бұрын

One could be useful! It'll of course always feel different than your 6 string. And thanks!

@bane9832 19 күн бұрын

also a massive thing i wanna comment on, going from a 4 to a 5 sting bass is super easy, but going back to 4 string is so much harder for some reason, i dont know how that translates to guitar its probably even harder

@HighZ 19 күн бұрын

Tough to say! I do have a 5 string bass but I'm 100% a guitarist. Maybe its a combination of how a bass is played, how notes are selected, or maybe a combination of even more factors. Don't know which one is more difficult but there's no need to compare. Songs need both guitar and bass to rock!

@bane9832 19 күн бұрын

@@HighZ yeah but in my case i sold my first bass, 4st and got a 5st, using it for 2 years at this point and when i play my friends jazz bass its super awkward cus the neck is so much thinner and the strings further appart

@brunofaustino3689 Ай бұрын

I was having the same talk with my drummer today! I have two 7 string guitars but I am thinking in buying a 8 string guitar for our new album! Great video, btw!

@HighZ Ай бұрын

Sweet, what a coincidence! There's definitely a lot to think about when making the jump for 7 to 8 strings

@brunofaustino3689 Ай бұрын

@@HighZ Yes, really, it was a coincidence! We usually play in drop B, but now I am also playing in drop A with a 7-string guitar... As we are writing new stuff, we are exploring different tones and an 8-string and/or baritone guitar may be a good addition. Also, I am more in tune with Ibanez than previously.

@eggpod4567 28 күн бұрын

@@brunofaustino3689Dude, look into Agiles from Rondo music. They have an 8 string right now with a flody rose, with active EMG pick-ups. For 749. They're so well built. My Ibanez RG-8. Needs some upgrades. My Agile comes studio ready basically. They're perfect. It has a 28 inch scale too. I just got an Interceptor pro myself. (Got the last one) and it seven better then the one I mentioned. It has 3 pick-ups, along with the other features listed above. It's the best guitar I've ever owned. I swear by them.

@fionnwallenwein7110 27 күн бұрын

whats the band name dude, im always down for some music i havent listened to!

@juser-abuser 24 күн бұрын

@@brunofaustino3689 start to learn basic chords, edgy kid

@Nachtmahr616 Ай бұрын

Evertune is the best thing that has happened in terms of guitar inventions, imo. Boomers hate it but I love such modern solutions to common annoyances. Just got my first one on a Solar T1.7, so I hope it will reduce the need for baritone scales, since my goblin hands really don't like them

@HighZ Ай бұрын

Haha awesome! I love my T1.7 so I get the feeling you're going to love yours too! You're right, the evertune is a fantastic addition to modern guitar features

@alice_piano 29 күн бұрын

Excellent sharing🙌👍Have a pleasant week :)

@HighZ 29 күн бұрын

Thank you and you too!

@Theloserguy_312 18 күн бұрын

Amazing explanation tysm

@HighZ 17 күн бұрын

Happy it helps!

@JoeFiumara Ай бұрын

Great review interesting and informative 👍 Awesome guitars 🎸😎 The only time I owned an eight string guitar was to play final fantasy prelude to get the low octave Never really played it after that.

@HighZ Ай бұрын

That'll be perfect for that! But yeah I need to really try to use the 8 string. Otherwise the 6 or 7 strings are enough. And thanks!

@vonicrimson3619 21 күн бұрын

I treat my 7 string a little differently, for b standard I can use drop a and drop d which is pretty cool

@HighZ 21 күн бұрын

Yep a huge advantage is you can have drop A and/or drop D on the same guitar

@theiranxican7412 20 күн бұрын

I really REALLY wanted to utilize my 7 strings as 6 string too but that 7th string just gets the best of me struggling to mute it. So I just down tune some 6 strings to let's say drop A# and just use the drop tune block in helix to go lower. Still not perfect but I just have a better handling of my playing style.

@HighZ 20 күн бұрын

That's the thing, extra strings is useful but they add complication. There's always going to be that string there to have to work around. Sounds like you have a good working solution!

@MarmaladeMaki 29 күн бұрын

Also these gigantic guitars with cool funky abstract shapes and gigantic fretboards just look great if you are not the smallest person. Which is maybe a weird reason.

@HighZ 29 күн бұрын

It always helps when a guitar looks cool because then you'll be motivated to pick it up and play it!

@willkeasling1526 27 күн бұрын

Anything over a 6 string doesn't work for me cause I dig into my low e string and that extra string changes my style of playing.

@HighZ 26 күн бұрын

I hear you on that. The 7th string does take some getting used to every time, and then adding an 8 string starts to get a little ridiculous. 6 strings will always feel just right!

@ytudj 18 күн бұрын

what about 9 strings? (definitely asking for a friend)

@HighZ 18 күн бұрын

I don't have one but if I did, I'd probably tell your friend it's like the 8 but more. Wider neck, crazy scale length, so many strings. I get the feeling you'd have to really want to play that kind of guitar to enjoy it

@Kaptainbeer 28 күн бұрын

Top G

@HighZ 27 күн бұрын

🔝

@earthskraper 17 күн бұрын

No cons to the person clear on why they’re using these instruments.

@HighZ 16 күн бұрын

Well said!

@DarthCalculus Ай бұрын

I wouldn't even mind having five strings... Got to have that low open string to hit

@HighZ Ай бұрын

The five string bass is really useful! Even if you don't play the 5th string, you can anchor hour thumb on it

@DarthCalculus Ай бұрын

@@HighZ every once in a while, I think about either getting a baritone or putting a baritone neck on a regular six-string body. I just don't know if it's worth the investment of time and money

@HighZ Ай бұрын

Up to you! It would be useful and unlock a new world of possibilities. But it would always feel different than your standard 6 string and as you pointed out, it might overlap with your bass notes. Maybe if there's some particular songs you'd like to do?

@Crispy_Music_2024 23 күн бұрын

@DarthCalculus - For a given tuning, the longer scale you have on a guitar, the more overtones it'll create and be more "musical" just like going from a small piano to a grand piano. Short scales make the fundamental frequency the main output. If you play alone there's a significant musicality benefit to longer scales. If you play with a band, the longer scales will just cause more interference and cross-over with the bass guitar. If the bass or guitar plays more percussive notes, then that's not as much of an issue. If the bass and the guitar both play longer notes or drones, then it's more of an issue. I'm building another baritone from a used Squier strat (100) and new Fender Baritone 27" scale conversion neck (which was 269). That's about as cheap as it gets for making a baritone. Buying fully new from Gretsch and Danelectro isn't much more. If you're lucky, you can find a Squier baritone used and it'll likely be cheaper. Is it worth it to have a guitar that is more musical like a grand piano? I think so. Also, you could just use it as a transposing instrument, and tune it to D-standard, C#-standard, C-standard, B-standard and beyond depending what actual scale it is. To me, it's a whole lot of fun using the exact same fingering+fretting and outputting a key-shifted song. Finally, another benefit is physical and mental. Playing a guitar with different fret-spacing due to scale, will exercise your brain which is a good for us all in the long run. That's another reason I have guitars in scales of 24", 25.5", 27", 25.5-27" fanned fret, 30" (guitar and bass), 34" bass, 35" bass (4 and 5 string). Yes, I'm really big on worrying about neuroplasticity while aging.