How to Tune a 7-String Guitar
- Standard 7-string tuning is B1 E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4: a 6-string in standard tuning plus a low B, a fourth below the low E.
- Tap Start Tuning and pluck one string at a time, muting the others. If it says Tune up, tighten the string. If it says Tune down, loosen it.
- For drop A, open Settings and choose Drop A, then lower the seventh string a whole step, from B1 to A1. It should sound one octave below the open A string.
The Low B String
The seventh string is 61.7 Hz in standard tuning and 55 Hz in drop A. Phone and laptop microphones pick up notes this low weakly, so the tuner reads the pitch from the string's overtones as well as its fundamental. On a simulated plucked low B it reads within 1 cent. Hold the phone close to the strings or the amp's speaker, and pluck firmly.
Strings for 7-String Guitar
Seven-string sets usually have a low B between about .056 and .064. For drop A, many players fit a heavier seventh string, about .064 or more, so it doesn't flop. A longer scale, such as 26.5 or 27 inches, also keeps the low strings tighter at the same gauge.
What 7-String Guitars Are Used For
7-string guitars are common in metal, where the low B and drop A give heavy riffs without retuning a 6-string. Some jazz guitarists also use a seventh string, often tuned to a low A, for bass lines under chords.
Tune up to each note rather than down to it. If you go past, loosen the string below the note and come back up: the string holds its pitch better that way.
String Notes and Frequencies
At the standard reference pitch, A4 = 440 Hz. String 1 is the highest-pitched string.
Standard
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | B1 | 61.74 Hz |
| 6 | E2 | 82.41 Hz |
| 5 | A2 | 110.00 Hz |
| 4 | D3 | 146.83 Hz |
| 3 | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 2 | B3 | 246.94 Hz |
| 1 | E4 | 329.63 Hz |
Drop A
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | A1 | 55.00 Hz |
| 6 | E2 | 82.41 Hz |
| 5 | A2 | 110.00 Hz |
| 4 | D3 | 146.83 Hz |
| 3 | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 2 | B3 | 246.94 Hz |
| 1 | E4 | 329.63 Hz |