The number of those who want to learn how to play the Russian seven-string guitar is growing every year, despite the fact that in many countries the classical Spanish six-string is much more popular. The seven-string guitar has its own characteristics and advantages. There are also some techniques that are unique to this guitar. Some of them were invented by gypsy performers - the seven-string guitar was and remains the favorite instrument of Russian gypsies. Often, a seven-string guitar sounds in a duet with a six-string, domra or balalaika.
It is necessary
- Guitar
- Fork
- 7-string guitar chord chart
- Tablatures
- Digital
- Notes for seven-string guitar
Instructions
Step 1
Tune your guitar. The seven-string guitar is built according to the G major tonic triad. The first string is tuned as a D of the 1st octave. Check it out with a tuning fork. If you have a regular tuning fork with a mustache that produces an A sound, then the first string, clamped at the seventh fret, should sound in unison with the tuning fork. The following strings are tuned as B-G-Re-B-Sol-Re.
Step 2
The seven-string guitar has a significant advantage over other instruments. You can play almost all chords on it with or without a barre, using the same position of the fingers of the left hand. Start with the chords with the most open strings. The main chord is in G major. You can pick it up without pinching the strings, but you can also use different inversions - for example, by holding the first, fourth or seventh string at the 5th fret.
Step 3
Learn to take a barre. Barre - a guitar trick when the index finger of the left hand grips part of the strings (small barre) or all (large barre). On a seven-string guitar, the barre can be played with your left thumb, which pinches the bass strings at the desired fret. In this case, the neck of the guitar actually lies in the palm of your hand.
Step 4
Learn the basic chords in G major and G minor. This is a tonic triad, as well as triads of the fourth and fifth degrees - C major and D major. Both of these chords can be played using the barre on the 5th and 7th frets. In general, the barre for a seven-string guitar is very important, since all major chords are easiest to pick using this technique. The G minor chord is played from the barre at the third fret, while the first, fourth, and seventh strings are clamped at the fifth fret. All other minor chords can be played in exactly the same position.
Step 5
Learn to play the seventh chord. For example, an A major seventh chord is played with the barre on the second fret, while the first or fourth string is gripped with the pinky or ring finger at the fifth fret. Try playing the rest of the seventh chords using the barre at different frets. In the seventh chord, the index and little fingers, or the middle finger, are involved. With the rest you can try clamping other frets. You will get different chords that can be useful when choosing the accompaniment.
Step 6
Try playing without the barre. Play the familiar G major chord on the closed strings. The first string is clamped with the little finger at the fifth fret, the second with the index finger at the third, and the third with the middle finger at the fourth fret. With your ring finger, you can try different sounds on the bass and listen to what happens - this is in any case useful when playing chords.
Step 7
At the same time, master the techniques of playing with your right hand. Start with simple brute force, with ascending and descending arpeggios. Arpeggios are played sequentially with all fingers of the right hand, except for the little finger. Then learn to play a simple fight. The fingers of the right hand touch the strings with the back, mainly with the nails. The thumb strikes the bass string at the right time. Play the fight in different rhythms. Try waltz, march, and something lyrical. When you learn to play with confidence with a simple fight, try a more difficult one, when the fingers of your right hand folded together touch the strings with both your nails and phalanges from the side of the palm.
