An 8-string guitar may not be every guitar player’s first choice of axe, but they are certainly unique instruments, and can really aid in playing some truly awesome gritty and growling riffs. The 7-string is a far more common weapon of choice for guitarists who primarily play metal or other “riff-heavy” styles. That said, an 8-string can offer sonic possibilities that truly bridges the gap between a standard 6-string and a bass guitar.
But how is an 8-string guitar tuned? In this article, we’ll look at how to tune an 8-string guitar with standard tuning, as well as some unique alternatives for you to try out. Let’s dive in!
Of course, any player who is interested can try out an 8-string guitar, but the primary use of these instruments is for “metal” music. This includes Metalcore, Nu Metal, and Alt Metal. The extra lower strings allow for a much deeper, heavier, and overall darker sound that is perfect for this musical style.
That said, an 8-string guitar can also have applications in classical and jazz music. The additional bass strings can provide more sonic options for basslines and unique chord voicings, aspects that are commonly used in these playing styles.
Some well-known 8-string players include:
So, what exactly is the difference between a 6-string and 8-string guitar? Well, an 8-string has two extra lower strings to play deeper bass tones. The standard tuning for an 8-string is thus the same as a 6-string, with the seventh string tuned an interval of a fourth lower, at B, and the eighth a fifth below that, which is an F#.
This follows the standard guitar tuning of tuning the strings all being tuned in fourth intervals, except in this case the eighth string is tuned a fifth lower—we’ll explain why the eighth string is typically tuned this way below.
So, a standard 8-string tuning is as follows:
The main advantage of not sticking with the fourth interval tuning of a standard guitar is playability. This tuning allows the player to hold standard-shaped power chords on the bottom three strings just like you would on a 6-string, making the learning curve far easier.
Since 8-string guitars are typically utilized for heavier, more “metal” playing styles, this makes a lot of sense. You can also drop all the strings down a half or even an entire step for a heavier sound. A half step down would be tuned as such:
And a full step down would be:
Because 8-string guitars are used primarily for metal-style playing, drop tunings and alternative tunings are used just as much, if not more so than a “standard” tuning. Let’s look at some of the most common options below:
The most common drop tuning for an 8-string is to simply drop the lowest string, the F#, down to E. This is known as a “drop E” tuning. This is similar in concept to a “drop D” tuning on a standard 6-string. A drop-E tuning on an 8-string would look as follows:
There are several advantages to using this tuning, the main one being an even more extended tonal range, and chord shapes you can hold give more sonic options. There are also some natural harmonics that will ring through, juxtaposing the heavy-sounding drop tuning with some options for more melodic undertones.
You can also, as we demonstrated above, take this same tuning setup, and drop it by a half or full step for an even heavier, lower sound.
Open tunings typically involve tuning the guitar strings to a chord, allowing the strings to be played without being fretted and still sounding great. This is where the name “open tuning” comes from. With standard 6-string guitars, the options for open tunings are almost endless, and the same goes for 8-string guitars.
That said, it’s very important to remember that these alternative tunings mean that the guitar will now need to be fretted in an entirely different way—the standard chord or power chord shapes no longer apply. This is especially vital to remember if you’re playing with a bassist or another guitarist. They’ll need to tune their instrument to the same tuning as you, or they will need to take some time to work out how to follow along with the shapes you’re playing.
Another issue with open tunings is that they typically require the strings to be tuned down in pitch, and this can create a lot of buzzing, plus even some intonation issues, depending on how much lower you’re tuning your strings. If the open tunings or even standard tuning pitched down a step or more is something you feel you may be interested in, you’ll want to get some heavier gauge strings. These will allow you to tune down lower without creating as much buzz or intonation issues as lighter strings may do.
There are, as mentioned earlier, a ton of options for open tunings, but some of the most common ones are open E and open D.
Open E:
Open D:
Truthfully, playing an 8-string or even 7-string guitar is trickier than a 6-string. More strings equal more complexity, after all. That said, once you get the hang of it, the extra strings open up more options rather than make playing more difficult.
Technically, playing an 8-string is not that much more difficult once you get used to it, but you will need to get used to the longer scale length, wider fretboard, and tighter string spacing.
The world of 8-string guitars is an exciting one, and for the guitarist looking to open up some more sonic possibilities in their guitar playing, an 8 or even 7-string guitar can be a great option. These, paired with alternate tunings and effects pedals will ensure an infinite number of options for those looking for unique voicings on their instrument.
We hope this article has helped answer all your questions when it comes to tuning an 8-string guitar, but if you have any more questions, please let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading!
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