# 7-string classical guitar



## spencerdoidge (2 mo ago)

Does anyone here play a 7-string classical guitar?


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## Nate Miller (Oct 24, 2016)

not classical guitar, but I used to have a 7 string archtop

big George Van Epps fan, so naturally, I had to try

7 string classical guitar is going to be sort of hard to find music for because I don't know of anything in the standard repertoire that goes to a low B. There are lots of pieces that tune down to D, but that's a low as I usually come across. There might be some modern works for 7 string guitar, though


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## spencerdoidge (2 mo ago)

Here are my solutions: 1) Get the Bach cello suites BWV 1007-12 and read them down as is. 2) Play Brazilian chôro. Example: Trio Brasileiro on YouTube playing _Vibraçöes _and other pieces. Find a good reader and duet on pieces from The Chôro Fakebook and Almir Chediak's Chôro Songbooks 1-3 (scribd.com). If you happen to live near Eugene, Oregon, let me know.


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## Nate Miller (Oct 24, 2016)

spencerdoidge said:


> Here are my solutions: 1) Get the Bach cello suites BWV 1007-12 and read them down as is. 2) Play Brazilian chôro. Example: Trio Brasileiro on YouTube playing _Vibraçöes _and other pieces. Find a good reader and duet on pieces from The Chôro Fakebook and Almir Chediak's Chôro Songbooks 1-3 (scribd.com). If you happen to live near Eugene, Oregon, let me know.



I do have a copy of the cello suites for cello, and if you are going to do your own transcriptions, then a 7 string guitar could come in handy. Its like having an instrument that nobody writes for, so you have to go find your own music. Sounds like the makings of a very nice hobby. The cello does go down to a C, so having a B string would put any cello piece on the menu.

But what I said was that I've never come across any guitar works that needed a low B string. Not that a low B can't be useful transcribing, I'm just saying you are going to hurt your eyes looking for guitar pieces that go that low. Its just practical. If you are going to publish for the guitar, and then publish a piece that is out of the standard range, you might not sell many copies.

transcribing other works would be a great use of the lower string, though.

I've never personally known anybody who ever had or played a 7 string classical guitar, but Labella does make strings for them, so you must not be alone


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## spencerdoidge (2 mo ago)

Nate Miller said:


> I do have a copy of the cello suites for cello, and if you are going to do your own transcriptions, then a 7 string guitar could come in handy. Its like having an instrument that nobody writes for, so you have to go find your own music. Sounds like the makings of a very nice hobby. The cello does go down to a C, so having a B string would put any cello piece on the menu.
> 
> But what I said was that I've never come across any guitar works that needed a low B string. Not that a low B can't be useful transcribing, I'm just saying you are going to hurt your eyes looking for guitar pieces that go that low. Its just practical. If you are going to publish for the guitar, and then publish a piece that is out of the standard range, you might not sell many copies.
> 
> ...


It's easier to read and write bass clef for chôro and cello. Since that's all I do now, it's not a burden. Here's a page from my current project. The hardest thing about this is the chords. I don't know how long it will take to get the feel of spanning these chords with the right hand, e.g., the last chord in the piece. I don't care. I will never perform these pieces anywhere. That makes them a pure pleasure for me. I have stuff on You Tube: Spencer Doidge. It does nothing for me. I have a talented friend who plays a Strat so beautifully that I will continue gigging with him for the few farthings we get.


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## spencerdoidge (2 mo ago)

I got two books published in the 1980s. One paid up front. The other was supposed to pay out periodically. Of course, though they sold copies, they never paid out. The books were _Fingerpicking Joplin _(paid up) and _Fingerpicking Ellington _(still waiting), both from Music Sales Corp. I also agreed to do a book for a publisher named Matanya Ophee, but before that could happen he sold out to one of the big publishing houses and that killed the book. After that, no publishers. I have never paused writing one thing or another. It's what I do. When I die, my son will probably hang on to the paper and digital media because he's sentimental. He doesn't play. After that I hope that the paper and digitals will be properly recycled and discarded.


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## Nate Miller (Oct 24, 2016)

I think I've had a copy of your Ellington book. Get out of here, that's really you? 

Good stuff, buddy!


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## spencerdoidge (2 mo ago)

Yes. And now I want to express my pleasure and gratitude to you for these replies. I'm done with my boasting. 
I would be pleased to hear more about you and your journey with this stringed beast that we play, or that plays us.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

7 strings? I struggle enough with 6 strings. I wonder if 'Wonderwall' is much harder on 7 strings?


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