Smooth Seven Drop: A Refined 7-String Palette

The "Smooth Seven Drop" tuning offers a nuanced and expressive sonic landscape for the 7-string guitar, subtly departing from standard tuning to unlock unique harmonic possibilities. This tuning is ideal for players seeking a slightly darker, more introspective, or modern sound without drastically altering their fundamental playing approach.

Verbal Analysis

At its core, "Smooth Seven Drop" takes the familiar 7-string foundation and introduces a delicate adjustment on the fourth and third strings. Both are lowered by a single semitone, transforming a standard B-E-A-D-G-B-E into B-E-A-C#4-F#4-B-E. This minor shift significantly alters the open string voicings and makes certain chord shapes readily available that would otherwise require more complex fingerings.

The open strings themselves don't immediately resolve into a simple major or minor chord, offering a rich, ambiguous quality. However, the presence of A, C#, E (an A Major triad) and B, C#, F# (a Bsus2) within the open notes suggests a natural affinity for compositions in A Major or B Minor/Dorian modes. Experimenting with open string drones against fretted melodies will yield intriguing results. This tuning lends itself well to atmospheric soundscapes, progressive rock, jazz fusion, or even extended range blues, where its unique harmonic tension can be fully explored.

A particularly clever aspect of this tuning is how it relates to standard 7-string. By simply fretting the 1st fret on both the 4th (C#) and 3rd (F#) strings, you effectively bring them up to D and G, respectively, restoring the familiar B-E-A-D-G-B-E standard 7-string configuration. This means many chord shapes and scales learned in standard tuning are just a simple fret adjustment away, making this a highly versatile and accessible alternative for players looking to expand their sonic palette without relearning everything from scratch.

Technical Analysis

This tuning is designed for a 7-string Guitar. Starting from the lowest string (String 7) to the highest (String 1), the notes are B1 E2 A2 C4# F4# B3 E4.

• String 7 (Low B): Remains B1, providing a solid, deep foundation.
• String 6 (E): Remains E2.
• String 5 (A): Remains A2.
• String 4 (C#): Tuned down one semitone from the standard D4. This creates a Major Third interval (4 semitones) between String 5 (A) and String 4 (C#), differing from the standard Perfect Fourth.
• String 3 (F#): Tuned down one semitone from the standard G4. This creates a Perfect Fourth interval (5 semitones) between String 4 (C#) and String 3 (F#).
• String 2 (B): Remains B3.
• String 1 (High E): Remains E4.

The resulting interval structure from low to high (ignoring octave shifts) is approximately: Perfect Fourth (B-E), Perfect Fourth (E-A), Major Third (A-C#), Perfect Fourth (C#-F#), Perfect Fourth (F#-B), Perfect Fourth (B-E). This re-arrangement of the Major Third interval, from its standard position between the 3rd and 2nd strings, creates unique harmonic possibilities in open voicings and chord shapes.

How to Tune

To achieve the "Smooth Seven Drop" tuning from standard 7-string tuning (B1 E2 A2 D4 G4 B3 E4), follow these steps:

• String 7 (Low B): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 6 (E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 5 (A): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 4 (C#): Tune down 1 semitone from D to C#.
• String 3 (F#): Tune down 1 semitone from G to F#.
• String 2 (B): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 1 (High E): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).

All adjustments are minor (only -1 semitone), so no special string gauges are typically required. Always tune carefully and verify with a reliable tuner.

String 7: B1

String 6: E2

String 5: A2

String 4: C4#

String 3: F4#

String 2: B3

String 1: E4