![]() ![]() But if you go lower, strings might feel too loose. This is great for the B standard or A# standard tunings. Regular 7-string guitars usually have 25.5-inch scales. Whether it’s a 6-string or a 7-string, it’s always good to have a scale length of at least 26.5 inches when dealing with tunings this low. First, I recommend using a long-scale or baritone guitar. If you’re planning to tune your guitar to a lower Korn tuning, there are a few things to keep in mind. Here’s the song in the embedded player below.ĭown-tuning Your Guitar: What You Should Know The song isn’t particularly heavy, but the tuning does its thing. If you think of it as Ab standard, then we can write it down like this: It’s like the C# or Db tuning on a 6-string guitar but with an added bottom string. Here they go even one semitone lower, down to G# or Ab tuning. One such song is Alone I Break from the 2002 album Untouchables. Korn has also some tunings to go even deeper. However, A standard isn’t the only tuning that they used over the years. This is especially the case if you use tube-driven amps. The way that pickups, pedals, and amps process such a signal adds some rich harmonic content.Įven if you add some softer-sounding overdrive, it will still feel heavy. But if we’re talking about tone, lower tunings certainly contribute to it. Of course, heaviness in metal music lies in more than just low tunings. It adds sonic qualities that most usually refer to as being heavy. The bottom A string is supposed to sound harsher and more rugged. Just check out these riffs in Korn’s Blind. But the main idea still remains to this day. Many pickups and even guitar pedals and amps these days are designed to work with these lower frequencies. Going so low on an electric guitar gives the instrument a distinct sound. It comes down to the timbre or tone quality. The guitar duet of Munky and Head hits the low A string all throughout the song.Īs I already mentioned, the A1 note on the 7-string guitar sounds different compared to A1 on bass guitars. One of the main reasons behind it was the super-low tuning. Korn’s debut single Blind was something previously unheard of. It’s been the center point of the band’s sound and songwriting practices. ![]() This tuning is present in almost all of their songs. This has to do with different pickups, string gauges, amps, and overall instrument construction and use. However, the sound of an extended-range guitar differs from that of a bass guitar. You can also think of it like D standard but with an added bottom A string.Įssentially, the bottom string is the same note as the 3rd string of a 4-string bass in the standard tuning. ![]() The intervals between strings are pretty much the same as with the B standard. You can refer to this tuning as A standard. So going from the bottom to the high string, the tuning looks like this: They went a step further and down-tuned their guitar by two semitones. Instead, they used it for heavy riffing.Ī regular 7-string guitar tuning, or B standard, goes like this: This guitar was commonly used by virtuosic players. First, they implemented 7-string guitars in their music before everyone else. Head and Munky from Korn were game-changers in the world of guitar. But modern metal musicians prefer to down-tune the whole instrument. The low B string might seem to go too deep for some tastes. Of course, just like with 6-string guitars, you can tune extended-range guitars differently. Plenty of musicians and bands use 7, 8, or even 9-string guitars today. There have been other concepts over the years, including the addition of a high A string.Įxtended-range guitars are more widespread these days. Whereas a 7 or 8-string guitar extends the typical range of a 6-string guitar.Ī typical 7-string guitar has an additional B string at the bottom. For instance, a 12-string guitar comes with string courses. It’s important to differentiate between extended range and other types of guitars with more than 6 strings. When Korn came onto the scene, everyone was surprised at how they implemented the guitar. However, an unlikely band brought these guitars to the spotlight. But it wasn’t until 1990 when Steve Vai teamed up with Ibanez that the instrument saw mass production.Īt first, his UV7 model was not that popular. As for electric guitars, the idea was explored throughout the 20th century. The idea of having more than 6 strings dates way back. I’m talking about extended-range guitars. However, there’s more to the world of guitar than that. And yes, this is a standard that persists even to this day. Sure, we’re all used to regular 6-string guitars. Let’s get into it! Lower Tunings and Extended-Range Guitars If you’ve ever been curious about Korn tuning or which alternate tunings this band uses, this post is for you!īut I have been interested in the alternate tunings they use to get their unique sound. ![]()
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