I use fretwraps just to cover the bit past the nut and not the actual effective string length You also said bridge pickup twice when talking about playing in high and low registers - did you mean neck pickup for high?

@eightmetalstrings

5 ай бұрын

I absolutely did, good catch!

The tuning hint 👍It is very appropriate to explain it with an instrument like the piano, which offers a wide range of tones.

@eightmetalstrings

4 ай бұрын

Thanks! Glad you found it useful :)

Great video, I've experience all of these points when I got my Larada too. Really glad that you brought up wrestling with tuning the lower strings too! Glad to hear I'm not the only one

@eightmetalstrings

5 ай бұрын

Glad you found it useful! And yes, always good to hear we are not alone in these weird little struggles we have to deal with that normal people raise an eyebrow at, haha

The tuning thing sounds like a good idea, will try that out!

I feel like intonation adjustments to compensate would be easier in the long run.

Just bought my first 8 string (strandberg Boden metal nx 8) going from a six string, and this video is super helpful! Thank you!

@eightmetalstrings

5 ай бұрын

That's so exciting! I stoked for you. That's an awesome guitar too by the looks of it. Best of luck and make sure you keep me updated on your journey with it!

@iamsowraith

3 ай бұрын

Heya! How had your experience been so far? I’ve been considering getting this exact 8 string too from a 6 string

Very interesting, thanks for sharing!!

@eightmetalstrings

5 ай бұрын

You're welcome! Thanks for watching!

Thanks for the content!

@eightmetalstrings

5 ай бұрын

My pleasure!

Dude i'm in love with your channel! I haven't played guitar in ages and i have just bought an eight string guitar and i'm hooked big time! Any tips or exercises you would suggest to get my coordination and speed back? This video is literally making my life easier ngl! Keep it up my guy!

@eightmetalstrings

4 ай бұрын

Hey @marcomurisciano5831! Man, that makes me so happy to hear. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. I can literally make a video about speed and coordination exercises next week for you. In the mean time without much background knowledge, I always generically suggest working on whatever finger patterns feel the most awkward (4-1-3-2 is a good one, for example). And then combine it with other techniques you want to work on, like diagonal movements across the neck, string skipping, hybrid picking, legato playing, etc. During all of this practice, make sure your shoulders, arms, neck, and wrists are relaxed too. Tightness and muscle stress prevents speed! I often make custom exercises for students to target what they want to work on, so I don't have too much to suggest generically, off the top of my head. The other option that's always available is to sign up for a free 20-minute zoom lesson if you feel like you want the personal 1-on-1 help. Then you could send me some footage of you playing before-hand that I can go over so I can make and suggest some exercises for you to work on. (www.buymeacoffee.com/eightmetalstrings/e/181733)

@Rotten_Pizza_

4 ай бұрын

Thanks for the reply dude i'll give it a shot!

@SpiritofPoison

4 ай бұрын

learn meshuggah songs

Hi! Really great video, it shows some really not so known facts about 8 string guitars. I was also wondering what you think about the effect the extra girth of the neck has for bending. Is it harder to bend or could you still anchor your thumb up on the neck? The thing is I used to own an 8 string and it was my main guitar for a bit, but my bending techique was awful (bending from the fingers). I now play a 6 string but plan to transition to 8 again and I just can't tell from videos if the neck width would be bad for bending...

@eightmetalstrings

4 ай бұрын

Hey! Good question. I had to pick up my guitar there to give it a try and see if I do it differently than on 6-string. I'm also going to assume that you mean fretboard width and not girth (because girth is usually the thickness of the neck wood). I definitely have to adjust my technique a little bit on the 8-string. I can't monkey grip the neck when I bend on it so the thumb has to press forward more to support the bending fingers. A lot of my bends too just have to be with an open hand (classical) position. This will probably be most people's experience with minor variances based on the particulars of each guitar and the size and shape of your hands. TL:DR - You can bend but you will potentially have to adjust your technique a bit.

@baiatubun850

4 ай бұрын

Hey, thank you so much for taking the time to test and answer so quickly to my question. Yes, I did mean width, sorry for the confusion:)))) Thanks again! :)

Good video! I'll give you a sub! However, I do have some conflicting thoughts that people should consider. None the less, this video should help people. Hopefully my thoughts help as well. It's long, but worth a read if you're just starting or are considering and 8 string. I went strait from 6 to 8. I honestly didn't find it that big of a deal. Bit of time to get used to my go to high fret/high sting spots to match my new open bass strings and the larger fret board. The 28" scale actually improved my playing. If your hands are smaller however, this might be a bit more of a battle, but I think you can still do it. I used a fret wrap to help mute for the first while. You don't have to have it tight! I always put it half over the nut and half on the strings. Then I could still play open strings and have them ring a decent amount of time while still getting a bit of clean up. This also doesn't interfere with your first fret much either. Now that I have experience, I don't use a wrap at all and don't even bother trying to mute the headstock as I don't need to. Another thing you could try, and I still do this on my 10 string, is get some felt from a craft store and cut a piece to sit under the top 6-4 stings on the first fret. This does wonders for relieving your mental strain. Now you can focus on playing instead of muting and since you're still going to need to mute a bit, it's not like you're going to be at a loss once you're confident enough to remove them entirely. The amp concepts suggested by EMS in this video will work, but I would really suggest at least trying to turn the bass way down. Particularly if you're in a band with a bassist. Let them cover those frequencies. Not off, but you hardly need it (honestly, I think this is the case for 6 strings as well). I would also turn the mid up. I pretty much always have it above the treble. Just don't go crazy with it. This really cleans everything up, makes your notes more snappy and even makes chords sound cleaner. Clean I can play chords everywhere, and distorted I can chord up on the low string 5th fret and it's not muddy. Even lower still works. Regardless, you should experiment with your settings and balance what works best for playability and your preferred tone. That kind of leads me into my nest suggestion. Don't go for chord style playing on the 8th string. Even on the 7th, for the most part, I'm playing individual notes. Power chords are honestly irrelevant. I will use them on the 7th some times, but it's just not the approach I would recommend. Treat the low end like you're soloing or rocking a bass (because in some ways, you are). I still use chords, I just don't treat it as my go to on the low end. I use them if there's something specific I'm trying to accomplish with my music. I would also suggest using the lightest gauge possible. This may seem counter intuitive, but remember, the chances are your 8 string has a baritone scale to give you your tension. If it doesn't, I'm sorry to say, you wasted your money unless you want to try some alternate tunings. Anyway, lighter strings result in less mud and more aggression. Even clean, it has a nice clarity and sounds more than full. To get an idea where I'm at, I have a Hellraiser, 28" scale, and use a set of 8-38 and then I buy single 58 and 68 for the bottom two. Plenty of tension and my tuning is EADGCFAD. There is this notion professed within the extended range community that you need heavy strings. Even the sets offered by manufactures seem to support this, but I am fairly certain, if you just what I'm suggesting, you're not going to go back to heavy strings. It's not a huge investment to give it a go. $20 and if you hate it, you can always go back. I also wouldn't get a fan fret to start. I bought a Chiral recently, which also has a ridiculous 3" fan and no inlays, and I even had previous fan experience. None the less, this took me about 3 months to get used to. If that's how you want to start, at least make sure the fan isn't more than 1.5". Another thing to avoid is trash pickups. You need something that can handle low tuning. I have EMG 808 and Fishman Moderns. Both are fantastic. My 10 has Cepheus actives which are fine as well, just not as much output. I would recommend actives anyway, at least for your first go. Just don't get some beginners instrument and expect your low end is going to be good enough to try. If you don't invest in something playable, you're not going to learn how to play it. You should already be really good at guitar if you're considering an 8 string, so there's no excuse not to buy a professional instrument. Schecter is great value and even the right Agile will likely get you. Whatever you do, before you buy any 8 string, know its specs and try to gain an understanding of how those specs are going to affect the instrument as well as your playing. The scale length and the pickups (sorry Glen) need to be considered above all else! And one more thing, if you just want to Djent, just get a baritone. The Hellraiser C VI looks like a sick guitar, 30" scale, and I've heard nothing but good reviews about it! I know this is a long comment, but I there's a lot to say. I could probably add more, but I don't want it to be overwhelming. Besides, with the advice from EMS and myself, I think you will be well on your way to shredding your 8 string in no time!

@eightmetalstrings

5 ай бұрын

Thank you for the sub and for you detailed thoughts! Super appreciated and they definitely add value to all of this. Hopefully people take the time to read this all. I like your solutions with felt and pads to help with muting. Absolutely, if the muting is driving you crazy and making you want to not play, a great suggestion. Absolutely agree with what you're saying about tone as well. It all depends on the context of the playing situation. Just like how when you're mixing a song, certain tracks solo'ed sound thin and flat, but when added to the mix, they add just enough to be heard without muddying everything up. So best to dial in for each playing situation. I am also coming to the conclusion that chords with those low strings aren't a great idea. Use the low notes more like a piano player would to punctuate the bass notes. Again, I agree with the string gauge thing. When I first got new strings, I went way too heavy and it turned my sound into hot garbage while making it harder to play. Absolutely people should err on the lighter side in order to have a clearer sounding, homogenous instrument. Again, great additions to the conversation I am trying to get going!

@elmetzicano1720

3 ай бұрын

Super helpful thank you!!

You picked the right 8 string to buy as a 6 string player going to an 8. The scale length of the Abasi guitars are more in line with a traditional 6 string for the lighter strings making it way easier to bend and do legato runs. Strandberg would be the next best choice in my opinion.

@eightmetalstrings

5 ай бұрын

The multiscale neck providing that easier transition was definitely one of the factors in me choosing it. I was also heavily considering strandbergs and kiesel as well. Always good to hear from others though that I made a good choice. 😁

@canadiancombatwombatthe3rd782

5 ай бұрын

@@eightmetalstrings I own both an Abasi and a Strandberg, they're both unique in their approach and great playing whatever route you go, if you have the chance to get a Strandberg, I highly recommend it, they feel and invoke a unique play style.

@eightmetalstrings

5 ай бұрын

I hope to get one some day. Thanks for the recommendation!@@canadiancombatwombatthe3rd782

I wonder if going even crazier (9 or 10 strings) would create even more technical issues. I am fully aware of the difficulty of playing such an instrument, like what are you gonna do with a C# or G#, need to get used to thousands of new voicings. I mean technical difficulties. Like, for bass strings you have to have a longer multiscale neck (probably all the way up to like 32 - 37''), extremely thicc gauges (actual bass guitar strings like a .135 or whatever), higher tension (bass strings require at least double the tension of normal guitar strings since the scale is way longer and the lower you go the more clarity you need, so probably like 35 lbs on the lowest string), increasing spacing (if you're used to like 7 mm between guitar strings edge-to-edge you can't really do the exact same thing with bridge cables and expect to do bass riffs when they're packed so close together, although you can probably go way narrower than regular bass guitars, maybe down to like 10 mm edge-to-edge), increasing action (a long bass string, no matter how tight, is probably gonna wobble a _lot_ more than a normal scale guitar string at less tension, so you'll probably have to go like +2 mm on the E4 string and like +4 mm on the lowest string or something in order to eliminate most fret buzz, possibly even higher), separate or custom pickups for the bass strings, possibly even two cable jacks for the regular 6 and the rest, and so many more... IDK man, I really want to build a custom 10-string and be able to tap bass lines and solos at the same time, but I see so many ways I could screw this up...

@eightmetalstrings

5 ай бұрын

You definitely have a grasp of the technical issues. I don't think I could have broken it down as well as that. But I agree, there are so many ways to mess it up. At a certain point, I think, because of its size, it would start to veer away from "guitar" territory and into something else, requiring new techniques. I also imagine it would not sit very well against the body and the wrist would have major issues reach around the neck. I would require some clever engineering to make it work and then another lifetime for someone to master playing it.

@domagojoinky8262

5 ай бұрын

Chapman stick if you want stringed instrument, synthesizer or piano is your best bet if you want full range on the same instrument. This instruments would do it.

@mityakiselev

5 ай бұрын

@@eightmetalstrings I mean, there are people out there who play insane instruments like 11-string or even 12-string basses using independent hand tapping for the more polyphonic melodies, so if I sacrificed a few hours per day with the hepl of a professional -chiropractor- teacher I would probably be able to play Wonderwall reasonably in a couple years. The size and ergonomics of the instrument are definitely a problem, gotta test out a bunch of foam models and rubber bands to see how much you can optimize the design. So far I tried blueprinting it out on a wooden plank just to check the size and managed to narrow the neck width at nut down to less than 4 inches (

@eightmetalstrings

5 ай бұрын

@@mityakiselev Well sounds like you're already deep in the hole thinking about it and planning it all out. Definitely more of a luthier conversation like you said. If you make any progress on this beast, keep me posted on the channel. Would love to hear what Lovecraftian horror you create.

@mityakiselev

5 ай бұрын

@@eightmetalstrings Yeah, if I ever commit to it, not only will I inform you, I'll probably make a vlog on the whole thing, pros and cons and testing and all.

I tried to switch to 7 string three times, all attempts failed :) For now just stuck with 6 string 28" baritone, that's my stuff for sure

@internetuser9342

Ай бұрын

Hey, can you elaborate further? I am a bassist that bought a 6 string bass but still played my 4 string 90% of the time. I recently sold that bass and am looking to buy an 8 string guitar

i think the tuning problem its cause of the entonation, try to adjust the bridge saddles (if its sharper tune it up and if its flatter tune it down, i know its counter intuitive but its usefull)

@eightmetalstrings

Ай бұрын

Lots of other people have already thought to suggest this and I already know about intonating with the saddles. However, the issue arises when the saddles literally can't move any further to compensate for the thickness of the string. Also, as explained in the video, it's not so much an intonation issue as a phenomenon of vibrating strings being inherently imperfect. They move around in space and fluctuate in pitch compared to a pure sine wave generator, for example. Thicker strings will wobble and more, causing the pitch to sound sharp because the overtones generated are a few cents higher. Rather than tuning the rest of the guitar to match these sharp overtones, we tune the fundamental down.

@Marcus._

Ай бұрын

@@eightmetalstrings oooohh i see, i didnt pay that much ot attention cause i was studying while i saw the video

I would like a baritone and bass VI, should I get an 8 string to cover both ? I have problems with classical six string guitar because of 52mm nut. It is wide like 6 lane highway to me.

@eightmetalstrings

5 ай бұрын

Hey! I think it really depends on what instrument you want to play. 8 string does not feel like a bass guitar, nor is the tone similar. It feels like, well, a guitar, with two lower strings. If you are a bassist or love the grit of a bass, definitely go that way, but if you're a guitar player, then a baritone or 8-string would make more sense. I suppose the benefit of the 8-string is also the high notes, giving versatility if you want to do soloing or more chords. So it all depends how you are going to use it. And I just measured the nut of my Abasi Larada Master and it is 60mm.

@domagojoinky8262

5 ай бұрын

@@eightmetalstrings My main stringed instrument has been bass guitar but I switched to 6 string acoustic guitar in order to make money by busking.

@eightmetalstrings

5 ай бұрын

@@domagojoinky8262 Makes sense! Hard to busk with just a bass. If I were you and still undecided, I would try to find a shop or someone locally with a 6-string bass or a baritone guitar to try before deciding. And if you don't end up liking it, you won't have a hole in your wallet yet, haha.

@domagojoinky8262

5 ай бұрын

@@eightmetalstrings I sing and play good ol cowboy chords

I like your glasses

@eightmetalstrings

2 ай бұрын

Ha! Thanks!

you can't adjust intonation at the saddles for the lowest strings?

@eightmetalstrings

5 ай бұрын

I have already adjusted the saddles as far as they will go in the direction I need. I have always had this phenomenon on any guitar I've played though. Just something that happens.

If your lowest string is increasingly sharp as you move up the fretbaord, isn't that just a simple intonation issue and not about inharmonicity of fat strings? Can't you just go to the bridge and back out the associated saddle to fix your intonation problem? Also, as you use larger and a larger strings inharominicty will increase (as you say) but the need to adjust the intonation by backing out the saddles is a far far greater effect. The fatter the string, the more you will have to back out that saddle. I agree inharmonicity exists but I don't think that's what you're experiencing or correcting for. Am I misunderstanding something?

@eightmetalstrings

5 ай бұрын

You're not totally off but there are a couple of things to point out. The notes are out of tune even at fret 1, not just moving up the neck. Secondly, my saddles are fully backed up already and having done so, the intonation is almost perfect. So yes, absolutely get the intonation as close as you can at first, but the inharmonicity is still going to be a problem. I have to do this on my 6-string as well with a slightly heavier string set used for jazz. Perfectly intonated, but still have to drop the E string about 5 cents to make the instrument in tune with itself.

So what I gather from all the videos similar to this one, because I never learned the notes on a 6 but have 6, 7, and 8 string guitars I practice on I learned quicker because I'm dumb and my brain didn't get in the way

@eightmetalstrings

2 ай бұрын

Ha, yes. I've always been curious to hear people's experience learning the instrument who aren't blocked by 6-string habits

@MrgreenurPastures

2 ай бұрын

@eightmetalstrings yeah I got my 7 string because I just wanted to go lower (other content creators say this is not a reason to get one) and my problem was I pushed to hard so both my e' or d's would be pushed off the side of my 6s because of me. With the fatter neck I don't have that problem nearly as often and adding extra strings has improved my accuracy. Something clicked in my head

@eightmetalstrings

2 ай бұрын

@@MrgreenurPastures That's so cool. It sounds like a 7-string was the right instrument for you! Also, screw what content creators say, haha.

@MrgreenurPastures

2 ай бұрын

@eightmetalstrings right lol thank you for your advice though. Like the multi palm mute, that has helped me

the muscle memory problem its not only the strings, but your 6 strings is not multiscale. i switch from normal 8 string to 7 multiscale, the fingers is confused

@eightmetalstrings

2 ай бұрын

Definitely a factor for many. I didn't actually find the multiscale to be a problem for myself as the angles felt quite natural with how I sit, but I have heard it can really throw people!

On re learning the neck I have seen more people doing double drop as in EAEADGBe so you do not have to learn new notes

@eightmetalstrings

3 ай бұрын

Yeah, it's a choice you gotta make at some point. I hope to talk about tuning more in a video this week. Either you do drop tuning so the notes stay familiar or you do standard F# so that the intervals between the strings are consistent. No clear winner and will depend on preference.

This is great content about the instrument and how to work with it but your vocal audio keeps going in and out and is extremely distracting. You need to put your microphone MUCH, MUCH, MUCH CLOSER to your mouth. The fact that it’s so far away from you is almost certainly the reason why your vocals are so horrible. So, get closer to the microphone and your message will get through much more clearly.

@eightmetalstrings

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for the comment. Glad you appreciate the content! Thanks for the tip about the audio as well. I know you don't need the mic super close to your mouth to get good audio, but I do know what sections you are talking about. I didn't prepare recording them quite right and the guitar/vocal track got recorded into one channel so I couldn't balance the volume properly and had to use automation after the fact. Definitely something I'll try to avoid in the future!

@pablon9269 0 seconds ago Need to setup your bridge and neck properly for strings to be in tune, doesnt fail that way

@eightmetalstrings

2 ай бұрын

Hi @pablon9269. I think a few other people have talked about this in comment threads. Depending on your guitar, you will have limited play with the bridge set up. In my case, I can only move the saddles and the neck was properly adjusted. The thicker strings (when I first tried a .080 gauge) didn't properly sit in the saddle because it was so close to the contact point in the bridge. I pushed back the saddle as far as possible and it couldn't be perfectly intonated. I'm sure there are ways to hack stuff like this but at the end of the day, vibrating strings are never going to be perfect in a 12-tone tempered tuning system and you're going to need to make tuning adjustments to make it work.

@pablon9269

2 ай бұрын

​@@eightmetalstrings I prefer using the gauge for which it was designed, anything to keep it out of fret noises and going out of tune as you said. Maybe some day I will get a larger neck

@eightmetalstrings

2 ай бұрын

Definitely. This guitar came with a .074 and after some experimentation, I went back to that. I think it works best.@@pablon9269