Guitar Scales — 7-string

About 7-string Tuning on Guitar

The 7-string guitar adds a low B string below the standard 6-string tuning (B-E-A-D-G-B-E), extending the instrument's range into bass territory. This extra low end has become essential in progressive metal, djent, and modern heavy music, enabling crushing low-end riffs while maintaining access to standard guitar voicings on the upper strings.

Pioneered by jazz guitarist George Van Eps and later brought into the metal mainstream by Steve Vai and Korn, the 7-string guitar has become a staple of modern heavy music. Players like Tosin Abasi, Misha Mansoor, and John Petrucci have pushed the instrument's capabilities into new territory, using the extended range for complex harmonic progressions, polyrhythmic riffs, and sweeping arpeggios that span an enormous tonal range.

Notable artists: Dream Theater, Periphery, Animals as Leaders, Korn, Meshuggah

Best for: Progressive metal riffs, extended-range chord voicings, djent rhythms, and jazz fusion harmony

Browse 1104 guitar scales in 7-string tuning. Click any scale below to view the interactive fretboard diagram.

Explore Guitar Scales in Other Tunings

• Guitar Scales in Drop D (D-A-D-G-B-E)
• Guitar Scales in DADGAD (D-A-D-G-A-D)
• Guitar Scales in Open G (D-G-D-G-B-D)
• Guitar Scales in Baritone (B Standard) (B-E-A-D-F#-B)
• Guitar Scales in 8-string (F#-B-E-A-D-G-B-E)
• Guitar Scales in Drop C (C-G-C-F-A-D)
• Guitar Scales in Drop B (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#)
• Guitar Scales in Open D (D-A-D-F#-A-D)

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