What is 7-string guitar tuning?

Standard 7-string tuning is B-E-A-D-G-B-E, which adds a low B string below the standard 6-string guitar. This gives you five extra semitones of low-end range while keeping all standard guitar fingerings intact on the upper six strings.

What scales work on a 7-string guitar?

All standard scales work on a 7-string guitar. The B natural minor, B Phrygian, and B Locrian scales are particularly popular in metal. The extended range also makes the harmonic minor and diminished scales more dramatic.

Is a 7-string guitar harder to play?

The wider neck takes some adjustment, but most players adapt within a few weeks. Standard 6-string chord shapes and scales work identically on the top six strings, so existing knowledge transfers directly.

G# Lydian #5p Pentatonic Guitar Scale

Guitar scale in 7-string tuning — fretboard diagram

Tuning

Frets

G# Lydian #5p Pentatonic in 7-string — Notes and Intervals

The G# Lydian #5p Pentatonic scale is a high-tension scale that combines the brightness of Lydian with the mystery of Augmented chords. On Guitar, it contains the notes G#, C, D, E, G. It is a specialized tool for fusion and modern jazz, designed to be played over complex major-augmented harmonies. Commonly used in Fusion, Modern Jazz, Progressive. Notable players include Allan Holdsworth, Greg Howe. Use over Maj7#5, Maj7#11 chords. Specialized tool for augmented major harmony in fusion contexts.

Notes: G#, C, D, E, G

Intervals: 1P, 3M, 4A, 5A, 7M

Degrees: 1 2 #3 #4 5

Formula: 4-W-W-WH-H

Number of notes: 5

Tuning: 7-string (B-E-A-D-G-B-E)

About 7-string Tuning

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.

Progressive MetalDjentTechnical Death MetalJazz FusionAmbient

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

Musical Character

BrightTenseAugmentedComplex

Combines Lydian brightness (#4) with augmented tension (#5) in just 5 notes — a high-tension shortcut for fusion players.

Explore This Scale in Other Tunings

← All Guitar scales in 7-string tuning