How the seven-string guitar makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the seven-string guitar belongs to the lutes: strings run parallel to a soundboard and along a neck – the family of the guitar, violin, sitar and oud.
More broadly it is one of the chordophones (string instruments), where sound comes from vibrating strings, amplified by a resonating body.
Press play above and watch the spectrum: the evenly spaced peaks are harmonics, and their relative strength is what gives the instrument its character.
From Wikipedia
The seven-string guitar adds one string to the more common six-string guitar, commonly used to extend the bass range (usually a low B) or also to extend the treble range.
The seventh string is added in one of two different ways: by increasing the width of the fingerboard such that the additional string may be fretted by the left hand; or, by leaving the fingerboard unchanged and adding a "floating" bass string. In the latter case, the extra bass string lies next to the existing bass strings, but free of the fingerboard in similar fashion as the archlute and theorbo. Such unfrettable bass strings were historically known as diapasons or bourdons.
Other lutes
Frequently asked questions
What does a seven-string guitar sound like?
As one of the lutes, its sound comes from the way strings run parallel to a soundboard and along a neck.
What type of instrument is the seven-string guitar?
It is classified as lutes (Hornbostel–Sachs 321.322-5).
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q2096201 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Seven-string guitar – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Original photograph was uploaded by Gabrielt4e at pt.wikipedia . – CC BY-SA 3.0