Classical guitar with additional strings: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Guitar with more than six strings}}

{{refimprove|date=March 2018}}

[[File:JME ten string guitar.jpg|thumb|Ten-string classical guitar]]

A '''classical guitar with additional strings''' is a nylon-string or gut-string [[classical guitar]] with more than six strings, in which the additional strings pass over a fingerboard so that they may be "stopped" or fretted with the fingers. These are also known as '''extended-range guitars''', and should not be confused with [[harp guitars]] (in which the added strings do ''not'' pass over a fingerboard; see below).

== Seven-string ==

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While the invention of the seven-string guitar has sometimes been attributed to Russian guitarist and composer [[Andrei Sychra]], guitar historian [[Matanya Ophee]] has found evidence that seven-string classical guitars may have already existed in Europe in the late 18th century, when Sychra was just beginning his career.<ref>Ophee, M.; ''The Story of the Lyre-Guitar''; '''Soundboard''', XIV:v8 (1987), 235v43. (A slightly rewritten version of this article appears in the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, under the ''Lyre Guitar'' article.)</ref>

[[Image:RussianTropinin acoustic guitar with seven steel stringsgitarist.JPGjpg|thumb|A seven-string Russian guitar]]

There is no question, however, that Sychra was a great proponent of the seven-string instrument, having written a method, and more than one thousand compositions for the instrument. Seventy-five of these pieces were republished in the 1840s by [[Stellovsky]], then again in the 1880s by [[Gutheil]]. Some of these were published again in the [[Soviet Union]] in 1926.

Sychra's guitar was a nylongut-string "classical" variation of the traditional [[Russian guitar|Russian Gypsy Guitar]] (now usually steel-strung), and tuned in a similar manner, to an open 'G' chord:

*D2 - G2 - B2 - D3 - G3 - B3 - D4

The modern seven-string classical guitar is usually tuned the same as the modern standard six-string instrument, with the addition of a low 'B' strringstring:

*B1 - E2 - A2 - D3 - G3 - B3 - E4

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== Eight-string ==

{{main|Eight-string guitar}}

Eight-string classical guitars are generally tuned with two extra basses ([BD]EADGBE) that vary in pitch depending on the piece being played. Another common variation is to add an extra bass and treble string. The extra treble is almost always tuned to A,{{citation needed|date=October 2023}} while the added bass string usually falls on A,B, or C.

[[Paul Galbraith]] and [[Alexander Vynograd]] are two of the most notable 8 string players who use the extra high and low string tuning. Galbraith generally tunes (B)EADGBEA which puts standard 6 string guitar chord voicings and scale shapes within the neck and allows him to read [[lute]] tablature directly (a whole [[Steps and skips|step]] higher). Vynograd chooses to tune AEADGCEA (notice the b string is tuned up a half step) which allows him to play the top 6 strings like a guitar a 4th higher. Vynograd writes his music on a grand staff in a different key and plays as if the guitar was tuned EBEADGBE.

8-string guitarist Javier Reyes of the progressive metal band [[Animals as Leaders]] also plays 8-string classical guitar for which he uses the tuning EBEADGBE.

The Brazilian guitarist [[Raphael Rabello]] also adopted the 8 string guitar on many of his presentations also Australian guitarist Sirsom Solo-Jazz plays the 8-string Classical guitar (B.E.A.D.G.B.E.A tuning).

The Brazilian guitarist [[Raphael Rabello]] also adopted the 8 string guitar on many of his presentations also Australian guitarist Laszlo Sirsom Solo-Jazz plays the 8-string Classical guitar (B.E.A.D.G.B.E.ABEADGBEA tuning).

=== Brahms guitar ===

{{main|Brahms guitar}}

The [[Brahms guitar]] was developed by guitarist [[Paul Galbraith]] and luthier [[David Rubio]] to allow the music of [[Brahms]] to be played more comfortably on the guitar. Information: [http://www.paul-galbraith.com/engl/8string.htm 8 string guitar] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423170109/http://www.paul-galbraith.com/engl/8string.htm |date=2018-04-23 }}

== Nine-string ==

Late 18th and early 19th -century method books for nine-string guitars exist,<ref>Doisey (1801).</ref> but esamplesexamples of these instruments are rare. Modern nine-string guitars are almost exclusively steel-string or electric instruments.

== Ten-string ==

{{Main|Ten-string guitar}}

Includes the Decacorde - a historical romantic guitar - which was tuned C2-D2-E2-F2-G2-A2-D3-G4G3-B4B3-E4 and the modern 10-string guitar, which has various tunings.

=== Yepes Ten-string ===

{{main|Ten-string_classical_guitar_of_Yepes}}

{{main|ten-string extended-range classical guitar}}

The Yepes 10-string guitar adds four strings (resonators) tuned in such a way that they (along with the other three bass strings) can resonate in sympathy with any of the 12 chromatic notes (or their primary harmonics) that can occur on the higher strings; the idea behind this being an attempt at enhancing and balancing sonority.

[[File:Narciso Yepes' reentrant tuning for the ten-string guitar.jpg|thumb|Yepes Ten-string Guitar Tuning (shown in reverse order from the actual string order)]]

The tuning of the Yepes ten-string guitar is:

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== Eleven-string ==

{{Details|eleven-string alto guitar}}

The eleven-string alto guitar was developed by Swedish luthier [[Georg Bolin]] in the 1960s, and Bolin ''altgitarren{{lang|sv|altgitarrer}}'' (Swedish for ''the alto guitarguitars'', pluralsingular ''altgitarrer{{lang|sv|altgitarren}}'') are now rare and valuable. The Bolin alto guitar most often has eleven strings, but a thirteen-string version also exists.

The eleven-string alto guitar is played by guitarists such as John Francis, [[Stefan Östersjö]] and [[Göran Söllscher]] and is often used in performances of [[Bach]] on the guitar.

The [[Godin Glissentar]] is another type of eleven-string guitar and is fretless.

The 11-string archguitar built by American luthier Walter Stanul is played by guitarists such as Peter Blanchette [http://www.archguitar.com].

; External links

*[http://altoguitar.com/ altoguitar.com], site dedicated to the Bolin {{lang|sv|altgitarren}}.

*[http://sologuitarist.net/altgitarren_links.html Alto Guitar Links].

*[http://godinguitars.com/ GodinGuitars.com].

*[http://www.nordicmusicdays.com/2006/artists/sweden/stefanostersjo.html Stefan Östersjö] web page.

*[http://godinguitars.com/godinglissentarp.htm Godin Glissentar] web page.

*[http://www.guitar168.com/Asturias.htm User description] of their Bolin pattern alto guitar.

*[http://johnfrancisguitar.com John Francis] Web Page (Composer/Guitarist)

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;External links

*[http://www.chiaviguitars.com/en/instruments/13-string-guitar.html "Chiavi-Miolin"]

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20091113122341/http://thamesclassicalguitars.com/the-dresden/ "Dresden"]

== Harp guitar ==

{{main|harp guitar}}

The [[harp guitar]] is a guitar with added strings which are "floating", and are only played as open strings. As with extended-range guitars, these additional strings may be lower or higher in pitch than the standard strings. Unlike extended-range instruments, the extra strings on harp guitars may only be played as open strings, or employed as sympathetic resonators for the other strings., because they do not pass over a fingerboard, and cannot be "stopped" or fretted.<ref>Miner, G.; [A ''harp guitar'' is] "a guitar, in any of its accepted forms, with any number of additional 'floating' unstopped strings that can accommodate individual plucking ... The word ''harp'' is a specific reference to the unstopped open strings, and is ''not'' specifically a reference to the tone, pitch range, volume, silhouette similarity, construction, floor-standing ability, nor any other alleged "harp-like" properties." (retrieved 12/12/14)

http://www.harpguitars.net/history/org/hgorg.htm</ref>

== References ==

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== External links ==

*[http://www.earlyromanticguitar.com/erg/multibass.htm/ Multibass 7-string, 8-string, 9-string, and 10-string 19th century guitars]

*[http://www.cathedralguitar.com/ Cathedralguitar.com], home of the Multi-String Guitar

*[http://www.harpguitars.net/history/lacote/lacote.htm The Lacôte Harp Guitars] by Gregg Miner

*[httphttps://wwwweb.archive.org/web/20070529175213/http://harpguitars.net/ Harpguitars.net]

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070928051814/http://www.melbay.com/guitarsessions/jul06/cover.asp The State of the 7-String Guitar] in 2006 by Stephen Rekas.

*[httphttps://wwwweb.archive.org/web/20060207182045/http://decava.com/multi%20article.htm Creating the DeCava Ten-String Classical Guitar] by James R. DeCava

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060717213830/http://www.guitarweb.ch/guitarweb/mthema/thema04-05.asp Sind 6 Saiten genug?] by Felix Gisler {{dein iconlang|de}}

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071015055328/http://guitarra.artelinkado.com/guitarra/laud1.htm La música de laúd en la guitarra: una aproximación práctica] by Jose Luis Rojo (2004) {{spin iconlang|es}}

* [http://everg-guitar.eu Most productive composer for contemporary music for multi string guitars] Heinz-Gerhard Greve

{{Classical guitar}}