Classical guitar with additional strings: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 05:48, 13 December 2014

Revision as of 09:14, 16 January 2015

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{{see also|Russian guitar}}

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:Russian acoustic guitar with seven steel strings.JPG|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.

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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, 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.

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).

=== Brahms guitar ===

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== Nine-string ==

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

== Ten-string ==

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The tuning of the Yepes ten-string guitar is:

*Gb2 - Ab2 - Bb2 - C2 - E2 - A2 - D3 - G3 - B3 - E4

Or, written enharmonically:

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The eleven-string alto guitar was developed by Swedish luthier [[Georg Bolin]] in the 1960s, and Bolin ''altgitarren'' (Swedish for ''the alto guitar'', plural ''altgitarrer'') 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.

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== Thirteen-string ==

The 13-string "Chiavi-Miolin" guitar is played by [[Anders Miolin]] and created by Swiss luthier [http://www.chiaviguitars.com/ Ermanno Chiavi].

Luthier [http://www.thamesclassicalguitars.com/ Michael Thames] has developed the 13-string "Dresden" designed to function as a baroque lute for guitarists.

Bolin created a thirteen-string version of his eleven-string alto guitar, but the eleven-string version has been the one adopted by other makers.

;External links