Seven-string guitar - an excursion into the history, classical tuning

Seven-string guitar, perhaps the most mysteriousa tool with a foggy history. There is a lot of controversy about the origin, but there are no obvious proofs yet. Who invented the seven-string guitar? What are the origins of its occurrence? Alas, the bright popularity of the tool goes gradually into oblivion.

According to historical data, the peak of popularityseven-string was in the sixties of last century. However, this instrument appeared thanks to A. Sikhre, the founder of the guitar art in Russia.

Being a gifted musician and having excellent masterysix-stringed instrument, Sikhra decided to add one more string, making the guitar closer to the harp, an instrument that he also had to master perfectly.

On the one hand, the seven-string guitar really became close to the harp arpeggio, and on the other hand it was more convenient and melodic than the harp.

In the dictionary of Dal, the role of the creator of the system is "G-major"is questioned. The seven-string guitar, according to Dal, was used in Russia long before Sihra (in 1799 a sonata for a seven-string guitar was published).

The version that the seven-string guitar appearedmuch earlier, is confirmed by the newspaper "Petersburg Gazette", dated 1803, number 37. In the posted announcement, a pretty bright guitarist of the time, Ganf offered services for teaching the game on a seven-string guitar. It was Gran who released his "School of the Game on a 7-string guitar", referring to the new system, which was recognized as the best in France, and as a proof he cited Schleider's article published in the Leipzig newspaper.

However, we must admit that the debunked Sikhra, possessing ingenious perspicacity, seizing on the new system, made an indisputable contribution to the methods of the game.

About the role of the creator of a special system (and even a seven-string guitar in general) it remains to argue.

Mass distribution of seven-stringed guitarwas dictated by the general development of musical culture in Russia. And the first person who could really claim a significant contribution to the propaganda of the game on this instrument was Ignaz Geld, a forgotten Czech composer and guitarist, whose numerous works at one time enjoyed considerable popularity in Russia.

Whatever it was, the story left us greatmusicians and virtuosov playing the seven-string guitar: Andrei Sikhru, Sergei Orekhov, Vladimir Vavilov, Vladimir Vysotsky, Sergei Nikitin, Bulat Okudzhava, Yuri Vizbor, Pyotr Todorovsky, Vladimir Lantsberg.

The seven-string guitar is tuned according to the following principle:

• string 1 - note "re" (1st octave);

• string 2 - note "si" (octave small);

• string 3 - note "salt" (octave small);

• string 4 - note "re" (octave small);

• string 5 - note "si" (octave large);

• string 6 - note "salt" (octave large);

• string 7 - note "re" (octave large)

This setting is classic. There may be other constructions, but we will focus on the most acceptable and common.

So, start with the string number 1 (the first, the mostthin). Adjust it to the sound of the note "re". Now go to the second string. We press it on the third fret, the first string is open at the same time. By adjusting the sound of string number 2, we achieve unison between the first strings (# 1 and # 2). We press the third string already on the fourth fret and achieve unison with the second, also open. The fourth string is pressed already on the fifth fret, the fifth string is on the third, the sixth string is on the fourth, the seventh string is on the fifth (we achieve unison with the previous open string).