8 String Guitar for Beginners: A Complete Guide

The 8-string guitar looks intimidating until you understand what the extra strings actually do, and then it looks like exactly the right tool for a certain kind of music. Two extra bass strings extend the range downward, past the lowest note on a standard guitar's low E string, into bass register territory. Everything above those two extra strings is a standard guitar. That reframe is useful: you are not starting from zero, you are adding a new lower register to skills you already have.

Is This the Right Starting Point?

Most teachers recommend learning on a six-string first. The narrower neck, simpler muting demands and more standard technique requirements make a six-string a better learning environment. Extended-range instruments ask more of the left hand physically and require muting habits that are easier to develop once you already have some left-hand strength and coordination.

That said, if your goal is specifically the music of Animals as Leaders, Periphery or Meshuggah, and you are certain of it — starting on an 8-string guitar is not a disaster. You will face a steeper initial curve but you will be working on the right instrument from the beginning.

Understanding the Tuning

Standard 8-string guitar tuning is F♯–B–E–A–D–G–B–E from the lowest string to the highest. The top six strings are in standard guitar tuning — you already know those. The seventh string is a low B, the same note as the lowest note on a five-string bass. The eighth string is a low F♯, a fourth below that.

Many djent and metal players use a drop variation: drop the eighth string from F♯ to E. This produces E–B–E–A–D–G–B–E and allows power chords across the bottom three strings with a single-finger barre, like drop D on a six-string. Most players in the genre learn both standard and drop-E tunings early.

The Muting Problem and How to Solve It

The central technical challenge for every beginner on extended range is muting. On a six-string, sympathetic string resonance is manageable. On an eight-string, every string you are not playing is a potential noise source — one that will ring through the amplifier and turn a clean riff into a blur.

Two muting approaches work together:

• Right-hand palm muting — the heel of the picking hand rests on the lower strings near the bridge, damping them during playing. This controls the bass strings. Develop this habit from your first sessions.
• Left-hand shadow muting — the underside of whichever finger is fretting a note lightly touches the adjacent higher strings to prevent them ringing. This takes conscious development and typically takes several weeks to become automatic.

Systematic muting practice — playing slowly while paying deliberate attention to which strings are ringing — is the fastest way to build this habit.

First Riff Territory

Most beginners on extended range learn riffs rather than chords first. Palm-muted single-note or power-chord patterns on the lowest strings are the genre's bread and butter, and they provide immediate rewards: you can sound like the music you love relatively quickly. "Bleed" by Meshuggah (in a simplified form), Animals as Leaders' lower-register passages, and basic djent rhythmic patterns on the bottom two strings are all achievable starting points.

Learn the basic pentatonic scale shapes first, in the lower register. They are the same shapes you would use on a six-string but applied to the seventh and eighth strings — the familiar patterns in unfamiliar, lower-pitched territory.

Gear: What You Actually Need

Extended-range guitar needs extended-range amplification support. A standard guitar amp's bass response is not designed for F♯ or E fundamentals. High-gain players typically solve this by cutting sub-bass frequencies in EQ (below 80–100 Hz) rather than boosting them, and using tight, fast amp simulations — either a modelling amp or an IR loader with a high-gain cabinet impulse. Getting the tone right on an 8-string guitar typically requires more EQ attention than a standard guitar at the same gain level.

The Bottom Line

Start with muting. Every other technical challenge on extended range is secondary to clean note separation. For instrument selection, our buyer's guide covers every decision. For setup, our setup guide walks you through the process. And for common errors to avoid, our mistakes guide covers what trips beginners up most often.

Frequently Asked Questions