Easy 8 String Techniques - Guitar Lesson

[@shmandomiller7545]

Anybody else just say out loud "wow, the young Tosin!" This guy inspired me to play 8 string!

[@crownjewel555]

Im beginning to think he was good at guitar when he was learning how to walk. Also I saw Tosin on a video with the word 'EASY' in the title and was immediately skeptical.

[@Gnarly_joel]

"The change from seven string to eight string was relatively minor," ... relatively minor... relative minor chord THEORY PUNS!!!!!!!!!

[@TheMetalHeaD256]

i love this guy... he's a musician's musician. he doesn't try to sell you lies like "oh i just picked up a guitar and never learned music". he's up front about the fact that he knows what he's doing, he can tell you exactly what he's doing, and never looks hung over or anything. when he's tired of touring, he needs to become a college professor.

[@KrazyEngima]

I'm glad to hear someone who owns one of these actually using the entire neck instead of palm muting the first 3 frets and shredding at the bottom lol

[@KrazyEngima]

***** it's even more boring if you try playing it on guitar lol, the guitar is background music in djent...drums and vocals make up for what the riff is lacking

[@richardh9484]

***** You talking S on Tosin?

[@blake_of_fire1014]

how did i know there would be at least one comment talking about using the entire range of the guitar....we get it....don't get an 8 string if you're not going to go to Berkley, or music elitists will shun you.

[@blake_of_fire1014]

***** how about if you want to further your playing style and feel you want to add another string or two...you do it. Because fuck everyone else. Why should you need someones approval? As for changing your fretting style, i think not. There is nothing wrong with jumping from 7 to 6 to 8 and back and forth and so on. It will only make you more versatile, not cripple you. Yes you can get some of the same results with detuning thicker gauge strings on other instruments. But who cares. Do what makes you happy as a musician.

[@qrcodmacke9864]

Or get one and chug zeros like 99% new djent bands

[@SolarGrooving]

Love how he gets away with being metal as Thor's left testicle while dressed like 20's gangster

[@suomik1988]

Gives "Bar chords are difficult" a whole new meaning.

[@kennyalmstedt1554]

Great talk on extended range 8 string ideas. Nice to see a young player not just flubbing away in the low register and actually sharing some cool melodic ideas.

[@jamplay]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@judahbenhur5820]

his thumb is faster than my fucking picking

[@Veritas84Aequitas]

Good to see artists playing different styles rather than metal on the 7- 8 strings. Very nice

[@ARCTIC9924]

Just saying, Tosin is the lead guitarist for Animals as Leaders. A metal band.

[@AzenBerries]

ARCTIC9924 i think he means just playing shitty djent

[@whydoesstevietonlylikefema2973]

Yeah but animals as Leaders is djent, progressive metal and jazz fusion in one. But Tosin is More progressive than djent in my opinion

[@will_stevens]

Azen Berries shitty didn’t Um you are anti me MESHUGGAH FOR LIVE

[@will_stevens]

I had sex before my dad I love your user name

[@MetalHeadProductions]

the x series is great. it combines the headroom and punch of actives, and the tone and clarity of passives. best of both worlds.

[@MegaEmmanuel09]

I have been listening to AAL for about 5 months now, and I have never heard Tosin talk.

[@_drewmin]

+MegaEmmanuel09 I thought for sure he'd have an odd accent... Apparently hes a Marylander like myself. Him talking is like an average day in my case. Its so weird

[@summeronio9751]

Dude has a wealth of instructional stuff online

[@Stephen_Eee]

Wait till you hear him sing!!!

[@ambrojai2535]

what band is he from?

[@ether2006]

@@ambrojai2535 animals as leaders!

[@nova495]

Even though I don't know theory, I understand him. He explains things better than most musicians.

[@Vectif]

7:08 "I-I don't bend very often... so it's... it's cool ;)" Haha, I love how he started grinning at that! Oh you!

[@TheRealrocker74]

I just got accepted to Berklee for guitar. I play bass too, but only started recently. I have played guitar and violin in many different ensembles, and the bass is always the starting block of the foundation.

[@rorbot_SMF]

Damn I love his personality.

[@xppws]

Yeah,a book about 7 and 8 string tricks! He's an absolute genious!

[@Ibanez369green]

I bought one and I was used to it the day after and it feels weird to play a 6 string

[@mtbthiccness3605]

after i bought my 7, a six string almost feels like a toy because it feels so small

[@StricklandAssistantManager]

ace bass ***** I personally have no problem going back and forth.

[@mtbthiccness3605]

Rylan Royal its not a problem its just strange and it takes me a minute maybe two

[@fitzalvin3795]

same problem here.

[@StricklandAssistantManager]

ace bass THAT I can understand. Although now that I have a 7 string with a 26.5 scale length, now I can understand the whole feeling like a toy thing when I play six strings.

[@jrnation880120]

hes such an amazing guitarist and he sounds like a really down to earth person. Tosin you are freaking awesome!!!

[@majora231]

transition was "relativly minor" see what you did there

[@Schizniit]

Jesus Christ lol

[@Whergy]

Thanks to Tosin, i picked up an Agile Septor Elite 827. I cannot wait to be frustrated beyond belief by trying to learn some AAL.

[@stinkybojangles4128]

Tosin has really changed the way I approach extended range guitar! For a long time I hated it because I thought it was just really low power chords but now I see that you can do many different things with an 8 string! Tosin and Javier of AAL as well as Rob Scallon have made me want to buy an 8 string guitar! \m/

[@DangerRifai]

He plays quite a few TRAM riffs in this video. If you haven't checked them out, do so... now.

[@MrAlexhollins]

At last! An 8 string player that isn't a metal maniac.

[@georgewalker4448]

+Alex Hollins He plays metal. lol but yes. he thankfully is not a maniac. XD

[@joerensh8463]

Alex Hollins he plays in animals as leaders

[@elliottmaclean8348]

he... he does play metal

[@CarlOlav]

This guy really knows what he's doing!

[@latexboy978]

I'd love to see a collaboration between him and Les Claypool.

[@xClaydogzx]

he is a genius hands down

[@fernsemer]

I played an 8 stringer for many years before moving on to a 10 stringer. Most people tune an 8 stringer as a traditional 6 stringer with 2 additional bass strings. Depending on what you're trying to accomplish that may or may not work for you. I can only speak from my own experience as a solo instrumentalist. I went through three different tunings with my 8 stringer and there is only one tuning I'd recommend for an 8 stringer scaled at about 65cm. That would be a tuning of 'A', 'D', 'G', 'C', 'F', 'a', 'd', 'g' Low to High. What this is ,,, is extended range Lute tuning! This is very good for the keys of F, C, G, and D. Also very good for playing guitar music in dropped D tuning as you don't have to retune any strings. Here's the sweet thing ,,, if you capo the 2nd fret you get a tuning of 'B', 'E', 'A', 'D', 'G', 'b', 'e', 'a' Low to high. Six string guitar tuning in the middle with an additional low 'B' note on the bass side ,,, and an additional high 'a' note on the treble side. Two very useful tunings on one guitar. All for the price of one guitar. I Hope this helps guitarists understand how best to take advantage of the instrument and save time. For me ,,, I had to learn this the hard way.

[@fernsemer]

Jimi Jones String Greedy? That's a new one I haven't heard before! ,,, But a question comes to mind ,,, when you look under the hood of a piano you'll see many many strings. Would you also call a pianist String Greedy? What about a Harp? ,,, Would you also call a Harpist string greedy? What about a Dulcimer? ,,, Just curious! But on a more serious note ,,, I think the ten stringer like the eight stringer hasn't really caught on because guitarists don't know how to tune their instrument to take advantage of the true strengths of the instrument. The only reason I know how to do it is because I've been at this for some forty years. So I know a few things ,,, but it didn't start out that way. Tuning systems for guitars of various string counts is not a topic commonly taught.

[@fernsemer]

Jimi Jones I'm way ahead of you! ,,, I've been at this for some forty years. I started out on six stringers like most everyone else. Then a seven stringer ,,, then an eight stringer and now a ten stringer. I've studied tunings ,,, and not just more strings in the bass range ,,, but also additional strings in the treble range. I've also studied scale lengths and how they affect playing. I've played those instruments and I know much about what works and what doesn't work. From all that I've come to the conclusion that for other than strumming chords ,,, six string guitars are crap! But most guitarists wouldn't know that as we have mostly a six string guitar culture the world over. Most guitarists don't know ,,, and they don't know that they don't know. Therefore they can't ask for anything better because all they've ever seen is mostly six string guitars. And that's all they know! And so it goes. When I say all that I include myself from my youth. About 1976 I walked into a guitar shop that had an eight stringer and a ten stringer on display. I was new to guitars in those days and believe you me I was clueless as to how to play either of them. I've learned a thing or two since then.

[@PaulDriessenFX]

+fernsemer yes, the lute tuning is good! the old trick with quarters and a fixing third is far more advanced as people sometimes may think. but I'd personnally put the 3rd interval in the mid, that way my fingerings are guitarcompatible from the bass onward, it is just the wax i imagine my scapes: I'd rather have them the same on the low notes: the extra 2 strings are on top, and form an easy extension. I'll start my 8string adventures next week.

[@fernsemer3109]

Paul Driessen If I understand you correctly ,,, You'd move your 3rd over one string in the bass direction! Correct? Okay! ,,, Let's do some analyzing. Standard six string guitar tuning is a tuning in 4ths of four bass strings and two treble strings divided by a 3rd between the 2nd and 3rd strings. Most guitarists notice it would be great to have one additional bass string even if they do nothing about it. It would solve many a fingering issue and the extra bass range is a delight to the ear. Standard six string Lute tuning is in 4ths a 3rd higher than a guitar with three treble strings and three bass strings. With your 3rd between your 3rd and 4th strings. Much better treble range and playability as you're not having to jack up and down the fretboard so much for the higher notes. However! ,,, not so good for the bass range as you can't go as low as you could before and you'll be severely limited in the key signatures, harmony and bass support you can do. So unless you've got a bass player around to take up the slack ,,, You'll need two additional bass strings. You might wonder why I make such a fuss about the importance of five bass strings. That came about from analyzing Violin/Mandolin tuning. These instruments have tremendous treble clef octave range and that is partly why they are such great treble clef instruments. They get that because with just four strings they're tuned in 5ths. That short scale length makes that possible. But if you have a reason to tune in 4ths instead of 5ths ,,, such as a longer scale length ,,, then you'd better increase the string count by at least one to keep that great octave range. I hope this helps and gives you something to think about.

[@PaulDriessenFX]

fernsemer Thanks for sharing your view! Yes, we need quarters with our scale and chords aspirations. My road is a bit different: I'm playing lots of baritone guitar, tuned at guitar tuning, one octave below. Adding 2 higher strings a and d', would make my mental image (CAGED forms and scales) to extend in one direction. So actually my third interval would be between string 4 & 5, which might seem very strange, but is actually an expanded lute tuning: 4/4 instead of 3/3.. I've came up with this tuning a few days ago, and now I'm going to buy a 8 string, it seemed unnecessary to buy a 8 string without knowing how to play it: (I had a student once with 8 string, and the instrument baffled me, because I had no image to cope with it at the time) The bass guitar is a subset of guitartuning, and the guitartuning is a subset of my new tuning. For me it is very important to have the shapes aligned at the bass string.

[@ahhhhmazing1]

Why did it take me this long to find this genius.

[@shagstars]

4:41 if meshuggah had a good bass player as guitarist.

[@jbaby007]

Omg he's a badass and that's a badass guitar. sad i haven't heard of him before today but better late than never.

That was groovy in the beginning of his guitar playing.

[@rogersartandsolutions5074]

Mechacelzi It's actually a song from the collab band he did called T.R.A.M. Name of the song is Seven Ways Till Sunday.

Jessi Rogers thanks

[@burnthebridges666]

@NOodleFISH72 agreed, I saw them when i saw Behemoth and Chris was wearing a Meshuggah shirt, was very awesome to see. Sorry for the misconception i didn't mean it as a Meshuggah takes influences from ATB, i meant it as a way of saying i see ATB as being proggressive, as well as Meshuggah, because of the progressive styles of both bands. I also agree that Meshuggah have thier own style of genre, it is quite extrodinary!

[@3Deity]

I thought he was really little, then he says its got a 28" scale length! :o)

[@pwnageprata]

kept looking at the hat. what a nice hat. he really pulls off that hat.

[@TheZimmbro]

This man is absolutely insane. Literally, it's just amazing watching him play. So many players today are stuck in the whole power chord after power chord, then maybe the same generic sweep you've heard a thousand times. Modern metal has made stuff like tapping and sweeping like a madman common place. Guys like Tosin, Misha Mansoor, and so many others, are honestly just mind blowing.

[@SleepingGiant45]

what you said makes a lot of sense.

[@TheSkipjack95]

1:37 Nitpicking here, but a major chord can't be a power chord, since it is major, and power chords don't have the 3rd.

[@notinsane4165]

He might of meant bar chord as he said bar chord after power chord

[@TresThatShredderGuy]

However he is playing a major 7 at the top of the chord. so he is playing a R-5-R-5-7 type of chord.

[@PaveLowExpert]

No idea if youre right, but you have some balls to question this guy, hes like a guitar guru or whateever..

[@TheSkipjack95]

TresThatShredderGuy It's a guitar player way of thinking. Not putting the third is weird for classical musician, at least in theory.

[@TheSkipjack95]

PaveLowExpert If you know your shit, you can go up against anyone. Furthermore, I find that the internet tends to make myths very quickly. No disrespect to Tosin here, but we are quick to deify him.

[@Maniahg]

Freaking awesome! Type "8 string" and this video appears on the top!

[@navecamnedia]

toastin abasement

[@navecamnedia]

toast in a basin

[@fvnk0]

navecamnedia your fired

[@aceman4k8]

@guitarrhythymfool I absolutely agree with this. I made the mistake of going from 6 strings to 8 and it felt so different. My hands are used to it now but don't take the extra strings lightly. When I got my eight string it felt like I was learning guitar all over again. haha

[@6672rock]

Tobin is a very innovative guitarist. I like how he uses the 8-string to play jazz chord melodies and slap bass at the same time It's a very fresh approach to say the least.

[@kjrody21]

i gotta say he's probaly the only guy ive seen play an 8 string guitar clean

[@pngaia]

Thank You Tosin, just bought one in Aust. $315 to check it all out and you're the first go-to guy for me. Now I know where to start.. BUT , short finger s shouldn't be a prob? yeah? hmmm.

[@azzans]

if you put your thumb in the correct positions then there is no problem. I have extremely short fingers but I can Barre way past the end of the fretboard with proper thumb placement.

[@Racerdew]

this guy knows his shit! he's such a boss

[@altam10]

What's the name of that song that he was playing on the beginning?

[@levankhubulava2541]

It's T.R.A.M. - Seven Ways Till Sunday Really great band,check them out!

[@kilipeti]

"I don't bend too much". Hm, interesting, but how true! I've never really observed this.

[@mithmasta2]

4:00 "i think of it as a guitar with lots of strings on it" technical terms ftw!

[@drivinsouth651]

Excellent video; it was great! Thanks for uploading it. :-D

[@BoyOfLol]

8 strings are great. I love mine, One of the funniest things about it is that you feel like the hulk back on a six string, it's great.

[@Quandoquesto]

Now I definitely do know

[@cdudek]

"I Can Fix That" -Holes

[@CurleyHobo]

will do thx mate

[@Baltuc_Racing]

Love the hat..

[@hacccper]

Yes, it does.

[@kGmusicpage]

Um , its kinda um, um , so , um , well tune it , um , pretty much um, e minor , um, its like , um , scales but , um interval um

[@avakinlifeuser6888]

8 string... uh e uhhh... e minor uhhh low e uh.. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.

[@Maffoo]

There are so many smutty puns, dunno if they're intentional or not. But gripping girth, not bending that often, etc. Just made me chuckle. Aaaanyway- Tosin is a god, obviously.

[@nathanielnelson9942]

Good job brother

[@republicanhaircutman]

Tosin has a badass case of hitchhiker's thumb.

[@groovey65]

I really dislike "shredding" and extremely technical playing but Tosin is so unconventional and inspiring it not only makes me want to become a more technical player it also makes me want to put myself in the headspace of approaching guitar completely differently to how I have been the past seven years. This guy is one of the most groundbreaking players on the planet right now and is completely understated. I'd love to see one of his clinics!

[@DriveHimDead]

amazing stuff

[@jkman10]

He says "you know" a lot.

[@ScoCoda]

This guy is cool, he should start a band

[@nmarlboro1]

Am i the only one in here that noticed T.R.A.M. at 5:00??

[@TheZimmbro]

@Christianisaperson True, true. But once you understand the mechanics of anything it isn't really that mindblowing is it? The sense of creativity in the guitar world has just died out for the most part I think, but guys like Tosin still manage to keep it alive I believe. That's all I'm saying.

[@taroabarbanel]

[most insane guitar riff]... "stuff like that, you know."

[@PhillAndersonGuitarist]

I recently got an 8 string guitar and it definitely is a strain on the left hand that I'm still getting used to. In some ways it really is like having a bass and a guitar at your disposal and it really has so many new sounds available.

[@obangga]

and 12 years later, I decided to bought my 8 string and learn some of his licks. Thanks for inspiring me Tosin!

[@xNekoOtaku]

@xNekoOtaku Oh, I think I have it. He has his middle finger on 2nd string D, am I right?, I can't tell from the camera angle.

[@IbanezJFS]

I actually have a 8-String Schector Myself it's a Damien elite.

[@blackblurable]

Tosin is now the biggest influence on my life! I barely play a 6 string guitar and only have about a couple years under my belt and mostly play metal/blues. I really want to play a 7 string guitar and possibly going to 8 string guitar and tune it like Tosin. His finger picking and bass sounding playing while playing guitar parts at the same time is genius. I can't think of any other guitarist that utilizes his techniques. I been listening to a lot of instrumental stuff but his stuff tops all

[@Guitaristscreamer]

they make passive pickups too

[@RichardGarcia93]

3:13 puts my head in a different *slop* space

[@LuisLozano]

very intelligently well spoken this guy..im a new fan..... much rsspect 2 u sir

[@baconshreds1772]

You could tell this was made in 2010, "You cant find many 8 strings", now they're somewhat really common

[@TerranMacKay]

@HxCGuitarist6661 well yeah hahaha, he uses it for versitility, I love deathcore, but the breakdowns are getting a bit much, i think they should be used to compliment the song, not BE the song, so I stick to more or less more technical deathcore. but yeah, this guy is amazing.

[@TheBudBoss]

I Just ordered my first 8 string. I got the Jackson X series Dinky Archtop DKAF8. I can't sleep. I need it to be here yesterday.

[@jjjjbb12]

I saw this guy in terminator 2...He made the building explode

[@natanpatussi764]

genius

[@kickflip407]

yeah, I know.

[@SJAmusichero]

I love how some of the riffs in this video are now songs on Weightless and songs for TRAM

[@zachvitto5831]

he looks completely different here wearing a hat or this is when he was younger?

[@alancosens]

... or you can just use a bass player. lol Wouldn't a guitar like this need a different sort of amp? Like, a crossover dumping into a bass amp for lower frequencies? Or regular amps can handle the lower frequencies without blowing up?

[@RobbenBanks153]

Dual amp models into full range speakers could work?

[@Onamorata]

@sixstringfretter How many bands actually play 8 string guitars? Tosin doesn't have a bassist in his band. Why are you complaining? It's a new approach to the instrument. That's the beauty. I've never seen anyone do what he does. Meshuggah plays 8 strings but not like this.

[@rytr0nious]

When he played that 8th string I crapped my pants....

[@shilooliver]

Great video. Really changed my perspective on 8 strings guitars.

[@testpadel]

i love how it's out of tune and nobody cares XD

[@masonghc]

Tosin wears that fedora better than Indiana Jones ever could.

[@6672rock]

He's got an interesting, almost jazz fusion feel to his style of playing. Very technical, but very offbeat too, and it still sounds melodic. The way he taps bass lines with his left hand and melodies with his right is very reminiscent of Stanley Jordan. I'll have to make it a point to check out his band.

[@Trifaceable]

Am I the only one who just strolls over to this video every once in awhile to revel in Tosin's awesomeness?

[@CapnPuff69]

"I dont bend very often" that line right there changed my playing completely

[@Dert666]

Sure they have RGA's 7&8's for 400-800 $, unfortunately the guitar he is playing here is the 2228, wich carries a $2000 + price tag, and with such a hefty price tag I would expect no buzz, perhaps he just needs to bump up a thicker gauge string. Still a nice guitar tho, I would buy one if they were cheaper, might go with the LTD SC608B Stephen Carpenter model for half the price tho.

[@deeman524]

Best review I've seen on this instrument so far

[@Kalupz]

I started counted the times he said "uhm" now I can't hear anything but that :P

[@timothysharrington7932]

"Easy 8 String Techniques" by Tosin Absi. That, is what we call oxymoron. Who the hell chose that description??

[@haloskater24]

Didnt know lil b played guitar.

[@juniorastronaut7264]

You just made my day! What if they did collaboration? BEST SONG EVER!!!!

[@spaden2112]

Ys, this blakc man knows more about music theory than most 'people.' Get over it, he rules.

[@edelcorrallira]

That's not Tosin ... seriously he looks so young here, feels like a hyper talented kid from a distant galaxy is impersonating him Darn that pick is the same color as the guitar, add to that the shadow from his hand ... At some point I thought he was finger picking with a bit of slapping (and given he does everything under the sun at mind-blowing levels of proficiency it wouldn't be out of character especially since he's doing just that a few minutes later). Guys like him, Metheny, Hendrix, Page, Holdsworth, Henson... These guys are going to be in the history books. And now I need to listen to some Animals as Leaders

[@EnlightenedChad]

"grappling the girth of the shaft" lewd

[@sam_barris]

This is possibly the most thorough and informative guitar review I've ever seen, and for an instrument I had many questions about. Thank you, and very well done. :-)

[@bang8782]

interesting even though I have no idea wtf he was talking about