Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Guitar Amps
  • Guitar Pedals
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Artist news
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Software & Apps
  • Drums
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • You Oughta Know
  • Fake AI band
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • Wrecking Crew
Recommended reading
Jackson Pro Series Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7 and HT7P
Artists Misha Mansoor spills blood as a home shopping TV presenter to unveil new signature Jackson 7-strings
Misha Mansoor digs in on his signature Jackson Juggernaut as he play live with Periphery. The stage is lit in purple and white.
Artists Periphery’s Misha Mansoor on wild baritone tunings, high-gain theory and why he needs guitar lessons
Misha Mansoor poses with his new Jackson Juggernaut in Red Crystal. On the right, his heavy relic shell pink Jackson offset
Artists Misha Mansoor on how the Bass VI inspired his Jackson baritone and a tuning so low it’s “absurd”
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature Pro-Mod Nova-7 NAT: The new S-style is eight years in the making and in some of the promo pictures it looks like Angel Vivaldi has been on horseback for much of that time.
Artists Angel Vivaldi and Charvel unveil state-of-the-art 7-string for levelling up your shred game
Zach Myers of Shinedown is bathed in blue stage lights and plays his custom-relic'd Silver Sky.
Artists Shinedown’s Zach Myers on Paul Reed Smith, signature model updates, and that relic’d Silver Sky
Jackson Pro Series Lee Malia LM-87: The Bring Me The Horizon guitarist's new signature model is inspired by the Surfcaster and debuts a hunbucker/P-90 combo.
Artists “I feel like that song had everything we needed to come back with”: Bring Me The Horizon’s Lee Malia on Shadow Moses, its riff and the secrets behind its tone, and why it was the right anthem at the right time
Ian "Shiner" Thomas of Those Damn Crows onstage playing to a festival crowd with his Gibson Les Paul. He wears a baseball cap and sunglasses.
Artists Shiner from Those Damn Crows on how to write a No.1 album and the Slipknot riff he wish he wrote
  1. Artists
  2. Guitarists

Trivium's Corey Beaulieu talks seven-string guitars, signature models and songwriting

News
By Total Guitar ( Total Guitar ) last updated 6 July 2020

The Trivium man on going to seven

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Introduction

Introduction

The Trivium guitarist explains how 7-string guitars inspired the band’s songwriting in the past, and do so again on latest album, silence in the snow.

When did you first play a seven-string guitar?

“The first time was probably when we were recording Ascendancy [2004/2005] - I recorded some of the guitar solo parts on the record with one of producer Jason Suecof’s Ibanez RG seven-strings.

It was Matt [Heafy] wanting to write seven-string material that forced me to get one

“I remember one of them sounded particularly good for lead stuff. But I started playing it full time when we did The Crusade, we wrote some songs on seven-string and then I actually got my first seven-string when we were touring for that record, because we needed to play some of the seven-string stuff live.

“It was Matt [Heafy] wanting to write seven-string material that forced me to get one and be comfortable with going from a six to a seven without being confused!”

Page 1 of 5
Page 1 of 5
Seven Shoguns

Seven Shoguns

Trivium’s next release, Shogun, was very much a seven-string album for you…

“It was predominantly seven-string. There are some songs on that record that people think are six-strings because we definitely don’t overdo making it sound like we’re cranking on a seven-string because of the keys we’re playing in. There’s a lot of fun stuff to play on that record.

We’ve written material in Bb, which is a new tuning for us on record and we’ve also been experimenting in drop tuning, G#

“We’ve been writing on seven-strings again [2015 album Silence In The Snow]. We’re using a different tuning on seven-string than we’ve used before too. All the previous seven-string stuff was in B standard but over the previous years we’ve been playing live half a step down.

“So we’ve written material in Bb, which is a new tuning for us on record and we’ve also been experimenting in drop tuning, G# I think. We’ve been experimenting to give us new creative avenues to dive into.”

Page 2 of 5
Page 2 of 5
Megafan

Megafan

What made you want to play Jackson?

“Everyone who grows up with guitar is always drawn towards certain things and growing up, there was always something about Jackson. It all stems from being a fan of Megadeth. Especially Rust In Peace; it was a massive album for me as a guitar fan and I really looked up to Dave Mustaine and Marty Friedman.

I’d always see pictures in guitar magazines with Mustaine rocking the black King V

“I’d always see pictures of them in guitar magazines with Mustaine rocking the black King V. From then on I was sucked into the V style and always thought Jacksons had a metal as f**k look.

“Right before we did Ozzfest in 2005 I’d got my first Jackson King V with Trivium and since then Jackson has always been my first love. Obviously I left and did Dean for a little while but once I had the opportunity to talk with them again, there was no other brand that I was interested in playing besides Jackson. I’ve been playing Jackson guitars again for five years now.”

Page 3 of 5
Page 3 of 5
Custom axe

Custom axe

What was the experience of developing your signature model like?

“It’s been a couple of years in the making. We’ve been working on multiple designs, trying different ideas and paint designs but I’m glad we didn’t rush it. I wanted to have my own twist to add to the history of the V.

Jackson are coming out with the production model that will be much more affordable

“The Custom Shop people were cool to build different ideas to find out what I liked personally. I’d bring them out on tour and try them out. It was trial and error for a couple of years, Jackson would make suggestions and I was like a kid in a candy shop! I learned a lot, figuring out what I like and don’t like about guitars.

“Jackson are coming out with the production model that will be much more affordable. I’ve been getting ready to go overseas to Bloodstock and a couple of festivals to use them live.

“I’ve been A/B’ing them and going from playing $3,000 custom shop models to the production models. It’s almost unnoticeable in the quality and the playability of the guitar.

“It has the same pickups that my Custom Shop model has, its got a Floyd Rose and a through-neck too. We wanted to make a great guitar people could afford, especially our fans. It’s something that will last them a really long time too.”

Page 4 of 5
Page 4 of 5
Songwriting on a seven

Songwriting on a seven

Do you have any tips for newcomers to seven-string guitars?

“It might seem daunting with a whole other string and [wider neck] and it sounds like a big jump, but if you look at it in the big scope of things, you’re really only adding five notes to your palette of playing.

If you’re coming at it from a songwriting perspective, don’t fall into the trap of playing on the low strings all the time

“Because once you hit the B string on the fifth fret, you’re already on open E. So you’re adding a couple more notes than you’re able to have on a six-string, but the tonality if you’re a songwriter, it adds a sonic element that really gives you a different vibe.

“If you’re coming at it from a songwriting perspective, don’t fall into the trap of playing on the low strings all the time; use it to your advantage by adding different sounds to your song.

“I know there’s a lot of bands out there playing seven- or eight-string with constant B; always low. Use it to your advantage and don’t pigeonhole yourself by being drunk on the low strings because it’s new.”

Page 5 of 5
Page 5 of 5
Categories
Guitars
Total Guitar
Total Guitar
Social Links Navigation

Total Guitar is Europe's best-selling guitar magazine.

Every month we feature interviews with the biggest names and hottest new acts in guitar land, plus Guest Lessons from the stars.

Finally, our Rocked & Rated section is the place to go for reviews, round-ups and help setting up your guitars and gear.

Subscribe: http://bit.ly/totalguitar

Stay up to date with the latest gear and tuition. image
Stay up to date with the latest gear and tuition.
Subscribe and save today!
More Info
Read more
Jackson Pro Series Misha Mansoor Juggernaut HT7 and HT7P
Misha Mansoor spills blood as a home shopping TV presenter to unveil new signature Jackson 7-strings
Misha Mansoor digs in on his signature Jackson Juggernaut as he play live with Periphery. The stage is lit in purple and white.
Periphery’s Misha Mansoor on wild baritone tunings, high-gain theory and why he needs guitar lessons
Misha Mansoor poses with his new Jackson Juggernaut in Red Crystal. On the right, his heavy relic shell pink Jackson offset
Misha Mansoor on how the Bass VI inspired his Jackson baritone and a tuning so low it’s “absurd”
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature Pro-Mod Nova-7 NAT: The new S-style is eight years in the making and in some of the promo pictures it looks like Angel Vivaldi has been on horseback for much of that time.
Angel Vivaldi and Charvel unveil state-of-the-art 7-string for levelling up your shred game
Zach Myers of Shinedown is bathed in blue stage lights and plays his custom-relic'd Silver Sky.
Shinedown’s Zach Myers on Paul Reed Smith, signature model updates, and that relic’d Silver Sky
Jackson Pro Series Lee Malia LM-87: The Bring Me The Horizon guitarist's new signature model is inspired by the Surfcaster and debuts a hunbucker/P-90 combo.
“I feel like that song had everything we needed to come back with”: Bring Me The Horizon’s Lee Malia on Shadow Moses, its riff and the secrets behind its tone, and why it was the right anthem at the right time
Latest in Guitarists
Steve Miller of the Steve Miller Band performs live onstage at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 26, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana
"Heat, unpredictable flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes": Steve Miller cancels tour due to... the weather
Charvel Angel Vivaldi Signature Pro-Mod Nova-7 NAT: The new S-style is eight years in the making and in some of the promo pictures it looks like Angel Vivaldi has been on horseback for much of that time.
Angel Vivaldi and Charvel unveil state-of-the-art 7-string for levelling up your shred game
Jimmy Page plays his cherry red Gibson EDS-1275 double neck live at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony for Link Wray.
Sundragon unveils the Nymph, a one-watt powerhouse tube combo designed for Jimmy Page
Zach Myers of Shinedown is bathed in blue stage lights and plays his custom-relic'd Silver Sky.
Shinedown’s Zach Myers on Paul Reed Smith, signature model updates, and that relic’d Silver Sky
George Lynch performing with Dokken in the '80s
“I remember Eddie Van Halen asking me, ‘What’s wrong with you?'”: George Lynch, the guitar hero cursed by bad luck
Fender Custom Shop Ariel Posen Stratocaster: Posen's new signature model was inspired by the Jazzmaster and has custom-wound AP-90 pickups. Check out those cupcake-style control knobs.
Ariel Posen’s new Custom Shop signature Strat is A) stunning and B) inspired by a… Jazzmaster?
Latest in News
Handwritten note saying 'And if you go forward...'
“Don’t. Toy. With. Us. We’re fragile”: Fleetwood Mac fans are all a-flutter about latest rumours
Massive Attack perform in concert at the Parco della Musica in Milan. Milan (Italy), June 18th, 2025
“We won’t stand by and allow other artists be threatened into silence”: Massive Attack announce grouping of pro-Palestinian artists
IK Multimedia Tonex One Brown Sound Anthology Limited Edition: these special run mini pedals offer the Tonex One in red, yellow and white, each presenting a specific era of EVH's classic tone.
“The anthology fully captures an artist’s tonal journey as he changed rock guitar forever”: Eddie Van Halen’s holy grail tone from a Tonex One mini pedal? IK Multimedia unveils the Brown Sound Anthology
Steve Miller of the Steve Miller Band performs live onstage at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 26, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana
"Heat, unpredictable flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes": Steve Miller cancels tour due to... the weather
Billy Joel
“Once you’ve seen this film, you’ll never hear Vienna the same way again," says Billy Joel doc director
Costumed members and singer Tobias Forge of the Swedish rock band Ghost perform at Uber Arena on May 7, 2025 in Berlin, Germany. The concert is part of the Skeletour World Tour 2025
“A life-changer for the existence of the band”: Tobias Forge says Ghost’s gig phone ban has been a success

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...