U really could do both...personally I have several guitars all in different tunings...from standard...half step lower...one in dropped d one stepped down (CGCFAD) and another one thats real low which is tuned 2 steps down (C,F,Bb,Eb,G,C) and sometimes tune the 6th string to B to get a real chunky sound. U really could do either one...U could tune to a lower tuning on a standard 6 string or tune a 7 string or two steps down for a plethora of "darker" notes. Hmm...that 7 string tuned two steps down sounds pretty cool...i think i might try that. Of course u could also tune the 7 string to standard which is still pretty cool. The possibilities are endless.