Play Extreme Metal Guitar

So, you want to play guitar for a metal/death metal band? You're going to have to get some serious chops down, but don't worry. This article has been devised to give you some tips on playing extreme metal guitar.

Steps

  1. Start by finding tablature for your favorite metal bands. You will find that the tab is incredibly daunting and in some cases miles beyond your technical ability. Don't worry. This is how everyone feels when first confronted by some real metal music.
  2. Listen to a particular song, and find a breakdown or something that is simplistic - and find it in the tab. Now attempt to learn it. Do this with several songs and you will eventually build up a repertoire of riffs which you can play.
  3. Learn to palm mute, place your palm lightly over the string which you are playing at the bridge
  4. Learn to play simple power chord-based-riffs
  5. Practice alternate picking between strings. The more you practice, the better you get. It is hard at first, but try to angle your pick and practice with a metronome and it will eventually become much easier.
  6. Use a distorted, deep, fat tone and play with power.
  7. Learn to pinch and put them into your riffs. For pinch harmonics, or "squealies", practice on the third string 4th fret and touch your thumb over the middle pickup on your guitar. It seems impossible while first learning, but it gets easier with practice. You could also try artificial harmonics or natural harmonics.
  8. Learn to string skip and learn fast skipping riffs.
  9. Put it all together.

Tips

  • Metal is built upon the power chord - or the simple coupling of fifths. If you tune to CGCFAD, the power chord can be played using ONE finger, barring the bottom two or three strings. This can also be done in DADGBE tuning, which is also used for metal.
  • Practice!
  • Play with a metronome As Much As Possible
  • Play with friends As Much As Possible
  • Before playing, stretch your fingers to loosen for easier play (Be careful not to crack your knuckles or it will be more painful and it will actually slow you down)
  • Play hard!
  • There are several other techniques that are vital to metal. You must build up your picking speed to deal with the faster passages of metal; you must work on string skipping and moving your fingers faster to keep up with the fast tempos.

Warnings

  • Metal Guitar can be exhausting and frustrating! Try playing with friends who already know how to play. When you get together to "jam" hold back and play backup position instead of lead to get the hang of things.

Things You'll Need

  • A Suitable Guitar, recommended is a Jackson, Schecter, LTD., ESP, Ibanez, BC Rich, or Dean guitars. If you want harmonics, look for guitars with unconventional humbuckers, such as the DimeBucker (TM), EMG active(TM) or the Nailbomb (TM)pickups. Of course, it should be remembered that just because a guitar isn't of a brand or type typically used by metal musicians, it shouldn't necessarily be disregarded.
  • An amp with Distortion or a Distortion Pedal.

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