There was a moment when I questioned myself, especially after hearing how complex some of these songs were. Nasty Savage was not known for playing easy riffs. But there I was, with this absolute killer opportunity to play on stage with these guys. I had to learn 11 songs in a very short amount of…
As I’m writing this, I look over and see this black, weathered-finished Ibanez 7-string guitar hanging on the wall (yeah, I’ve got those cool wall-hangers for some of my guitars). I just want to plug it in and jam. But first, let me tell you about this guitar, the Ibanez Prestige RGR762AH (RGR762AHBF), and out…
There are a few events that happened in my early years of playing guitar that really shaped my guitar playing and the way I hear and write music. Funny thing is, I didn’t realize this until years later. Because some of them are not typical, especially for someone who is primarily a metal guitarist. I’m…
If you want to play tighter, faster, more controlled death metal riffs, your alternate picking has to be solid. Not just fast, but clean, consistent, and in time. In this lesson, I’m sharing 4 alternate picking exercises designed specifically for death metal guitar. These aren’t random drills. Each one is tied to a real, practical…
If you’ve ever sat down with your guitar and thought, “Why don’t my riffs sound as tight as I want them to?” you’re not alone. Every metal guitarist hits this wall at some point, whether you’ve been playing for a few months or a few decades. Sometimes your palm muting just isn’t right.Sometimes everything falls…
One of the biggest problems metal guitar players face is unwanted string noise. Whether you’re trying to lock in tighter riffs or hold out that one sustained note and really milk it, extra noise from surrounding strings can ruin your tone and clarity. The good news? You can fix this fast once you know what’s…
You already know you’ve got to put the time in to get better on guitar.But saying things like, “Well, just practice more,” – that doesn’t always work, does it? Because sometimes it’s not about practice. It’s about passion.You love metal. You love playing. But the fire just isn’t there, and when you finally find time…
Let’s clear the air on something before we get started. A great guitar solo, a professional-sounding guitar solo, doesn’t necessarily mean you’re just throwing a bunch of notes at people. In other words, just because you’re playing endless arpeggios up and down the neck doesn’t automatically make that a great solo. There are two things…
Whether you’ve been playing metal riffs for years or you’re just now exploring lead guitar, these simple tone and setup tweaks can completely change how your solos sound and feel. You’ve got your guitar and amp all set up… but something still feels off.Your tone doesn’t sound quite right, or your guitar just doesn’t feel…
I’ll never forget the first time I heard Blackened by Metallica. That riff completely captivated me to the point where I didn’t just want to listen to metal anymore. I had to be a part of it. I had to learn how to play this stuff. By the way, Blackened uses a really cool technique…