Monday, December 20, 2010

Episode 10 - Advanced metal techniques and arrangements


After having listened to The Faceless for the past few weeks, I wrote this piece. It's difficult to play, and has quite a peculiar arrangement, being non-traditional in style. The drums are super technical and fast, which makes it so delicious ;)

Tuning D A D G B e

Intro riff                                                                                         q for "quick"
     pm  .   .   .   .   .           .   .       .       .         . . . . . . . . . . . .         . .         . .
e---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D----------------------------------------------------------1---4---------------------------4---5----------------
A--4---4---4---4---4---4---3-------4---4---3-------1-------1/s-4---------------------------4---5---1q1---------1
D----0---0---0---0---0---0---4-3-0---0---0---4-3-0---3-1-0-1/s-4---0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-4---5---1q1---------1

I--1-------.-------.-------.-------2-------.-------.-------.-------3-------.-------.-------.-------4-------.----
Riff 1a
         pm. . . . . . . .                               . . . . . . . . .
e--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A--1-----------------------4-4-4-3-3-3-------------1-----------------------4-4-4-3-3-3-7-7-7-6-6-6-
D--1-----0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-------------5-5-5-4-4-4-1-----0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-------------------------

I--1-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------2-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------
         . . . . . . . . .                                                                  *  quick mute
e----------------------------------------------------------------------------------10-11-13-14-----------
B--------------------------------------------------------------------------10-11-13----------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------5-7-8-------7-8-11------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------5-7-8-------7-8-10------------------------------------
A--1-----------------------4-4-4-3-3-3-------------------------------------------------------------------
D--1-----0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-------------5-5-5-4-----------------------------------------------------------

I--3-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------4-----------.-----------.-----------------.-----------
Riff 1b
         pm. . . . . . . .                               . . . . . . . . .
e--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A--2-----------------------5-5-5-4-4-4-------------2-----------------------5-5-5-4-4-4-9-9-9-8-8-8-
D--2-----1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-------------6-6-6-5-5-5-2-----1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-------------------------

I--1-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------2-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------
         . . . . . . . . .                         . .               . .
e--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A--2-----------------------5-5-5-4-4-4-------------1q1---------------1q1---------------------------
D--2-----1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-------------6-6-6-5-5-5-1q1---------------1q1---------------------------

I--3-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------4-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------

Riff 2
   pm. . .     . . . .                             . . . .                 . . . . . . .
e--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--1-1-1-1-----1-1-1-1-----------------------------1-1-1-1-----------------1-1-1-1-1-1-1-----------

I--1-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------2-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------
   .  .  .  .  .  .                          .  .
e--------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------3--3--------------------
A--------------2--2--5--5--------5--5--2--2--------
D--1--1--4--4--------------------------------4--4--

I--3-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------

   pm. . .     . . . .                             . . . . . .             . . . . . . 
e--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A--------------------------4b1/2-------------------------------4b1/2-------------------1-----0-----
D--1-1-1-1-----2-2-2-2-----------------------------2-2-2-2-2-2-------------2-2-2-2-2-2-1-----0-----

I--1-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------2-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------
   pm. . .     . . . .                             . . . . . . . . . . . . 
e--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6h9p6-5h8p5-
A--------------------------4b1/2-------------------------------------------5-7-8-5-7-8-------------
D--2-2-2-2-----2-2-2-2-----------------------------3-3-3-3-3-3-6-6-6-6-6-6-------------------------

I--3-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------4-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------

Repeat riff 1b

Riff 3
       pm. . . . . . . . . . . . .     . . . . . . . . . .
e----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--1-------------------------------1-----------------------------------------------
A--1---0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-1---0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-1-1-1-3-3-3-2-2-2-
D--1---0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-1---0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0------------------------- x2

I--1-------.-------.-------.-------2-------.-------.-------.-----------------------

Riff 4
         pm .              .  .              .  .        .  .              .  .  .  .  .
e--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A--11p8-----8--11p8--11p8-----8--11p8--11p8-----8--10p7-----7--10p7-----4-----------------4--5--6--
D--------9-----------------9-----------------9-----------8-----------8-----6--5--4--5--6----------- x2

I--1-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------2-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------

e--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--9p-6-----6--9p-6--9p-6-----6--9p-6--9p-6-----6--8p-5-----5--8p-5-----6-----------------6--7--8--
A--------8-----------------8-----------------8-----------7-----------7-----8--7--6--7--8-----------
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I--1-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------1-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------

e--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------10~~~~~~~~~~------------9~~~~~~~~~~~x\----------
D--------------------8-----------------8-10-11p10p8------------------------------------x\----------
A-----------7--10-11----11-10-7--10-11-------------------------------------------------x\----------
D--6--9--10----------------------------------------------------------------------------x\----------

I--3-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------4-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------
Riff 5
e--------------------------     e--------------------------
B--------------------------     B--------------------------
G--------------------------     G--------------------------
D--------------------------     D--------------------------
A-----------4--8p-4--------     A-----------3--7p-3--------
D--5--7--8-----------8--7-- x4  D--4--6--7-----------7--6-- x3

I--1-----------.-----------     I--1-----------.-----------

Pre-solo lick
e--------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------
D--7--8--10-8--10-11-10-11-13-11-13-14--------\----
A--------------------------------------12~~~~~\----
D--------------------------------------------------

I--1-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------

Solo
e-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--11p10p8---------11p10p8-11p10p8---------11p10p8-11p10p8---------10/14~~~~~~-------------8~~~~~~~---------
D----------11p10p8-----------------11p10p8-----------------11p10p8------------------------------------------
A-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I--1---------------.---------------.---------------.---------------2---------------.---------------.-------.

e------------------------------------------------------------------
B------------------------------------------------------------------
G----------------------------------------------------------x\------
D-/10----------9~~~--------------------6p5-6~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~x\------
A----------------------------------------------------------x\------
D------------------------------------------------------------------

I--1-------.-------.-------.-------2-------.-------.-------.-------

e--------------------------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------8--9--12-8--9--12-
G--------------------------------------6--7--10-6--7--10-------------------
D--------------------5--6--9--5--6--9--------------------------------------
A--4--5--8--4--5--8--------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I--1-----------------.-----------------.-----------------.-----------------
                          *tap       *t         *t         *t         *t         *t
e--9---10--13--9--10--13--16p13p10p9-16p13p10p9-16p13p10p9-16p13p10p9-16p13p10p9-16p13p10p9--
B--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I--1----------------------.----------------------.---------------------.---------------------
   *t                          *at half bend then release, "r" for "release"
e--15b1/2---------------------p12r1/2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--------
B------------------------------------------------------------------
G------------------------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------------------------

I--1-------.-------.-------.-------2-------.-------.-------.-------

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Episode 9 - Metal 101: Tremolo picking and thrash metal


Tremolo |ˈtreməˌlō| noun: A wavering effect in a musical tone, typically produced by rapid reiteration of a note... So, tremolo is fast picking. It's essential in modern metal guitar. I use it a lot in my riffs, and here's a thrash metal song and solo showing how to do it.

Lick 1.1
e-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--x/---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--x/-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-7-7-7-7-8-8-8-8-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-
A--x/---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--x/---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I-----1-------.-------.-------.-------2-------.-------.-------.-------3-------.-------.-------.-------4-------.-------.-------.-------

Lick 1.2
e-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D---5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-7-7-7-7-8-8-8-8-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-------------------------------------------------
A-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-
D-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I---1-------.-------.-------.-------2-------.-------.-------.-------3-------.-------.-------.-------4-------.-------.-------.-------

Lick 1.3
e----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-5-5-5-5-6-6-6-6-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-
D----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I--1-------.-------.-------.-------2-------.-------.-------.-------3-------.-------.-------.-------4-------.-------.-------.-------

Lick 1.4
e----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-5-5-5-5-6-6-6-6-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-
D----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I--1-------.-------.-------.-------2-------.-------.-------.-------3-------.-------.-------.-------4-------.-------.-------.-------

Lick 2
       pm  .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .               .   .   .   .   .   .   .
e----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A--5-------------------------------------------------------5---6---4---------------------------------------------------------------
D------0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---------------0---0---0---0---0---0---0---5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-8-8-8-8-4-4-4-4- x2

I--1-------.-------.-------.-------2-------.-------.-------.-------3-------.-------.-------.-------4-------.-------.-------.-------

Repeat Lick 1.1
Lick 1.5
e----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-9-9-9-9-101010106-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-
D----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I--1-------.-------.-------.-------2-------.-------.-------.-------3-------.-------.-------.-------4-------.-------.-------.-------


Lick 3
       pm. . . . . . . . . . . . .                                     . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     . . . . . .     . .
e----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D----------------------------------------------------------7---6-------------------------------------------------------------------
A--5---------------------------------------5---4---5/--8-----------8-------------------------------4---------------5-------4b1/2r--
D------0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-3h--6-------------------------------3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-----3-3-3-3-3-3-----3-3--------- x2

I--1-------.-------.-------.-------2-------.-------.-------.-------3-------.-------.-------.-------4-------.-------.-------.-------

Solo
e--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-14-15-15-15-15-12-12-12-12-15-15-15-15-18-18-18-18-
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I--1-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------2-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------

e--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--19-19-19-19-18-18-18-18-15-15-15-15-12-12-12-12-14~~~~~~~~~~------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I--3-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------4-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------

tap*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *
e--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------12hp8-12hp8-12hp8-12hp8-11hp8-11hp8-11hp8-11hp8-
D--12hp8-12hp8-12hp8-12hp8-11hp7-11hp7-11hp7-11hp7-------------------------------------------------
A--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I--1-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------2-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------

e--------------------------------------------------13----------------------13--15------13--15--12--17~~~~~~
B--------------------------14--15--17--14--15--17------17--15--14--15--17----------17----------------------
G--11--12--14--12--14--15----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I--3-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------4-----------.-----------.-----------.-----------1-------