subject: Metal Guitar Lessons: 3 Techniques You Cant Ignore [print this page] This beginning of this era of music history falls to none other than Alice Cooper. His start happened with The Spiders in 1965. These days, there are tons of metal guitarists. Some include VanHalen, Slash and Kirk Hammett.
Now you might be a very good lead guitarist , but are you a good heavy metal guitarist? And do you have what it takes? Heavy metal uses a whole range of techniques which are different from regular lead guitar, and you have to be familiar with them if you want to play in a heavy metal band.
What are these techniques? Well, how about Power Chords. Fast Picking. Palm Muting. And if you don't know how to use these, then its time for some fast learning. The only other alternative is to take some metal guitar lessons before you even consider putting your foot on the stage with a metal band. So let me help you out for a few minutes, and show you a little more about these techniques.
Power Chords. They are fundamental to all heavy metal music. How do you make them? Two notes are played simultaneously. This results in a chord that sounds really good under distortion, which is an essential part of heavy metal music. Because there is only two fingers involved, this gives you an edge with chord changes. When the music is moving fast, which is most of the time, you'll have a big advantage of being able to keep up with the changes.
However, because these chords have no minor/major tensions, you have to be really inventive when it comes to using these chords. Power chords are an essential tool in your toolbox as you pickup tricks in your metal guitar lessons. And once you've gotten power chords down pat, then you can start making some very nice metal riffs.
Palm muting is another basic technique used in all forms of heavy metal, be it death metal, metalcore or thrash metal. When you palm mute, you subdue the sound of the guitar slightly by using the edge of your picking hand, while simultaneously continuing to pick the chord. The way to master this is to put just the right pressure to the strings with your hand to get the right sound you want. You can experiment by moving your hand closer or farther from the bridge.
When you are taking metal guitar lessons, you'll have a guide to help you in the right techniques. They'll also correct you when you're doing it wrong. A good teacher will show you hard to find secrets and help you discover some of your own tricks. With the right lessons, you can be flying on the guitar in no time!
