The 5min Guitar Metal Primer
Feb 15th, 2009 by Ealeal
From naughty leather pants to hauntingly bad hair, for some of us, metal happens to be one of those endearing musical genres reminiscent of rebellious youth, which makes it all that much harder to outgrow and – like a bad mullet – leave behind in the dustbin of history.
However, in recent months I have been indulging in this dark and guilty pleasure, head-banging shamelessly to Slayer as I have not done since high school. While one can argue as to the depth and/or moral context of most of the more traditional common themes found in popular metal lyrics, no one can quite argue with such an onslaught of sound. The music still blows my ‘effin mind, true – but I reckon that due to my progressing age, that air of defiance against authority is gone, along with some questionable wardrobe choices. Nonetheless, when browsing the Hype Machine for new tunes to feed the Pod, I was delighted to find this adorable little tale of elementary school rebellion inspired by Twisted Sister. Rock on, you little devils!
Ok, budding guitarists – wanna cross over to the dark side with some tasty metal tunes? First, get into gear and master that perfect metal tone with this comprehensive video tutorial from LickLibrary. The next step is to get familiar with the awesome guitar goods and gear that make metal into the musical beast that it is:
1. Practice Metal Riffs and Riffing Techniques:
In this guitar video tutorial, LickLibrary contributor Andy James demonstrates how to practice some metal riffing techniques.
2. Learn How to Use Palm Muting Techniques:
In this beginner-level tutorial from iVideosongs, instructor Danny Grady demonstrates how to perfect right-hand palm muting on simple chords and right hand patterns.
3. Nail Some Killer Rock and Metal Runs:
Learn how to play killer rock and metal runs on guitar with this video tutorial from LickLibrary.
4. Go Neo-Classical with Yngwie Malmsteen
Sure, it may have taken you a while to pronounce his name, but Yngwie is a bona-fide guitar god. Sit back, guitar in hand, and learn some neo-classical rock licks inspired by Yngwie Malmsteen’s unmistakable sound.
5. Master Melodic Rock Guitar Licks and Shred Away:
Somewhere back in 11th grade, one of my dearest friends decided to lock himself in his room armed with his two Gibsons, some canned goods, and a Steve Vai guitar boot camp DVD, only to emerge three days later, sleep-deprived but totally driven. Thanks to 5min, you can now get your own dose of Vai, and learn how to play melodic rock guitar licks.
