Metal
Get the Rock Sound!
Amp Settings For Awesome Rock Tone!
Having a great sound is just as important as your performance so you need to know how to set up your amp right
The good news is you don’t need to spend a fortune on equipment to get a good sound. I’ll give you a few simple tips to help you get great results!
In this video you’ll discover:
- ‘Crunch’ rhythm guitar set up (for that classic Guns n’ Roses or AC/DC sound!)
- How to set your amp for a killer lead sound that’s punchy and powerful but not too distorted (learn to set your eq and gain just right!)
- A simple trick the pros use for a sound that cuts through every time
So dive in and start getting the sound you want straight away…
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Guitar Amp Settings for an Awesome Rock sound.
Start setting up your guitar amp for a great rock sound and start getting the tone you hear in your head!
This short video lesson shows you step-by-step tips for setting eq, gain and distortion levels and more so you can get started crafting great rock and metal tones. And you don’t need a $5,000 guitar amp to do it!
0:10 In this lesson I’ll show you tips for getting a great rock guitar sound. I’m not a guitar amp ‘guru’ and I’m not playing through high end gear that most guitarists can’t afford! But the good news is that with these easy to use tips you can start getting closer to the rock sound you want.
0:45 Amp Settings for Rock ‘Crunch’ Rhythm Sound
To get a rock rhythm guitar sound similar to bands like AC/DC or Guns’n’Roses set your amp on the distortion or overdrive channel. If you have a ‘crunch’ channel like I do then use this.
I normally set my eq up like this:
Bass: 2-3 o’clock
Treble: 2-3 o’clock
Notice how these are in a similar sort of area – I find this a good starting point before adjusting the mid control. The Mid control has a big influence on the sound so ‘sweep’ the Mid control round till you find the ‘sweet spot’ where it sounds good to you.
I normally set mine to about 10-11 o’clock.
Too much distortion (normally controlled by the ‘Gain’ knob) can make chords and riffs unclear and muddy so don’t use too much!
Start by setting it to about 12-1 o’clock and adjust from there.
1:53 Hear me demo the settings on a ‘classic rock’ style chord riff. Notice how the sound is powerful with a good amount of punch – but you can still make the sound of the chords clearly.
2:08 Amp Settings for Rock Lead/Solo Sound
To get a bit more punch for a good lead guitar sound then you can try just increasing the distortion/gain on your rhythm sound. Some players use a pedal to do this so they don’t need to mess around with the amp. If your amp has a designated lead channel then you might prefer to use this.
I normally use the same eq settings as on the crunch sound – I find they cut through but still sounds nice and fat. As with the rhythm guitar sound be aware of using too much distortion/gain!
On my lead channel I set the gain to about 1-2 o’clock but this will vary depending on your amp.
3:43 Obviously these are just guidelines to get you started! They won’t necessarily be perfect for your taste or music. Alter them to get the sound you want. They’re a great starting point though and should take the guesswork out of getting a good sound.
Good luck!
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Guitar Power Chord Shapes
as used by all the rock & metal masters!
Check out these essential guitar power chord shapes and techniques for killer riffs and chord progressions!.
And discover how this one power chord shape can be used to play any power chord you might need…simply by moving around the guitar neck (don’t worry, I’ll show you how to do it!)
Watch to learn:
- The ‘A root’ power chord shape you really need to know
- Secrets for great palm muting and chord damping technique to get these power chords sounding massive without annoying string noise
- Where to move this power chord shape to on the fretboard to play any power chord you want
So dive in and start getting killer power chord sounds right away…
Learn the Essential Rock and Metal Guitar Power Chords used by bands like Metallica, ACDC, Black Sabbath, Guns’n’Roses and more!
Get my awesome free POWER CHORD GUIDE With TAB and chord boxes for this and other lessons showing you all the essential guitar power chords!
Power chords are essential knowledge if you want to play rock and metal rhythm guitar, songs and riffs. In this guitar lesson I’ll show you more ‘must know’ guitar power chords used by all rock and metal guitarists and classic bands such as AC/DC, Guns’n’ Roses, Metallica and more. Plus you’ll learn how you can use this single chord shape to play ANY power chord!
Here’s a breakdown of what you learn in this video:
0:42 In the previous power chord lessons we looked at the open string guitar power chords and the chord shapes with an E string root. Now it’s time for the shape with the root on the A string.
Let’s learn the basic power chord shape. We’ll start by learning how to play a B5 power chord at the 2nd fret. Then in a minute we’ll start moving it around the neck to get other power chords. Notice the two different options for fingering this chord shape. This is one of the most often used guitar power chords!
I’m mainly playing this shape on the A,D and G strings but as with the E root shapes you can leave off the little finger note if you want (the G string in this chord shape).
2:02 Playing Any Power Chord With This Shape
By moving the power chord shape up the neck it can be used to play any power chord you might need. This is all to do with the root note, which is the note you play with your 1st finger on the A string. Whatever this note becomes as you move the chord shape around determines which power chord you are playing. The chords you get are: 2nd fret-B5, 3rd fret-C5, 5th fret – D5, 7th fret – E5, 8th fret – F5, 10th fret – G5, 12th fret – A5. Make sure you learn this – very important!
1:52 The Moveable Power Chord Shape
By moving the power chord shape up the neck it can be used to play any power chord you might need. This is all to do with the root note, which is the note you play with your 1st finger on the low E string. Whatever this note becomes as you move the chord shape around determines which power chord you are playing. The chords you get are: 1st fret-F5, 3rd fret-G5, 5th fret – A5, 7th fret – B5, 8th fret – C5, 10th fret – D5, 12th fret – E5. Make sure you learn this – very important!
3:42 Sharps and Flats for Power Chords
Make sure you can also play power chords with a sharp(#) or flat (b) root note. These are all played at the frets in between the ones we played the shape at earlier. See the lesson for details and demonstration.
4:57 Power Chord Playing Tips
Remember you only want to play the strings in the chord shape -try to deaden off all other strings by lying your left hand fingers slightly flat across the neck. I mainly do this with my 1st finger. Also experiment with using ‘palm muting’ to give the chords a more chunky, tighter sound. Lightly rest the flesh of your picking hand on the strings to ‘palm mute’.When you want to, release the palm muting slightly to let the power chord ring out a little more.
5:24 How To Use These Power Chord Shapes
It is essential that we practice USING new material in our playing – otherwise we just forget it! Try taking the 3 sets of power chord shapes we’ve covered in these lessons and experimenting with combining them. See if you can make up some killer power chord riffs and chord sequences of your own.
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Master More Essential Power Chord Shapes
as used by all the great rock & metal bands!
If you want to play rock and metal rhythm guitar, then you must know Power Chord shapes. These are chord shapes used by all rock and metal guitarists and classic bands such as Metallica, Guns n’ Roses, AC/DC and much more. Here I’ll show you these chords and how to use them
In this lesson we are going to see:
- Basic Power Chord shape. We’ll see how to play an F5 Power Chord at the first fret and moving it around the neck to get other chords.
- Control string noise. you have to be careful with your fingers so you can get the desired sound, mostly when you are using distortion or overdrive pedals.
- Sharps and Flats
With these chords, you can play almost any metal and rock song. Don’t forget to download my awesome free POWER CHORDS GUIDE With TAB and chord boxes for this and the other Power Chord Lessons!
Power Chord Shapes – Learn the Essential Rock and Metal Power Chords used by bands like Metallica, ACDC, Black Sabbath, Guns’n’Roses and more!
Get my awesome free POWER CHORD GUIDE With TAB and chord boxes for this and the other Power Chord Lessons!
More Essential Guitar Power Chord Shapes
Power chords are essential knowledge if you want to play rock and metal rhythm guitar, songs and riffs. In this guitar lesson I’ll show you ‘must know’ chord shapes used by all rock and metal guitarists and classic bands such as AC/DC, Guns’n’ Roses, Metallica and more. Plus you’ll learn how you can use these to play ANY power chord!
Here’s a breakdown of what you learn in this video:
0:38 Basic Power Chords Shape
We’ll start by learning how to play an F5 power chord at the 1st fret. Then in a minute we’ll start moving it around the neck to get other chords using the same shape. Notice the two different options for fingering this chord shape.
1:28 Controlling String Noise
Watch your 1st finger position when you play this shape – it should be slightly flat so it mutes off any unwanted strings. This little tip is essential for getting clear and punchy power chords without unwanted string noise!
1:52 The Moveable Power Chord Shape
By moving the shape up the neck it can be used to play any chord you might need. This is all to do with the root note, which is the note you play with your 1st finger on the low E string. Whatever this note becomes as you move the chord shape around determines which chord you are playing. The chords you get are: 1st fret-F5, 3rd fret-G5, 5th fret – A5, 7th fret – B5, 8th fret – C5, 10th fret – D5, 12th fret – E5. Make sure you learn this – very important!
3:05 Alternative Fingering
You can also play the power chord shape without the D string note to get a 2 string power chord shape. These can be used interchangeably with the 3 string version and are basically the same thing. They can also be moved around the neck to get different power chords.
4:20 Sharps and Flats
Make sure you can also play power chords with a sharp(#) or flat (b) root note. These are all played at the frets in between the ones we played the shape at earlier. See the lesson for details and demonstration.
5:15 Chord Connecting Exercise
This simple exercise uses the shape played as A5, C5, F5 and G5.
I’m using the 3 string shape here although you could use the 2 string form if you prefered. Notice how I’m using ‘palm muting’ to gives the chords a more chunky, tighter sound. Lightly rest the flesh of your picking hand on the strings to ‘palm mute’. On the final A5 chord I release the palm muting slightly to let the chord ring out a little more.
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Master the Essential Power Chords
as used by all the great rock & metal bands!
Power chords are essential knowledge for any aspiring rock or metal guitarist wanting to play killer rock songs and riffs.
In this guitar lesson you’ll learn’must know’ open string power chords used by the legends of rock and metal music: bands like AC/DC, Guns’n’Roses, Ozzy Osborne, Black Sabbath and others.
Discover:
- Four crucial power chord shapes used by your favourite rock and metal guitar players (they’re easy to play but sound awesome…)
- How to set your amp for a killer crunch sound and avoid some of the common amp setting mistakes most guitar players make
- How power chords are different from regular open chords you know and when to use them
So grab your guitar,dive in to this power chord lesson and soon you’ll be cranking out massive sounding riffs like the legends…
Power Chords – Learn the Essential Rock and Metal Guitar Power Chord Shapes used by bands like Metallica, ACDC, Black Sabbath, Guns’n’Roses and more!
Get my awesome free POWER CHORD GUIDE With TAB and chord boxes for this and the other Power Chord Lessons
Power Chords – Essential Guitar Power Chords
Power chords are essential knowledge if you want to play rock and metal rhythm guitar, songs and riffs. In this guitar lesson I’ll show you 4 must know power chord shapes used by all rock and metal guitarists and classic bands such as AC/DC, Guns’n’ Roses, Metallica and more. You’ll also learn HOW TO SET YOUR AMP and guitar to get that classic rock sound power chord sound!
Here’s a breakdown of what you learn in this video:
0:12 Hear a basic demo of the power chord shapes this video teaches you and what they sound like.
0:48 What is a power chord? Normally when guitarists talk about power chords they mean ‘5’ chords, for example E5, G5, C5 etc. Where they are different from most other chords is that they only contain 2 notes whereas most other chords are made up of 3 or more notes. Strangely by taking a note out we get a bigger, more powerful sound. Even though some of these shapes use 3 or more strings on the guitar they are still constructed of just 2 notes.
1:14 E5 Power Chord Shape. Play the open E string and the A and D strings at the 2nd fret to play this chord. Either use your 1st finger to barre both strings or use your 1st and 2nd fingers to play it. Either way let your fingers lie slightly ‘flat’ to mute other strings we don’t want to hear.
2:15 A5 Power Chord Shape. If you move the E5 power chord shape across onto the next 3 strings it become an A5 chord. Use the same fingering options we had for the E5 shape. Watch that muting like before!
2:49 D5 Power Chord Shape. For this power chord play the open D string, the G string ate the 2nd fret and the B string at the 3rd fret. Use the various fingering options in the video depending on what works best for you.
4:10 G5 Power Chord Shape. This G5 chord is a favourite of all the classic rock bands – it sounds huge! Play the E string at the 3rd fret, the open D and open G strings, and the B and top E strings at the 3rd fret. Mute the A string with the flat of your 2nd finger (which is playing the low E string note).
5:16 Setting Up Your Amp for a Great Power Chord Sound. These are just some guidelines for amp settings – feel free to experiment to get your own sounds. Don’t over-do the distortion – use as much as you need but not too much! The reason is that the chords will start to sound mushy and unclear with too much distortion. I set my bass and treble controls to about 2 o’clock and mid to about 9 o’clock and usually use the bridge pickup on my guitar.
6:39 Power Chord Connecting Exercise. Here’s a simple chord sequence you can use to practice these power chord shapes. Also use songs by your favourite rock and metal bands. The exercise here goes from E5 to D5, then from G5 to A5. See the TAB in my FREE POWER CHORD GUIDE!
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RANDY RHOADS STYLE LICKS
‘must know’ licks from Ozzy’s legendary sideman!
Let’s jump into Randy Rhoads style by learning 3 great licks from his playing. You’ll also learn 3 essential metal guitar scale shapes and pick up loads of performance and playing tips to help improve your rock guitar playing and technique.
Today we will see:
- Randy Rhoads Style Lick 1. This lick is similar to one Randy Rhoads plays in his solo on the song ‘I don’t know’. We are using here a G blues scale shape at the 15th fret.
- Randy Rhoads Style Lick 2. This is a chromatic lick based on one little repeating idea which we move down the neck one fret at the time. It creates a tense and a bit dramatic sound, which Randy likes to use a lot.
- Randy Rhoads Style Lick 3. For this one we’re going to start at the 3rd fret using the G blues scale. This lick has two shapes, one at the 3rd fret and other at the 15th fret.
What to do with these rock licks to get the most out of them? Experiment, jam, find your own little variations. Good luck!
Get my awesome ROCK GUITAR LICK BUNDLE with full TAB and notation for all these Randy Rhoads style licks plus TAB for many of my other rock and metal guitar lessons!
In this guitar lesson you’ll learn how to play 3 high energy Randy Rhoads style licks. You’ll also learn 3 essential metal guitar scale shapes and pick up loads of performance and playing tips to help you take your rock guitar playing and technique to the next level. Famous for his devastating guitar solos, classically influenced licks and his dedication to his craft, Randy continues to be a hugely influential player on generation after generation of guitar players.
Here’s a breakdown of what you learn in this video:
0:13 Introduction. Hear me demonstrate ideas similar to the licks from this guitar lesson over a Randy Rhoads style backing track. These licks are based on his playing on the early Blizzard of Oz albums with Ozzy Osbourne. They’re all in the key of G minor and are from the G minor pentatonic scale, G blues scale and G dorian mode.
1:30 Randy Rhoads Style Lick 1 demo at slow and fast speeds. How to play the G blues scale up at the 15th fret as used in the first lick. Complete with description and fingering guidelines. If you need more help learning these then check out my Essential Scales Playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVc9uXnnvaLHCT2Tw6JpELUuAIpYNoa5Z
2:55 How to play the first lick. Broken down phrase by phrase for easy learning. The lick uses alternate picking to get that characteristic Randy Rhoads attack and punch but you could play it with hammer ons and pull offs if you prefer.
6:29 Randy Rhoads Style Lick 2 demo. This is a chromatic lick demonstrating an approach Randy liked to use. It comes from the G dorian mode played up at the 10th fret. Here you’ll learn how to play the scale pattern.
8:40 Let’s break down the lick. It consists of a repeating fragment of the dorian mode which is then repeated and moved down the guitar neck in 1 fret steps. This creates a slightly ‘outside’ sounding lick due to the notes it uses which are outside of the scale tonality. Palm mute it, alternate pick it and play it like you mean it! Also experiment with the concept of this lick in your own playing.
11:23 Randy Rhoads lick 3 demo. It uses the G blues scale down at the 3rd fret then jumps up an octave to the 15th fret. Explore this concept to create your own ideas! If you need more information on how to move a scale around to different keys or up and down an octave watch this video: https://youtu.be/Ft_uuN3n0M0
Watch this position shift at speed – it ‘aint easy! Take it slow at first and get it accurate before speeding it up. Notice the addition of the dorian note at the 17th fret on the B string.
17:05 What to do with these rock licks to get the most out of them. Experiment, jam, find your own little variations. Good luck!
Get my awesome ROCK GUITAR LICK BUNDLE with full TAB and notation for this video lesson and more!
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ESSENTIAL JIMMY PAGE LICKS
‘MUST KNOW’ LICKS FROM THE LED ZEP LEGEND!
Let’s play like the Rock Monsters! And When I say ‘Rock Monsters’ the first name that comes to my mind definitely is Jimmy Page. In this video I’m going to show you 3 great licks from this legendary guitar player, similar to some of the ideas he plays in the mythic song ‘Stairway to Heaven’
So, let’s jump into it and see what are you going to learn today!
- Jimmy Page Lick 1. Similar to a lick Page plays in the Stairway To Heaven solo. It’s a bit long but it sticks to the A minor pentatonic scale shape, so it isn’t that hard to learn, with some practice, of course.
- Jimmy Page Lick 2. This is a great high energy repeating rock guitar lick, ending with a high string bend. You can slip this lick in to your solos and give them some power.
- Jimmy Page Lick 3. This is very similar to how Page ends the ‘Stairway to Heaven’ solo. This is a cool way to add a bit of speed and excitement into your playing without being a really hard lick to play.
Practice this 3 Jimmy Page licks and you will be one step closer to one of the greatest guitar players of all times. Also, you will have 3 new awesome resources to add to your soloing!
Get my awesome ROCK GUITAR LICK BUNDLE with full TAB and notation for this video lesson and more!
Learn 3 high energy A minor pentatonic guitar licks from Led Zeppelin rock guitar master Jimmy Page based on his classic Stairway To Heaven guitar solo. Learn 2 guitar scale shapes, learn how to play 3 essential Jimmy Page licks and pick up loads of performance and playing tips to help you take your rock guitar playing to the next level.
Here’s a breakdown of what you learn in this video:
0:14 Introduction. Hear me demonstrate some of these licks over a Led Zeppelin style backing track.
1:08 How to play 2 shapes for the A minor pentatonic scale as used in these Jimmy Page licks. I’m going to explain and demonstrate the scale shapes to help you get to grips with this crucially important rock and blues guitar scale. Complete with description and fingering guidelines.
3:05 Jimmy Page Lick 1 – Similar to a lick Page plays in the Stairway To Heaven solo. It’s quite a long lick – but sit tight, it’s well worth learning! It’s using the first shape of the A minor pentatonic pattern and is a versatile and useful scale run you can use in lots of different guitar soloing contexts. Once you’ve got it; instant Jimmy Page!
8:47 Jimmy Page Lick 2 – This Jimmy Page lick is using the A minor pentatonic shape at the 12th fret. This is a great high energy repeating rock guitar lick. Page plays it 10 times in a row during the Stairway To Heaven solo but we’re jst going to play it 3 times before ending with a high string bend. Watch the timing with this and check you are not slowing down, speeding up, or losing track of the beat when you play it. As with lick 1 ,this is a useful and versatile lick to add to your guitar trick bag.
12:27 Here I explain how to move your A minor pentatonic scale shape up an octave by shifting it up 12 frets. This is a simple and important trick wich you need to know about. The scale pattern stays exactly the same and all the licks you know in the pattern will work just as well up the octave too. An easy way to expand your solo skills without really learning anything new!
12:05 Jimmy Page Lick 3 – This lick teaches you a great little A minor pentatonic move and is a great addition to your rock lick trick bag. This is similar to how Jimmy Page ends his solo in Stairway To Heaven. It’s based around the A minor pentatonic scale shifted up an octave and uses repeating pull off sextuplets (groups of 6 notes). This is a cool way to add a bit of speed and excitement into your playing without being a really hard lick to play.
15:22 Here I explain how to pick the lick usin alternate picking.
16:26 What to do with these rock licks to get the most out of them. Experiment, jam, find your own little variations.
Get my awesome ROCK GUITAR LICK BUNDLE with full TAB and notation for this video lesson and more!
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‘HIGH ENERGY’ REPEATING ROCK LICKS
in the styles of Slash, Michael Schenker & Zakk Wylde
Check out these ‘HIGH ENERGY’ REPEATING ROCK LICKS for more powerful guitar solos! We will be playing in the key of D minor using the scale shape of D minor pentatonic at the 10th fret.
In this lesson you will learn:
- Awesome repeating ideas from the playing of Slash, Zakk Wylde, Randy Rhoads and other guitar legends
- Tips for creating your very own high energy repeating licks
- Technique tips to get your repeating licks sounding clean, punchy and powerful every time!
So jump in and discover what repeating licks like these can do for your rock and metal solos!
Get my awesome ROCK GUITAR LICK BUNDLE with full TAB and notation for this video lesson and more!
In this guitar lesson I’ll show you how to play 5 repeating rock licks and how you can slip them into your guitar solos and kick your guitar soloing up a gear. Guitar legends like Slash, Michael Schenker and Zakk Wylde use licks just like these to create their smoking guitar solos….now YOU can use them too.
Sound good?
Also, if you want to master licks and scales all over the guitar fretboard for a whole new level of soloing freedom, then check out my CAGED System for Guitar book and video set.
Here’s a breakdown of what you learn in this video:
0:15 Hear me solo using some of the repeating rock licks you’re going to learn in this lesson. You might recognise some of them from the playing of guitar legends like Slash, Randy Rhoads, Michael Schenker, Zakk Wylde and others!
1:04 All these repeating licks are in the key of D minor and use the D minor pentatonic scale and the D blues scale. Here you’ll learn both of these essential guitar scale shapes.
1:45 Repeating Rock Lick 1
Pretty much all the rock guitar legends play this repeating lick but Slash plays licks like this one a lot. It’ll sound great slipped into your rock solos! It uses a bend on the B string then a triplet hammer and pull off sequence on the high E and B string. Watch for the picking tips here – they can make it easier to speed the lick up as fast as you want.
3:53 Repeating Rock Lick 2
This lick is a favourite of Michael Schenker – but everyone plays it. It’s made up of a short 3 note sequence which we repeat 5 times. I like to alternate pick this repeating lick. Watch for the left hand muting tips to get the lick clean and fast!
6:15 Repeating Rock Lick 3
This lick is heard in the playing of Zakk Wylde and others! The lick uses the blues scale for a dark and edgy sound. It’s made up of 2 short 4 note fragments which we repeat 4 times each. Watch the picking for this and also experiment with the more left hand orientated approach I show you too. This takes a little practice but can help you hit the warp speed factor with this lick!
9:50 Repeating Rock Lick 4
This repeating rock lick uses the D blues scale and is played in sextuplet rhythm. I use my first 3 fingers to play this one – in fact it’s a great left hand legato practice exercise to help you develop finger independence in your fretting hand. Follow the palm muting guidelines here to get clean and sharp execution of this repeating rock lick.
12:48 Repeating Rock Lick 5
Another Zakk Wylde style lick! This lick uses the D blues scale but we’re reaching up and grabbing a few higher note as well. Practice adding these notes into some of your favourite minor pentatonic licks – you’ll be surprised at how many cool ideas you can discover!
15:18 What should you do with these repeating rock licks to get the most out of them and absorb them into your playing? I believe the most important thing is to practice not just playing them – but to practice USING them!
Put on a backing track or drum loop and practice looping them around, getting them in time and sounding crisp and clear. Then practice improvising and slotting them into your playing with other stuff you’d normally play. Experiment to see how to make them work best and also try to create some repeating rock licks of your own based on these.
If you want to ramp up your soloing by mastering licks and scales all over the fretboard then check out my CAGED System for Guitar book and video set. Click on the image below to learn more and read reviews!
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HEAVY METAL GUITAR SCALES
Guitar Scales for Metal & Thrash Soloing
Do you like Heavy Metal? Want to play great Heavy Metal solos? Then watch this video to learn 3 essential Heavy metal scales and 3 great licks to go with them
Here you will find:
- The Minor Pentatonic Scale. This is the most used scale in rock and metal solos. Hundreds of licks come from this scale, so this is a ‘must learn’ scale.
- Blues Scale. This is another essential scale for rock and metal guitar. It’s very similar to the Minor Pentatonic,we just add one note.
- Rock and Heavy Metal Lick 1. A great lick using the A Blues Scale. You’ll find similar ideas in solos from your favourite rock and metal guitar players. This lick works fine at different speeds, it will sound awesome either way!
- Sliding Blues Scale and a lick from it. This scale allows you to move over the guitar neck and get a more interesting sound than if you just stay in the same area.
- The Natural Minor Scale (AKA ‘Aeolian Mode’). It’s similar to the Minor Pentatonic Scale but with a few added notes. The Aeolian Mode is commonly used by all rock and metal players such as Slash, Zakk Wylde, Kirk Hammett and others. Also I will show you a fantastic lick using this scale shape that will make your solos sound awesome!
You can use this scales and licks as a starting point to create your solos. You can also create your own licks from the scales you will learn here and be one step closer to become a rock star!
Get my awesome ROCK GUITAR LICK BUNDLE with full TAB and notation for this video lesson and more!
Heavy Metal Guitar Scales. Nail the essential guitar scales for heavy metal, rock and thrash metal guitar as used by all the metal and thrash guitar legends and learn 3 awesome metal licks played by all the metal guitar greats.
Get full tab, scale diagrams and lesson notes for this video lesson in my FREE Rock Guitar Lick Bundle. Also features TAB for my popular Repeating Rock Licks and Super Hot Rock Licks Lessons plus others! Get it here: https://jamesshipway.leadpages.net/rock-guitar-lick-bundle-opt-in/
Heavy Metal Guitar Scales – Scales for Heavy Metal and Thrash Soloing
Learn the essential guitar scales for playing heavy metal and thrash guitar as used by Tony Iommi, Kirk Hammett, Dave Mustaine, Kerry King, Jeff Hanneman and others! Plus 3 super cool licks to show you how you can use each scale to create heavy metal style licks of your own.
These aren’t the only scales you need – but it’s a great place to start!
Here’s what you’ll learn in this video:
1:05 The Minor Pentatonic Scale
This is the most commonly used scale in almost every style of guitar playing so if you don’t know it then this is the best place to start! Hundreds of essential rock and metal licks come from this scale.
2:05 The Blues Scale
The blues scale is another essential scale for rock, metal and thrash soloing. It’s just like the minor pentatonic with a couple of notes added in. These added notes give it a darker, more edgy sound – perfect for rock and metal soloing. The minor pentatonic and blues scale are generally used interchangeably when we solo.
3:27 Rock and Heavy Metal Lick 1
Check out this essential metal lick using the A blues scale. You’ll hear ideas like this in the playing of every metal guitar player including Kirk Hammett, Dave Mustaine, Tony Iommi and Zakk Wylde.
The lick uses a few essential metal guitar moves within the blues scale shape, these are cool because youcan take them and use them to create licks of your own.
7:48 Speed!
Metal players often play licks like this at very fast speeds! Whatever stage you’re at, practice using this lick, even if you can’t yet play it as fast as they can. Find a way to use it in your playing and you’ll soon notice it coming out in your guitar solos. You’ll build up the speed over time!
8:05 Sliding Blues Scale
This blues scale pattern is incredibly useful for soloing. It works it’s way along the fretboard rather than just staying in one area of the neck. There are all sorts of awesome metal and rock licks hiding inside this pattern so experiment and hunt them out!
9:57 Rock and Heavy Metal Lick 2
This lick uses the sliding blues scale pattern to create a speedy, slippery little metal lick! Watch for the position shifts, slides and the use of the blue note to give it a little darker flavour than the minor pentatonic lick.
11:50 The Natural Minor Scale/Aeolian Mode
The scale pattern for the natural minor scale is like the minor pentatonic scale with a few added notes. It’s also called the Aeolian mode and is widely used by all rock and metal players. Listen for it in the playing of Kirk Hammett, Randy Rhoads, Slash, Zakk Wylde, Dave Murray and others.
Use it as a way to add ‘colour’ to your basic pentatonic scale shape. Sometimes the added notes won’t work, but most of the time they will.
14:00 Rock and Heavy Metal Lick 3
This metal lick is coming from the A natural minor scale and uses a palm muted repeated phrase in the first part. I’m alternate picking this section of the lick. Notice how the added natural minor notes are being to used to decorate a simple pentatonic idea and give it more flavour.
The next part is typical of the playing of Randy Rhoads. Again it’s using a simple minor pentatonic lick but it’s decorated with the added natural minor notes. This is a great way to build vocab with any new scale!
17:19 How to Use These Licks and Scales
Use these licks as a starting point for making up some of your own licks. It’s really important to do this! Change them and adapt them to suit your taste as a player. Also borrow ideas from your favourite players and see how you can use them in your own playing. This may seem a bit cheeky but it’s part of how all great players learn.
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ANGUS YOUNG LICKS – BLUES/ROCK ‘POWER LICKS’
AC/DC is one of the most popular Hard Rock bands of all times. With their catchy riffs and powerful solos, they’re one of the favorite bands for people of all ages. Today we are going to learn 3 high energy pentatonic guitar licks from blues and rock guitar master Angus Young based on his classic Back In Black guitar solo, using the E minor scale shape on the 12th fret.
What are we going to see today?
- A short reminder of the E minor pentatonic scale (If you want a more detailed lesson about minor pentatonic scale, check this video ‘https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJKenmHWKyc‘)
- Angus Young Guitar Lick 1. Similar to a lick Angus plays in the first guitar solo on Back In Black, using the E minor scale shape and blues/rock guitar double stop bend, the result is a peculiar and powerful sound
- Angus Young Guitar Lick 2. based on the same scale shape, at the 12th fret we are going to use a repeating string bend. This is a great high energy rock guitar lick and it sounds awesome when you slip it in your solos!
- Angus Young Guitar Lick 3.Here we are going to use some double stop, a very common technique in Angus playing. Take it and start experimenting with it so you get good at using it in your solos!
With these 3 licks you will bring more power and awesomeness to your solos, making them sound more like the greatest guitar players do!
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Angus Young Licks Rock Guitar Lesson
Learn 3 high energy pentatonic guitar licks from blues and rock guitar master Angus Young based on his classic Back In Black guitar solo. Learn the scale shape they use, learn how to play them and pick up loads of performance and playing tips to help you take your rock guitar playing to the next level.
Here’s a breakdown of what you learn in this video:
0:14 Introduction. Hear me demonstrate some of these Angus Young licks over an AC/DC style backing track.
1:15 How to play E minor pentatonic scale as used in these licks. I’m going to explain and demonstrate the scale shape to help you get to grips with this crucially important rock and blues guitar scale. Complete with description and fingering guidelines.
2:05 Angus Young Guitar Lick 1 – similar to a lick Angus plays in the first guitar solo on Back In Black. It uses the E minor pentatonic scale pattern studied and makes use of an important Angus Young style blues/rock guitar double stop bend. Follow the fingering guidelines for the double stop bend – it can be a bit tricky at first! But once you’ve got it; instant Angus Young!
5:02 Angus Young Guitar Lick 2 – This Angus Young lick is using the same E minor pentatonic shape at the 12th fret. This is a great high energy rock guitar lick. It uses a repeating bend – be sure to follow the tips for musting and controlling your bends with your picking hand. It ends with an awesome little burst of speedy, triplet riffery!
8:16 Angus Young Guitar Lick 3 – This lick teaches you a great little double stop move which is a great addition to your rock lick trick bag. Even though it uses a note which isn’t in the minor pentatonic scale it will still work great when used along with the scale notes. Take it and start experimenting with it so you get good at using it in your playing.
10:50 Follow this important picking hand muting technique. This can tidy up your playing massively. Use your picking hand and your pick to keep the unused strings silent as you release the string bends. Takes a little practice but essential stuff if you want your guitar soloing to sound slick!
12:22 What to do with these rock licks to get the most out of them. Experiment, jam, find your own little variations.
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ESSENTIAL ‘HOT’ ROCK LICKS
Slash, Angus Young, Tony Iommi, Zakk Wylde and Randy Rhoads style
We all want to play like our idols, or at least get close to them. In this lesson I’ll show you five great rock licks which you can start to use in your solos from the playing of some of the biggest stars in the rock scene.
You’ll learn
- A Tony Iommi style lick similar to something that he plays in his “Paranoid” solo with Black Sabbath.
- A cool Angus Young style lick from “You Shook Me All Night Long”
your solo! - A wicked Slash lick similar to something he plays in his classic “Sweet Child ‘O’ Mine” solo.
- Zakk Wylde style lick. You’ll know this great guitar player from Black Label Society or from Ozzy Osbourne’s band. Here is a high energy, repeating lick from him, which I’m sure you will find a use for!
- Randy Rhoads style. A classic Rhoads lick from his epic “Mr Crowley” solo.
After learning these licks, you will have some awesome new ideas for your solos. Also remember to change them these examples a bit to get licks of your own.
Grab the tabs to these licks and lesson notes by clicking the link below!
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Rock Licks – 5 Super Hot Rock Guitar Licks – in the style of Slash, Tony Iommi, Zakk Wylde, Angus Young and Randy Rhoads!
Learn these 5 high energy rock guitar licks in the style of guitar greats like Slash, Angus Young, Zakk Wylde and others. In this guitar lesson I’ll show you how to play 5 rock licks and how you can slip them into your guitar solos and kick your guitar soloing up a gear. Sound good?
Here’s a breakdown of what you learn in this video:
0:15 Hear me solo using some of the rock licks you’re going to learn in this lesson. You might recognise some of them from the playing of guitar legends like Slash, Randy Rhoads, Tony Iommi, Zakk Wylde , Angus Young and others!
1:03 All these licks use the minor pentatonic scale and the blues scale. Here you’ll learn how to play an E blues scale pattern.
If you need more help learning these then check out my Essential Scales Playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVc9uXnnvaLHCT2Tw6JpELUuAIpYNoa5Z
We’re going to be moving it around to a few different keys for these licks. Not sure how to do this? Watch this: https://youtu.be/Ft_uuN3n0M0
1:51 Rock Lick 1- Tony Iommi Style
This lick is like Tony Iommi plays in ‘Paranoid’. It’ll sound great slipped into your rock solos! It uses the E minor pentatonic or blues scale pattern we looked at earlier.Watch for the ‘rolling’ technique I show you to get clean, clear notes at the 12th fret on top 2 strings!
4:30 Rock Lick 2 – Angus Young Style
Angus plays a lick like this in his solo on ACDC’s ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’. It’s using the G minor pentatonic scale which Angus has move up to the 15th fret instead of playing it at the 3rd fret. By moving any scale up 12 frets like this you can play the same pattern and licks an octave higher – useful tip! Note the use of ‘pre’ bends and double stops. Take these ideas and insert them into your own playing.
8:44 Rock Lick 3 -Slash Style
This is a favourite of all rock players – but one of the best known uses of it is in Slash’s solo on ‘Sweet Child ‘O’ Mine’ by Guns’n’Roses. It’s using 2 repeating bending ideas in E minor pentatonic which are repeated a number of times. The lick then wraps up with a little blues lick idea. It might take a bit of practice to build up the stamina and strength to loop this one around at speed – but keep working at it and you’ll nail it!
11:12 Rock Lick 4 – Zakk Wylde Style
This Zakk Wylde style lick uses the E blues scale – it’s a high energy, repeating lick which you’re sure to find a use for! Notice how we’re reaching up and grabbing a higher note on the B string as well. Practice adding this note into some of your favourite minor pentatonic licks – you’ll be surprised at how many cool ideas you can discover! Also check out the double stop bend at the end – this is a useful bending ‘nugget’ to steal for your own licks.
14:08 Rock Lick 5 – Randy Rhoads Style
This lick is like something Randy Rhoads plays in his ‘Mr Crowley’ solo. This lick uses the D minor pentatonic scale and is basically made up off 2 repeating licks played a number of times. The 2nd half of the lick will test your alternate picking – it might be a bit tricky! Don’t let this stop you though: use hammer ons and pull offs if that’s easier. This part of the lick is a great exercise to develop your picking skills. Start slow and gradually build it up over time.
19:20 How To Use These Licks
Experiment to see how to make them work best in your playing and remember to use these as the starting point for ideas and licks of your very own – super important!
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