# Easy metal songs to learn



## Mechanix11 (Dec 29, 2011)

the title says all.
But one that can help me improving techniques like alternate picking or something like that, i'm learning Cowboys From Hell by Pantera, and i have a little problem doing the solo (i'm a bit lazy to learn solos) but i want to change that and learn solos easly, maybe this off topic but i would like accept any tips on learning solos of some songs.

Thanks In Advance


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## LamaSabachthani (Dec 29, 2011)

I personally found that most of the 80s thrash albums were great places to learn from. repertoires in themselves for the beginning/intermediate player. I love the metallica 'epics' and think that 'Four Horsemen', 'Hit the Lights', 'Fade to Black', 'Master of Puppets' (to name the big ones) are great places to start off with. Pantera is good learning material as well. Listen to and learn the Rust in Peace album by megadeth... Marty Friedman's thrashy shred masterclass. 

Hope this helps! Just shit I loved learning when I first started playing. Yngwie as well, of course...


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## Solodini (Dec 30, 2011)

Lamb of God have some good, fun riffs which are pretty technical in places. Things like the vomit riff of Hourglass.


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## niffnoff (Dec 30, 2011)

All of the above ^

I tried all of the Ashes album by LoG that was a fun as hell album to play!

Laid to Rest and Omerta being in my top faves to jam now and then!


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## Epyon6 (Dec 30, 2011)

Some old school cannibal corpse songs are easy, Also Black Dahlia Murders Funeral thirst and most of the songs from the first full album "Unhallowed". If your into metalcore those songs are always easy to play lol.


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## Berserker (Dec 30, 2011)

I must really suck, I don't think any of the songs suggested are easy!


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## Mechanix11 (Dec 30, 2011)

alright i would give it a look
thanks


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## Necky379 (Dec 30, 2011)

for metalcore:
as i lay dying, check out "through struggle"
himsa "girl in glass" thrashy and simple, good tab out there
the black dahlia murder "novelty crosses" epic and evil sounding, also pretty easy. took me a little longer to memorize, i don't know why, it's probably just me.
learning songs by at the gates and early in flames will help too, they're not as easy as the stuff above imo but they're two of the bands that inspired many of todays metalcore bands.

thrash:
metallica motorbreath, great song to start with
metallica for whom the bell tolls, i figured out what palm muting when i first started playing from this song, the main riffs are simple.
slayer bloodline, thrash band but not a very thrashy song imo, easy
other:
superjoint ritual waiting for the turning point, all their songs are very very easy to play and a lot of fun imo. just basic power chord riffing for the most part
mastodon blood and thunder, most of this song is pretty easy and huge sounding

i've found that playing some non metal songs helps make your coordination better and gets your ears/fingers working together like van halen riffs allman bros. alice in chains brad paisley guns 'n roses etc. just anything with a lot of melody that's more complex than your average punk/pop/rock song. being able to play stuff other than metal makes you a better metal player once you get the basic metal techniques down.


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## LamaSabachthani (Dec 30, 2011)

Van Halen is good as well. I forgot them. Eddie will teach you.


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## Necky379 (Dec 30, 2011)

LamaSabachthani said:


> Van Halen is good as well. I forgot them. Eddie will teach you.



 one of the best things i did for myself as a guitar player was learned a bunch of vh riffs. 

forgot to mention deftones. i don't know what you consider metal but stef's riffs are simple and perfect  . "my own summer" "be quiet and drive" "change" "root" pretty much any deftones song is relatively easy and they are a blast to play.


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## niffnoff (Dec 30, 2011)

If you wanna go really simple, early Avenged (waking the fallen album)
was fun to play, but they get you into that ol metalcore progression rut of 
0- 8 - 7 - 5 Pedal riffing 

Unholy Confessions
Chapter Four
Second Heartbeat (the solo is fun as hell)

in particular!


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## Mechanix11 (Dec 30, 2011)

thanks for the recomendations to all, i would check out those songs and start playing


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## Solodini (Dec 31, 2011)

niffnoff said:


> If you wanna go really simple, early Avenged (waking the fallen album)
> was fun to play, but they get you into that ol metalcore progression rut of
> 0- 8 - 7 - 5 Pedal riffing
> 
> ...



Too true in all regards!


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## Alberto7 (Dec 31, 2011)

niffnoff said:


> If you wanna go really simple, early Avenged (waking the fallen album)
> was fun to play, but they get you into that ol metalcore progression rut of
> 0- 8 - 7 - 5 Pedal riffing
> 
> ...



This. I wouldn't stop playing the same damn progression for years until I stopped listening to metalcore 

The entire Ashes of The Wake album by Lamb of God is just perfect. All the songs are super fun to play along to. Learn the song "Ashes of The Wake." The riffs in there are phenomenal, and the solos leave you with the option of either learning them, or make your own solos for those parts.


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## Mechanix11 (Dec 31, 2011)

wow there are to many songs to learno on this thread, i think i would learn first some songs of Metallica like 'Hit The Lights' or 'For Whom The Bell Tolls'


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## niffnoff (Dec 31, 2011)

Alberto7 said:


> This. I wouldn't stop playing the same damn progression for years until I stopped listening to metalcore
> 
> The entire Ashes of The Wake album by Lamb of God is just perfect. All the songs are super fun to play along to. Learn the song "Ashes of The Wake." The riffs in there are phenomenal, and the solos leave you with the option of either learning them, or make your own solos for those parts.



Grows out of metalcore progression. Reminds self of song.
Regresses.


NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO


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## Mechanix11 (Jan 1, 2012)

well i had learnend my first song today and it was Smell Like Teen Spirit  (yeah i only knew the intro lol), and i'm going to start with Heart Shaped Box by Nirvana


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## Mechanix11 (Jan 23, 2012)

well other thing some of post-hardcore songs are very easy to play, but sometimes i get to lazy to learn some thrash metal songs i dont know why? so for this time i would like to learn some songs of post-hardcore, metalcore or even deathcore or death metal
the ones i know by far are

Asking Alexandria-Final Episode and If You Cant Ride Two Horses You Should Go Out Of The Circus.
Bullet For My Valentine-Scream Aim Fire (only riffs, no solo) and Waking The Demon (same, only riffs no solo).


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## Tanoma (Jan 23, 2012)

Just about any Bullet for my Valentine, Carnifex, and alot of thrash metal bands such as Xentrix, Mordred, EvilDead, and Hexen are a few good bands to try.


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## Mechanix11 (Jan 23, 2012)

sounds good thanks


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## whiskey5 (Jan 24, 2012)

Metallica - Orion 

Is a pretty easy one.


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## Mechanix11 (Jan 25, 2012)

im learning For Whom The Bell Tolls now and its some kind easy


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## JoeytheChoady (Jan 25, 2012)

They're more classic, but I would go with some Black Sabbath or some of the more popular Iron Maiden songs. Sabbath in particular is more basic blues scale based and very, very heavy riffage.


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## K4RM4 (Jan 26, 2012)

Killswitch engage has some pretty easy stuff, rose of sharyn, end of heartache, eye of the storm. again though...8-7-5-0 rut, so vary it up. 

All that remains has some good riffs, but Oli's phrasing is tough. He'll play something really complex, then something simple to let you breathe. Filter out things and push yourself. Air that i breathe w/o the solo is manageable for me, as well as This Calling, and Tattered on my Sleeve.


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## Dayn (Jan 26, 2012)

How about similar-to-metal? You could try The Living End's 'Carry Me Home' and 'Closing In'.


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## Blind Theory (Jan 26, 2012)

Fuck starting simple, man. I played easy 80's hair metal intro riffs for the first 8 months or so of my playing and got no where. I spent the next 6 or 7 months learning Dread and the Fugitive Mind by Megadeth as well as The Day of Justice by All Shall Perish (that took the most time). Sure it is easier to work your way up to it slowly but why not jump in head first? If you have the patience then do it up. Otherwise...I don't know. As Blood Runs Black's song In Dying Days might be a good start. Not too difficult.


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## K4RM4 (Jan 26, 2012)

I disagree slightly, I think it would be better to start simple. Those simple songs often have the best focus on techniques. If you skip past the simple stuff, you won't get them down effectively and cleanly when you move on to the faster technical stuff. Hell i started with nirvana and metallica, moved on to killswitch and triviums shit, slowed back down to learn some Tool and then following vocal movements to shit like lacuna coil and evanescense. That got me ready to start making my own riffs while still studying covers. Currently i'm playing less covers and have knocked out my very own 3 and a half songs in rough form in the last 3-4 months. I'm nowhere near as good as some of the "youtube" shredders in less time than how long i've been playing, but i will spend less time going back to the basics because i started simple. I'm not saying this is the case for every player, but i'd wager that it is the case for a majority.


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## Blind Theory (Jan 26, 2012)

K4RM4 said:


> I disagree slightly, I think it would be better to start simple. Those simple songs often have the best focus on techniques. If you skip past the simple stuff, you won't get them down effectively and cleanly when you move on to the faster technical stuff. Hell i started with nirvana and metallica, moved on to killswitch and triviums shit, slowed back down to learn some Tool and then following vocal movements to shit like lacuna coil and evanescense. That got me ready to start making my own riffs while still studying covers. Currently i'm playing less covers and have knocked out my very own 3 and a half songs in rough form in the last 3-4 months. I'm nowhere near as good as some of the "youtube" shredders in less time than how long i've been playing, but i will spend less time going back to the basics because i started simple. I'm not saying this is the case for every player, but i'd wager that it is the case for a majority.



I'll give you that. That is why I said "if you have the patience then do it up." I understand that it is probably beneficial to do it the way you did but some people can make it work like me. I'd say I spent a good 5 months on that one All Shall Perish song. That is 5 months worth of playing almost every day for hours at a time trying to get one song down. You can get down proper technique without starting simple when you take the time to do it like I did. That is also why I said "if you have the PATIENCE then do it up." I was about ready to break my guitar by the time I got it down I guess I just couldn't wait to get to learning the cool, hard shit so I went and did it...and still had to wait before I could actually play the cool hard shit haha


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## Solodini (Jan 27, 2012)

If you want to learn the cool, hard shit, learn it only as far as learning to play it really slowly so you can play it correctly then get some writing praise in and write something similar, both stylistically and technically. See how they used the thing you want to learn, take that and change the notes and or rhythm bit by bit. You can write something a bit easier than the goal and learn that then write something a bit more difficult then learn that and keep going until you've written stuff as difficult as the initial goal so you should be able to learn the inspiration and work it up to speed. 

That way, you can avoid the frustration if grinding away at one song for 5 months. You can learn to wire cool stuff which is like your inspiration and then once you've learned their song, you'll be prepared to come up with something else which pushes you, rather than needing to wait around for ages until you find something to challenge you.


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## Mechanix11 (Jan 30, 2012)

yeah well thanks for the replies, but now i was thinking in something, in practice some rhythm guitar (in my band im the lead guitarist) something to improve on that section. I searched on Lick Library and i found one but i dont know if anyone has any suggestion


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## Echo Field (Jan 30, 2012)

Sorry I didnt read every reply, this might of been said, but for intermediate parts, I would maybe say Disturbed? I know I would check some of their stuff when I started, I'm sure you can pick up some interesting rhythms and leads for Dan's material.
An easy way (again sorry if this was said) to learn solos, is the very typical, but SO effective way, of slowing things down in whichever program, lets say audacity, play along, then gradually bring up the tempo to original speed.


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## Mechanix11 (Jan 30, 2012)

thanks for the suggestion, the songs i learned by far are Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana, For Whom The Bell Tolls by Metallica and Raining Blood by Slayer


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## Mechanix11 (Jan 30, 2012)

also another thing, a friend of mine which is on my band (its the rhythm guitarist) and well it doesn't play to great the rhythm parts. I was wondering if anyone knows some tips that can help to him playing better the chords and that stuff?


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## DCarter (Jan 30, 2012)

im in a similar predicament, but on my seven string. any suggestions?


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## SirMyghin (Jan 31, 2012)

DCarter said:


> im in a similar predicament, but on my seven string. any suggestions?



7 strings have a built in 6 string, have fun.


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## Quikblade (Feb 1, 2012)

I always tend to think ive progressed the most by learning to play what I wanted to play. 

Find a song that you like and try learning that if its too hard try something else. If you really like the song it will make you want to play more.

I have to admit I maybe had a slight advantage in that i was about grade 3 classical before i even touched electric guitar so it wasnt too hard for me to pick up the left hand technique at least.


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## JoeytheChoady (Feb 2, 2012)

Another tip is envision what you want to hear, then figure out how to play it. It takes the complications out of playing ridiculous music. Not sure if that helps, it helps me though.


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## Mechanix11 (Feb 14, 2012)

hey maybe this question would be some kind Off Topic, but which way is easiest to learn chords and maybe scales?
on a electric or an acoustic guitar?


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## Solodini (Feb 14, 2012)

Try the sample chapters of my book out, man. There's scale stuff in the sample chapters and chord stuff later in the book. Link is in my sig. As long as either guitar is set up to be playable, electric and acoustic should be of equal difficulty level.


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## Mechanix11 (Feb 14, 2012)

alright thanks i'll would check it out


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## WarMachine (Feb 15, 2012)

Start back at the start; hammer some Black Sabbath START TO FINISH, NOTE FOR NOTE!!! work from there thats how i started out. i picked up a guitar and started learning very fast, and in that quick burst i thought " crazy train, big deal!" but then i tried it, did decent, got to the solo.....HAHAHAHAHA!!!! Randy would've needed a change of pants after lol'ng at how bad it sounded!!! i jumped back to the basics, built my chops up to bands like pantera, bls, megadeth and my hands took over. I've read somewhere a few years ago Zakk Wylde said "To be great you gotta follow in the footsteps of greatness".......'nuff said! good luck dude and give it hell!!!!


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## Mechanix11 (Feb 16, 2012)

thanks for the reply 
also i saw a video of rhythm guitar in thrash metal style and i saw that it uses like a drum sound to practice the triplets

its from 5:52 min.
anyone knows where i can find a mp3 of that tone to practice?


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## Michael (Feb 16, 2012)

Death - Crystal Mountain
Lamb of God - For Your Malice


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## Mechanix11 (Feb 16, 2012)

WarMachine said:


> Start back at the start; hammer some Black Sabbath START TO FINISH, NOTE FOR NOTE!!! work from there thats how i started out. i picked up a guitar and started learning very fast, and in that quick burst i thought " crazy train, big deal!" but then i tried it, did decent, got to the solo.....HAHAHAHAHA!!!! Randy would've needed a change of pants after lol'ng at how bad it sounded!!! i jumped back to the basics, built my chops up to bands like pantera, bls, megadeth and my hands took over. I've read somewhere a few years ago Zakk Wylde said "To be great you gotta follow in the footsteps of greatness".......'nuff said! good luck dude and give it hell!!!!


yeah you are right, just when i saw this i just go to download a Guitar Pro tab for N.I.B. - Black Sabbath and its very pretty easy seriously only i need to learn the solos and that's it. but also i would keep to learn some lead and rhythm guitar stuff. i would go and see some Shred Academy videos or in Youtube, or even look at some vids i have
TO EVERYONE THANKS FOR THE HELP


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## Mechanix11 (Feb 18, 2012)

i have to say other thing, since i been playing for 4 years i haven't seen any good progress on my playing :/ 
so i really want to became a good guitarist. i started learning by myself and i havent seen more progress instead im downloading and seen a bunch of dvds, ebooks, guitarpro tabs, etc. and nothing; and seriously i want to start from zero, to the basics and from that way. the main gere i play is thrash metal, other thing is that i go on afternoon to school and i dont have enough time to practice.
i hope these explain my problem and can get some help here 

recently i learned some songs, but on the hardest ones i get stuck on the solo 

and i think i should delete all the stuff i got on my pc and start again from start (i think)


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## morrowcosom (Feb 18, 2012)

Buy guitar pro, download the songs on which you get stuck on the solo, then slow the solo down and/or break it down into sections. You can loop the section of the solo of your choice and it learn it at your own speed, then just learn other parts of the solo using this method until you have the entire solo down. 

Artists for you to learn solos from as a beginner would be Allan Holdsworth, Rusty Cooley and Tobin Abasi. If you want to incorporate some rhythm into your lead you should jump straight into "Alpha Breed" by Psycroptic and "Spinning" by Spiral Architect. (Huge disclaimer: I am just joking in the last paragraph)


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## Mechanix11 (Feb 18, 2012)

alright i just got GP already, and for start i got my schedule done
Sundays i would go for some basic stuff (theory, chords,scales..), Mondays and Tuesdays Rhythm Guitar, Thursdays and Fridays Lead Guitar (soloing stuff) and Saturdays i practice some stuff like a review and i practice with my band.

Other thing should i go first going into songs or for lessons?


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## morrowcosom (Feb 18, 2012)

If you want to get good at playing solos, pick solos that you like, but are out of your reach and chop them up and slow them down with guitar pro. That is a lesson enough right there for execution. 

As far as composing a solo, just come up with patterns of notes that you like one by one and practice them, then string them together into a whole solo. 

Earlier in the thread, Solodini mentioned he has some scale stuff on his website. Scales and arpeggios are going to be where you are getting your note patterns from. Your influences will rub off on you as you compose.


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## Mechanix11 (Feb 18, 2012)

hey other thing i just watched some scales today on a site called chordbook.com, and i see that are various scales on different keys and variations, and my question is, do i need to learn ALL the scales from all the keys?? and also the variations??


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## Mechanix11 (Mar 18, 2012)

hey another thing, i think i asked this or maybe not but are there any good solos or songs that can help me a bit with alternate and sweep or any other shred technique?
i would appreciated the help, because i got a notice that im gonna play with my band during spring break and well i wanna be ready to that day and have a little experience with playing the solos without mistakes and that stuff, you know its my first time i play a gig so i want to be prepared


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## Solodini (Mar 18, 2012)

Mechanix11 said:


> hey other thing i just watched some scales today on a site called chordbook.com, and i see that are various scales on different keys and variations, and my question is, do i need to learn ALL the scales from all the keys?? and also the variations??



Have a wee look at the sample chapters if my book, linked in my sig. They should help you to understand the what, how and why of scales and their musical uses. Let me know if you face any difficulty with it.


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## Mechanix11 (Mar 18, 2012)

Solodini said:


> Have a wee look at the sample chapters if my book, linked in my sig. They should help you to understand the what, how and why of scales and their musical uses. Let me know if you face any difficulty with it.


alright im gonna take a look


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## Deadmemories (Mar 18, 2012)

for alternate picking learn laid to rest and do every little thing alternate picked. there is no better way to learn Alternate Picking in my opinion.


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## CannibalKiller (Apr 12, 2012)

Avenged Sevenfold-Turn the Other Way, Unholy Confessions, I Won't See You Tonight Part 2.


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## BringerOfBlood (Apr 13, 2012)

Did not read through whole thread, but here are my suggestions:

Venom - In League with Satan is really easy
Sepultura - Slave new World is very easy and fun to play
Six Feet Under - Feasting on the Blood of the Insane is pretty easy too

Death - Crystal Mountain is not really easy, but seems to be one of the easiest songs of Death and is nice for practice


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## Mechanix11 (Apr 16, 2012)

hey i got a question, is it good to be practicing mostly the techniques in songs than learning by lessons of "x" technique?
Because i want to learn some songs like some thrash, death or black metal (or whatever) band to improve some technique


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## BringerOfBlood (Apr 16, 2012)

I would do both.

Doing fingering exercises will improve your technique much faster, than just learning songs, but is on the long term always kinda lame and you do not learn to keep the right tempo and stuff by doing so.


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## nick7903 (Sep 24, 2012)

duality by slipknot, before i forget by slipknot, as your falling down by escape the fate, ashley by escape the fate, make up by escape the fate, you are so beautiful by escape the fate @headbang


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## djyngwie (Sep 24, 2012)

Mechanix11 said:


> thanks for the reply
> also i saw a video of rhythm guitar in thrash metal style and i saw that it uses like a drum sound to practice the triplets
> 
> its from 5:52 min.
> anyone knows where i can find a mp3 of that tone to practice?



I realize this is an old post, but I just watched the vid. Some sound, basic advice, BUT! I can't be the only one annoyed at him consistently referring to gallops as "16th note triplet". I mean, wtf?


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## theleem (Sep 24, 2012)

Deadmemories said:


> for alternate picking learn laid to rest and do every little thing alternate picked. there is no better way to learn Alternate Picking in my opinion.



This is what I did, and after I had that song down I saw that my alternate picking had significantly improved.


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