[uber_beast]

I really need to know the best way to start playing metal guitar. I have taken a really bad guitar class and now know the basics of guitar [strings, most common chords, simple tabs], and I want to know the best way to start playing metal guitar. I really just want to know where to get started.

Thanks in advance,
Sam

 

[1]

What type of bands/music are you into?

In my opinion (and take it at face value), the best way to start playing is to learn a couple of basic chords, pick a song by a band that you like that's easy for beginners, and start playing it. Things like scales and theory are good to know, but when you're just starting out you want to keep it fun - otherwise you'll be bored to tears within a few weeks.

A lot of the older members on here started out covering early Metallica tunes off of RTL/Kill 'Em All. There's a ton of easy, fun songs to rip it up to on those albums - with a little practice, you'll be able to plug in, turn your amp on, and start kicking ass. :metal:

 

[jaxadam]

The best thing is to learn some songs that you like.

Also, play some things over songs you like, and you'll start to learn what fits and what doesn't.

Get a few tab books of bands you like, and go from there. You'll be amazed at how easy it will be to pick up.

 

[Soopahmahn]

Other than finding songs to play (Iron Man, anyone?), try to hunker down with a metronome and a method book. Take lessons if you can afford it.

If you have the drive to start a method and work through it alongside your jam tracks, start here: Amazon.com: Metal Lead Guitar Primer (Troy Stetina) (9780793510979): Troy Stetina: Books

 

[zepp]

Grow these:

Drink this:

:metal: :hbang:

 

[noodles]

A lot of the older members on here started out covering early Metallica tunes off of RTL/Kill 'Em All. There's a ton of easy, fun songs to rip it up to on those albums - with a little practice, you'll be able to plug in, turn your amp on, and start kicking ass. :metal:

:agreed:

Seek and Destroy is within reach after just a month or two. 90% of it is dirt simple to play, and you'll build the basics that you can apply speed to later.

 

[Oogadee Boogadee]

Must-haves to know, in order of advancing difficulty:
-learn how to palm mute. This is HUGE - your technique will determine the meaness of your tone
-downstroke chug 8th notes, palm muted
-downstroke chug palm muted 8th notes, with unmuted melodic laccents/lines (metallica - Orion, megadeth - peace sells)
-alternate picking 16th notes, palm muted
-Iron Maiden gallops (flight of icarus)
-Slayer gallops (Raining Blood)
-melodic accent patterns between gallops (songs by Lamb of God)

 

[eleven59]

"For Whom The Bell Tolls" was my first. I hadn't even heard it yet the first time I played it, that's how easy it is :lol:

 

[jaxadam]

Must-haves to know, in order of advancing difficulty:
-learn how to palm mute. This is HUGE - your technique will determine the meaness of your tone
-downstroke chug 8th notes, palm muted
-downstroke chug palm muted 8th notes, with unmuted melodic laccents/lines (metallica - Orion, megadeth - peace sells)
-alternate picking 16th notes, palm muted
-Iron Maiden gallops (flight of icarus)
-Slayer gallops (Raining Blood)
-melodic accent patterns between gallops (songs by Lamb of God)

Man, has guitar playing gotten that hard? I don't think I can do any of that!

 

[Seanbabs]

Knock all of your teeth out and then put them back in in a different order. Thats metal.

Then turn your amp up to 11 and play some riffs. Some of the "best" metal bands have no clue what they are doing (Slayer).

Have some freaking fun!

 

[Seanbabs]

Knock all of your teeth out and then put them back in in a different order. Thats metal.

Then turn your amp up to 11 and play some riffs. Some of the "best" metal bands have no clue what they are doing (Slayer).

Have some freaking fun!

 

[Naren]

Man, has guitar playing gotten that hard? I don't think I can do any of that!

Sarcasm? :lol:

Granted, that's harder than typical rock guitar playing, but it's pretty much the basis for the majority of metal guitar, which tends to be the most technical/difficult style of music in the aggressive kinds of music (i.e., excluding stuff like jazz).

 

[Stateless]

I spent the entire 10th grade learning every Metallica song ever. Pretty sure I could have played the first 3 albums all the way through :lol: (minus the solos). I've forgotten most of that shit by now though.

 

[Naren]

I spent the entire 10th grade learning every Metallica song ever. Pretty sure I could have played the first 3 albums all the way through :lol: (minus the solos). I've forgotten most of that shit by now though.

:agreed: I learned all the songs on Ride the Lightning and most of the songs off Master of Puppets, plus several off Kill 'Em All and ...And Justice For All. Some of the songs are perfect for starting out on metal guitar.

 

[Stateless]

Yeah, I definitely stuck to the pre-Black Album stuff. Hated their later stuff.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

I started with Tormentor by Kreator, which I learnt by ear, then picked up some Slayer stuff (Black Magic, Die by the Sword etc..) while simultaneously learning/jamming random old Zep, Sabbath, AC/DC & Ten Years After/ZZ Top solo's which, with hindsight, was a great thing to do because bluesy stuff like that really helped me with my vibrato/bends & to develop my pitch sense/ear. I'd also suggest doing a lot of warm-up's/finger excercises right from the start..

 

[kostein]

I started out playing Metallica songs, KEA, Ride the Lightning, Puppets and Justice. It really helped me built my right hand rhythm playing with all those downstroke palm mutes. Which is pretty much the basis of metal guitar, no palm mutes = not very metal

 

[noodles]

Yeah, I definitely stuck to the pre-Black Album stuff. Hated their later stuff.

I would argue that "Sad But True" is a great beginner song. It's slow enough that you can get up and running quick, and it familiarizes you with syncopated rhythmic patterns that will serve you well as you start to add speed.

This may sound stupid, but I've actually started off a lot of people on old Green Day songs. "Basket Case" has dirt simple chord changes, but you need the sort of right hand endurance that most metal guitarists have come to take for granted.

 

[Oogadee Boogadee]

am i the only one who used Rust In Peace as my metal guitar textbook?

 

[Kim]

am i the only one who used Rust In Peace as my metal guitar textbook?

no.