How to Play Heavy Metal Guitar

Summary: Heavy metal is a style of rock music typified by loud, distorted guitars and bombastic drumming. The genre’s roots stem from the “heavy” blues rock of Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple, as well as the darker sounds of Black Sabbath which later inspired the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden incorporated many classical constructions to their music, creating an aggressive and intricate sound. When it comes to heavy metal, the guitar and drums dominate the sound, and the louder the music, the better. Theatrics are a big part of heavy metal music as well and it is not uncommon to see pyrotechnics and props used onstage at a concert.

In this series of videos, get tips on the basics of heavy metal guitar playing. Learn how to tune your guitar to various octaves in this series. Also get expert tips on cool guitar effects like distortion, scales and shredding. Learn more about pinch and tap harmonics and harmonic minor. Get tips on playing a seven string metal guitar including tips on speed picking and shredding. Watch as our expert demonstrates the differences between skimping arpeggios and skipping diminished arpeggios. Learn how to use the whammy bar to get a special effect and bend the sound of certain notes. After watching this series of videos, impress your friends with your new heavy metal guitar skills.