SHREDDED METAL
THE DEAL
Hi folks. For this issue, instead of looking at a bunch of individual shred exercises, I thought it would be cool to show you one of my own complete solos. The song is called ‘The Deal’, and it’s from Sydney power/thrash band Darker Half’s latest EP Classified. This is a moderately-paced, brooding track that lyrically is about vampires and aliens. I tried to capture that same feel with my solo.
EXERCISE 1
I’ve transcribed the full 16 bar solo, and everything you need to know is in the transcription (bends, slides, hammer-ons/pull-offs, right hand tapping, positioning, rhythms, chords, etc). Here are a few key points to note:
- Although the majority of the song is in the key of E minor, the solo section here is in the key of F# minor.
- The main scale used throughout is F# Natural minor (Aeolian). However, there are brief periods where the tonality shifts to F# Harmonic minor (bar 8) and F# Dorian (bar 11).
- In bar 11, after the bend-release-bend, keep holding the bend and tap the 22nd fret with your right hand (this will sound an E note). Then, flick off with your right hand and release the bend.
- Coincidentally, in this solo I used some of the unconventional tapping techniques that I discussed in the previous issue (AG#120). These occur in bar 14 (repeatedly sliding into a note with your left hand whilst tapping the same note with your right hand), and bar 16 (doing a right hand tap and then a left hand pull-off on the same fret in rapid succession).
- I feel that this solo is a good example of playing for the song (in a metal context). Crazy shredding wouldn’t have been suitable. Melodic playing is what was needed, with only the occasional technical flourish.
- This solo was improvised in the studio. I jammed for a bit until I recorded something that I was happy with for the first half. I then jammed a bit more, worked out a few things, and punched-in to finish it off.
You can listen to my solo from ‘The Deal’, as well as the full seven minute track (so you can hear it in context), by going to www.australiangutarmag.com.au. If you dig it, try learning the licks and playing along!