Skate Punk

Hey punk rockers! Welcome to my new lesson. In this one I’m covering a Punk Rock sub-style.

Music Style:
This tune combines elements from Punk Rock, Melodic Hardcore and Skate Punk. There are many bands that could be grouped in these sub styles like NOFX, Offspring, Strung Out, Pennywise, Bad Religion and many more. This style appeared mostly in California in the beginnings of 90’s and derived from classic punk rock and hardcore. It usually includes more worked distorted guitars, complex drums and melodic vocals (sometimes combined with some screams). Nowadays there are lots of bands influenced by this sound which are called Post-Hardcore or Melodic Post-Hardcore but this lesson is based in the old school style.

Structure:
The composition has a mini-song structure. It starts with a main riff that functions as the intro to the song. Then we have the verse where I play a country vibe riff in the style of bands like Bad Religion or Offspring. After that we have the bridge of the song where I play some riffs based on the chord progression which are also harmonized in thirds by a second guitar. Finally we have the chorus for the song where I play a melody using octave chords.

Technique:
This lesson can be used to improve your rhythm and riffing abilities. The techniques that we'll use are strumming, palm muting and alternate picking.

Tunning:
I used Standard tuning (440).

Tonality & Scales:
The tune is in G# minor tonality and modulates to its relative major (B Major) in the chorus. I composed all the melodies and arrangements using both scales (which are formed by the same notes).

Sound & Recording:
I used my Pod X3 Live for recording the guitar. The amp used is the Mesa Boogie emulator (Treadplate) and the cabinet is also the Treadplate. I also added a tube screamer (emulation) to add some power to the sound. If you want the pod tone, you can send me a pm and I’ll share it with you.

Ok guys! Enjoy the lesson and remember that you can ask all the questions that you might have!

Gabriel.-