Slayer Style Riffing Lesson

Slayer Style Riffing

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  • Welcome to Slayer Style Riffing!

    "Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax." - Wikipedia

    Slayer are well known for their aggressive thrash music, with fast 16th note picked riffs allied to rapid double bass drumming and demonic sounding harmonies.

    They make use of harmonising in 4ths and 5ths for a more atonal and 'evil' sound, as opposed to the more conventional and popular way of harmonising in 3rds like many other metal bands.

    The lesson opens with a lone guitar picking a clean arpeggio sequence before diving into distorted guitar territory.
    The fast section requires a lot of stamina so take your time with learning it and build up to the speed slowly.

    Don't be tempted to scoop out the mids like most other thrash bands do. Slayer are known for their mid heavy guitar sound which retains thickness and doesn't get lost in the mix.

    Turn your amp up to 11 and thrash like it's 1986!

    Tempo: 130-190bpm

    Gear: Marshall JVM 410H Clean Channel, Green setting and OD2 Channel, Orange setting.

    Key: Em

    Scales: E Phrygian Dominant

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