Tips to learn some Megadeth?

andyp

Hi folks.

Newbie question, I've spent two and a half years now learning guitar and so far it's going pretty well. I've can make a decent go of the songs I'm set to work on at my lessons, I enjoy improvising etc. and my motivation is still really high but it's all been (relatively) slow to medium paced stuff and in the rock / blues type category I've learned so far.

I've been listening to some go old fashioned Megadeth today and really fancy trying some of their stuff, but I've pretty much avoided learning any Metal so far as it sounds so complicated and just downright fast. Has anyone got any tips on trying out some of their stuff for a sort of "improver" level player? Are there easier songs to start with, do I need to just sit and put in some hours practicing picking faster and faster before I try this or do I just get a tab and get stuck in?

Metal just seems so daunting compared to what I've done so far... but everything was daunting when I started out.

Cheers,

Andy

Stevepage

I would start with learning some of their newer material. I started with Youthanisa and Crytpic Writings. Specifically: A Secret Place and Train of Consequences. The rhythms on those songs are fairly simple but using certain techniques that are important for playing metal. 

The solos aren't too complicated either, just take your time with them and learn them bar by bar.

andyp

Thanks, that sounds like a good plan. I'd been mulling over some of the Countdown stuff, but the ones you've suggested sound a good start. It's getting into the techniques that I had in mind so this sounds really useful.

Cheers.

CarpeDiem

I agree with @Stevepage I'd suggest A'Tout Le Monde. The verse picked riff is slow but includes palm muting, and the power chords aren't too fast. Most of the solo should prove manageable, with a short sweep picked section at the end which you could work on at your own pace. You'll obviously need a bit more distortion than you may have been using to get the Megadeth tone!

andyp

Cheers guys. I'll go and give this a bash.

antifash

Alternate picking for both lead and rhythm set to metronome bpm approximating Megadeth tracks. Intro to Holy Wars is fun / fairly easy. 

thomasross20

Aaahhh I've never learnt any but now I'm going to make a point of it. Maybe an acoustic version of symphony of destruction

andyp

I had a quick look at A Tout le Monde last night, the few YouTube clips I could find are a bit vague for my level and don't really go into enough detail like I'm used to from the likes of Justinguitar etc. I've got one that I can work from though and the tab I've got is pretty clear, my main issue with learning stuff from tab is getting the shapes to use so that moving between chords etc. is fluid and logical. I get tied in knots quite easily until I work out the fingerings I should be using. I am going to use this as a challenge though.

Symphony of Destruction is a classic, I think I'll look that up too.

I will work away at this, it's a good avenue to pursue to expand my playing and learning as well as being a load of fun. Might take me a wee while though but I'll do it alongside my lessons and practicing of my existing stuff.

bingefeller

thomasross20 said:

Aaahhh I've never learnt any but now I'm going to make a point of it. Maybe an acoustic version of symphony of destruction

Like this guy:

DLM

@bingefeller Spot the Rick Graham fan! That fistclench!

In terms of helping the OP: 

Mark McGuigan, formerly of this parish has done a few very popular 'Deth riffs in his MasterThatRiff YouTube series:

Holy Wars:

Tornado of Souls:

Hangar 18:

I think these are a bit difficult to start with, but he teaches them clearly and slowly, so you can get them under your fingers at least. He has the same standard of explanation you'd expect from what I've seen of Justin Sandercoe's stuff.

Wis'd @Stevepage for suggesting Youthanasia as a starting point. Dave was simplifying things a bit there as they pushed for the same mass appeal Metallica were getting. I disagree with starting a beginner on Train Of Consequences. That fast sextuplet strumming on the dead notes in the main riff? Cool as hell, but really advanced, getting such a loose wrist. On the other hand, it's one difficult bit in an otherwise straightforward riff, so sure, learn it and rest for that part of the phrase.

Depending on your hand size, À Tout le Monde also has a tricky stretchy add9 chord in the clean part, but again, that could be worked up to. 

I'd like to suggest starting with the main riff to Addicted To Chaos. Good tempo, easy to hear what's going on[1].

Another way of approaching this would be to look at the Metallica riffs Mustaine wrote. Jump In The Fire would be a good one to begin with, working on the most commonly used minor pentatonic shape and palm muting. Or Ride The Lightning.

By the way: There's lots of really bad transcriptions of 'Deth tunes on the net. My junior biological stepdad, Ben Eller, is leading the cleanup action to avoid learners' future frustration. I'd recommend any and all of his videos to anyone wanting to get into playing metal. The Megadeth tunes he's tackled are a bit tricky, but I thought you should be aware of his work. Try his "Your ... sucks!" series.

In terms of playing the solos, @LeeCassidy (occasionally of this parish, more often to be found over at Metalguitarist.org) has an immensely cool series on his channel where he does solos at half-speed:

You'll find masses of Friedman solos on there, recently he's been doing Petrucci, the madman.  

Another random aside: You know how some people have a "swear box" into which one has to put money for using profanity? Prince had a famous one. My band has often joked that we should have a "Megadeth riff box" for interrupting rehearsals by playing random 'Deth riffs.

[1]The sort of riff Tom Morello gets lampooned for playing too often, actually...

DLM

Speaking of a swear jar, I'm glad I don't use one...

The last link didn't work, and the forum's YouTube bug will strike if I edit my post so here's just one video from his Friedman series, you'll find the rest on his channel.

CarpeDiem

andyp said:

I had a quick look at A Tout le Monde last night, the few YouTube clips I could find are a bit vague for my level and don't really go into enough detail like I'm used to from the likes of Justinguitar etc. I've got one that I can work from though and the tab I've got is pretty clear, my main issue with learning stuff from tab is getting the shapes to use so that moving between chords etc. is fluid and logical. I get tied in knots quite easily until I work out the fingerings I should be using. I am going to use this as a challenge though.

Symphony of Destruction is a classic, I think I'll look that up too.

I will work away at this, it's a good avenue to pursue to expand my playing and learning as well as being a load of fun. Might take me a wee while though but I'll do it alongside my lessons and practicing of my existing stuff.

It's worth using the tabs if you have them, especially if they are officially published. The quality of internet tabs vary enormously, as do YouTube videos. I'd suggest working out the fingerings that work for you as a starting point. Depending on your hand size, and how you play, you may find that an alternative finger pattern is better for you (eg Andy James often avoids using his pinky, even though this may the most efficient way to play a piece, yet he manages to play really well). I'd also suggest learning the song in sections, then joining them together once you've learned them.

andyp

Wow. Thanks for all that @DLM that is a massively useful post! I have seen some of the "Your... Sucks" videos, some great links and channels to check out there. Cheers!

Thanks to @CarpeDiem also for the thoughts on the fingerings, I agree with this. I would like to work them out myself to a certain extent. The tabs I have are from Ultimate Guitar and seem there or thereabouts, I'll see if I can pick a song to really focus on and get hold of the official tab.

Hand-wise, I've got fairly big hands and don't tend to find long stretches particularly bad and I use my pinkie quite a lot. I struggle with things like a Gsus4 (?) though (not that this is relevant here, I don't think) where I have my pinkie and ring fingers quite far apart but on the same fret. I've learned more than I could ever have expected when I started playing in January 2015 but I'm only now at the point where I think I can maybe make a reasonable go of some easier metal stuff. I'm 38 now though, so it's taking me longer to progress than it might've done if I'd got off my ass about this back in my teens like I should have.

Thanks so much for all the input folks.

Maynehead

For Metal you need to concentrate on right hand technique a lot more than your fretting. Do some down-picking and alternate picking drills and slowly build up your speed/stamina. Don't try to play at full speed in the first week or even month - you'll only get very frustrated or develop a sloppy technique.

CarpeDiem

I wouldn't worry about your age - as long as you're breathing and enthusiastic you can continue to progress! At 38, you've got plenty of time to further develop your playing. I always play a (John Petrucci) warm-up routine before I play, which I find helps. It would probably also be useful to regularly play chord shapes that you find challenging, like G Sus 4. As @Maynehead has said, right hand technique is particularly important for playing metal. I'd suggest starting slowly to learn the techniques, and subsequently develop more speed (which will be easier once you've nailed the technique).

andyp

Your man from Arrochar seems to be a pretty good teacher. Thanks for pointing me towards his stuff.

I looked at the links above and ended up spending 5-10 mins on Holy Wars... it seems doable. Or some / most of it does. Never thought I'd be saying that! Fast solos though... I'm ages off those. I spent a good while learning the Stairway solo and still can't do it at full speed. Same with the Angus part of Thunderstruck. I just practice these for 10 minutes or so every now and again though. If I make a point of drilling this every night then maybe it will come together.


edit - it's Hanger 18 I was looking at, not Holy Wars. Kinda different!

bingefeller

If you're practicing speed picking, work on raw speed on a single string first and then work on playing fast and changing strings.

DLM

I'd no idea Mark had moved out of Edinburgh, actually! Yeah, he's put some great stuff out over the years.

Your age is of no importance whatsoever. You just need to make sure you're having fun, that'll keep you at it, and with the right teaching materials, you'll improve and have even more fun. Taking it slowly to start and a bit at a time as other posters have said will get you wherever you want to go. And yes, that includes eventually playing Friedman solos at full tempo. Obviously, you'll need to practise, but now the resources are there to give you a massive leg up.

Sadly, most "official" tab books contain mistakes, some are downright awful.[1] That's why I mentioned Ben Eller's quest to show the world how some of these classic riffs are really played. Nowadays you can just work it all out yourself using slow-down software. See Levi Clay's YouTube videos for transcription lessons. That's what Lee Cassidy does to figure out his 50% speed stuff, he uses "Transcribe!".

[1] The best ones have been reviewed by the artist. This is the case with some Steve Morse and Petrucci stuff.

andyp

He sounded West Coast to me and I live near Stirling so thought I'd check his site out and see where he was based. Not all that far from me as the crow flies, but it's a pretty round about way to get there.

I get weekly lessons in Aberdeen as I work away from home and practice the stuff from lessons (current and past) for 2hrs a night maybe, but supplement that with things I've picked up myself (like this thread and stuff from YouTube). I'm certainly not lacking motivation, that's for sure.

I've bought a few books of my favourite stuff - AC/DC, early Green Day and Nirvana, none are complex by any means but I tend to find them hard going to follow and play along while reading. I am probably rushing and not spending time understanding it at the outset and working out what to do. I'm not sure what I'd make of a Megadeth book to be honest...

I'll certainly go and take all this advice on board! Thanks.

DLM

I suspect his move to the new more remote location might mean he's largely teaching via Skype or whatnot.

It looks a bit like you are expecting yourself to be able to sightread this stuff. That's crazy difficult! With great familiarity with a style, yes, possible, but I'd venture highly unusual. Much more common is memorising "parts" and then maybe using the transcription or a crib sheet as a cue until you have also internalised the song structure. Making up your own lead/crib sheets/charts is a key skill to learn. You'll find great stuff on that (and also some useful lessons at your level, now I come to think of it!) in @octatonic's thread: http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/85579/the-inaugural-learn-a-song-a-day-for-a-month-challenge/p1

mike_l

Dave Mustaine has a way of playing power chords which is a bit unusual.
If he's playing an F#5 (24xxxx) and alternating with a G5 (35xxxx) he fingers the F#5 with his  first and third fingers, and the G5 with is second and fourth fingers.

As for a song to start with, Peace Sells is pretty straight forward, not too fast and the solo is definitely playable.