Songs to learn for heavier stuff, for a noob

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Hi all

I've been listening to more varied stuff of late ( ie outside of my normal garage rock or Jeff Buckley style stuff I normally do) and that has included some heavier stuff. Nothing too extreme but there are some juicy guitar sounds in terms of tone but also fairly different techniques in the playing that I can't quite get the gist of.

I wondered if, as with the other "suggest some songs to learn" thread, folks might be kind enough to suggest me some songs to learn all the way through that would help me learn some of the playing technique found in these styles of music please?

Stuff I've been listening to has included:
Soundgarden
Audioslave
Muse
Even had some linkin park come on whilst running the other day

Also, my guitars struggle with down tuning, even just drop d tuning, is it not possible to learn heavier styles if you can't down tune?

I found that some of the sounds in Soundgarden stuff would be useful in my Jeff Buckley style stuff, and some of the Muse stuff would be useful for when I try to play along with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, so hoping this could be a good way to learn new stuff but make my existing stuff more interesting

Thanks
Please note my communication is not very good, so please be patient with me
soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
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Comments

  • WoodenheadWoodenhead Frets: 123
    edited April 2021
    Alice in Chains - Them Bones is a nice heavy de-tuned song, it's Eb/drop Db. There's not a lot of technique in the riff though, just 7/8 timing, solo's not too difficult either.

    If you can stand Linkin Park then Papa Roach aren't that different, they utilize the drop-D playing style more, some great nu-metal riffs on their first album, Between Angels And Insects, Dead Cell, Blood Brothers, etc.

    It is possible to play heavy without de-tuning, Metallica's first 5 albums are E-standard, just palm mute everything played on the wound strings ;)

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  • thecolourboxthecolourbox Frets: 9654
    edited April 2021
    Cheers I'll have a look into them, but I would really like to find stuff I can play without down tuning if possible as I don't want to have to buy another instrument just for this, and my Mustang can't cope with downtuning unfortunately
    Please note my communication is not very good, so please be patient with me
    soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
    youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
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  • GassageGassage Frets: 30824
    Matt, I'd start with Tony Iommi- he was a massive influence on all of those you list, a master of riff and fretboard geography.

    Anyone can learn from his sense of melody and power. He's far too easily forgotten.

    *An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.

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  • thecolourboxthecolourbox Frets: 9654
    Thanks mate, I'll have a listen - never really listened to them because I can't listen to Ozzy singing! But I will ignore that for the purposes of guitar learning
    Please note my communication is not very good, so please be patient with me
    soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
    youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
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  • WoodenheadWoodenhead Frets: 123
    Sorry, just re-read your post and seen the bit about not wanting to detune, bands like Queens of the Stoneage and Foo Fighters manage to sound heavy in E-Standard, Bridge Burning has some catchy riffs.
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  • thecolourboxthecolourbox Frets: 9654
    Oh yes good shout on QOTSA, forgot about them, a few things I've heard in the Soundgarden stuff has sounded familiar from when I used to listen to QOTSA (before I took up the guitar in fact).
    Please note my communication is not very good, so please be patient with me
    soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
    youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
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  • Balrog68Balrog68 Frets: 100
    If you want to have a go at some classic rock that isn`t too tricky you could do a lot worse than anything off Judas Priests `British Steel` album. Two string barre chords and bass string riffs will get you through most of that album. Breaking the law, living after midnight, metal gods etc.
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  • CarpeDiemCarpeDiem Frets: 274
    Muse - Supermassive Black Hole/Starlight/Plug In Baby
    Megadeth - Symphony Of Destruction
    Dream Theater - Pull Me Under (the start and transition into the heavy riff, or learn the whole song if you fancy trying the solo!)
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  • monquixotemonquixote Frets: 17485
    tFB Trader
    RATM / Audioslave is a mix of standard and drop d.

    Loads of great riffs.
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  • thecolourboxthecolourbox Frets: 9654
    Thanks fellas, some good places to start I suppose. I did get a pdf of the Superunknown album sheet music which would be good to tackle at some point (though most seem to downtune so may be restricted there) but it's quite hard to follow at speed on a computer screen!

    My technique in general is patchy - I basically learnt playing White Stripes, Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and stuff like that, then added a bit of Jeff Buckley style later on when I needed to accompany myself singing as the indie style sounds terrible with my voice. However I'm a pianist primarily and have pretty good technique and play with a lot more finesse on that, but I don't have the time or energy to do what I did with piano on guitar (I don't have 10 years of 2 hours per day lol) so I have to cherry pick what I try to learn. Just thought worth sharing a bit of background
    Please note my communication is not very good, so please be patient with me
    soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
    youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
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  • ColsCols Frets: 6953
    If you need to stick to standard tuning, early Black Sabbath is absolutely the best place to start.  Ozzy’s vocals may be an acquired taste, but the guitar work is first rate and a huge influence on heavy rock and metal.

    Soundgarden is excellent, but difficult to stick to standard tuning; most of their output used altered tunings which went well beyond a simple down tuning or dropped D.  The Day I Tried To Live and Fell On Black Days are worth a shot though.
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  • BezzerBezzer Frets: 581
    How about some Pantera, iirc Cowboys From Hell and Cemetery Gates are both in standard.
    I think most early Metallica is in standard, certainly Master of Puppets and Enter Sandman. Same for Megadeth and Anthrax I think.  Loads of standard tuning stuff and great for the right hand (if you're right handed)
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  • calazulcalazul Frets: 4
    It would be interesting to see why your guitar can't cope with Drop D. Have you got super light strings on, or tried with some thicker ones?
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  • How about early Smashing Pumpkins, plenty of standard tuning songs on Gish and Siamese Dream, tasty hooks, tones and interesting techniques. Quiet, Cherub Rock, Rocket, Siva etc 

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  • You could also try some Soundgarden songs on the Louder than Love album which are in E standard, Loud Love, Get on the Snake, Ugly Truth
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  • thecolourboxthecolourbox Frets: 9654
    edited April 2021
    Thanks chaps I'll do some listening and see what I can listen to for long enough to decide on some to learn.

    The Bottom string intonation when tuned to D is slightly out and as I'm quite sensitive to things being out of tune, it is quite off putting. I generally play in standard tuning so don't really want to go changing things for drop D which might then caused standard tuning to be problematic. It's a lovely instrument in standard tuning

    Currently using 11-48 strings
    Please note my communication is not very good, so please be patient with me
    soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
    youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
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  • I play in a lot of drop tunings, often lower than D. Linkin Park are in drop c# which is basically a drop d version of Eb standard. A 48 bottom gauge will be a bit flappy however. Cool riffs though.
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  • CirrusCirrus Frets: 8481
    Incubus have some tasty riffs - particularly the album "A Crow Left of the Murder" which is heavy while touching on several different styles.


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  • PhilW1PhilW1 Frets: 941
    Clutch do some great varied stuff, mostly in standard tuning I think and have a great singer
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  • yockyyocky Frets: 806
    edited April 2021
    Soundgarden is obviously a giant pain from a tuning perspective but Drawing Flies is a nice standard tuning rhythm exercise (and an absolute banger). As well as Fell on Black Days of course.

    You could also check out Zack Wish's youtube channel to see what takes your fancy. He tends to demo gear by rattling through a bunch of riffs. He lists what he's played in the description and I think they're all in standard tuning....
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