Single string study in Am

Here’s another single string study. There are some heavy metal riffs based on this kind of idea (eg: Yngwie Malmsteen), but they require higher tempos. The MIDI files here are all at 85bpm, but you can change that with Anvil. (See blogroll). Start slow and work your way up to as fast as you can go! Malmsteen would manage 140-150 no problem.

MIDI for first variation — playing triplets. This will teach you the position changes. Those changes are the same in all three variations.
Second Variation — 16th notes. At the same tempo, so harder to play because there are four notes per beat rather than three.
Final Variation — a 2 bar phrase is used through the chords. Only a little harder than the second variaiton, but only until you get the phrase under your fingers.

Off Beat Study

The rhythm guitar part has been kept very simple here. The aim is to practice playing off the beat. There is only one strum per chord and, except for the first, all strums are on an off-beat. If you keep your hand swinging up and down, those off-beats would be strummed on an up-stroke. However, the style requires down-strokes for all chords. So aim for that after you have the timing clear in your head.

The chords are easy too. There are no string changes and the same shape is played throughout, so just concentrate on where your first finger lands.

Basically,
D5 and Bflat5 for 2 bars each with C5 played between.
The phrasing (and drum track) is taken from Bruce Dickinson’s “Cyclops”, while the chords are the “All along the watchtower” chords in the key of Dm.

The lead guitar is played muted.
The riff idea was originally based on the final part of Iron Maiden’s “Genghis Khan”. But I didn’t want to post an out-right copy in the MIDI file. So I’ve changed it, playing the riff kind of back to front and added an extra bit at the end. But the original works too. (If you change the key to Dm)

In either case, it does go at a moderate tempo which I wouldn’t expect a beginner to be able to manage.

Here’s the TAB file and the MIDI file for Off Beat Study.

Famous First Chords

The rhythm guitar part has been kept very simple here. The aim is to practice playing off the beat. There is only one strum per chord and all strums are on the last 8th note of the bar. If you keep your hand swinging up and down, those off-beats would be strummed on an up-stroke. However, the style requires down-strokes for all chords. So aim for that after you have the timing clear in your head. The lead guitar riff should help to get the timing right.

The chords are taken from My Chemical Romance’s “Famous Last Words”. They’re just played differently. But in the same order.

D5, C5, Bflat5, A5
G5, A5, Bflat5, C5

The lead guitar part isn’t too difficult. I’d classify it as intermediate.

The riff began as one of those from Iron Maiden’s “Fear of the Dark”. The changes are to play the A-note an extra time (makes the riff a little harder to recognise) and a different ending. Also, the bass note at the beginning of the riff changes to match the chords.

Here’s the MIDI file for Famous First Chords. And the TAB file, which gives chords and the lead riff.

Metal ‘Waltz’

Originally called 3-4 Study, because it’s obviously not a waltz! Some parts could be played by a beginner, especially the gtr1 intro riff (pinched from “Desert Song” — MCR) and gtr1 riff3 is very easy (except you have to come in at beat 2). But overall, the song is pushing into intermediate.

Full speed MIDI (130 BPM), Slower MIDI (105 BPM), 80 Beats per minute.

I’m still looking for a good freeware sequencer on the net. Mine came with a magazine. Until I find one, I’ll give slower versions of my MIDIs.

Famous Last Words

A few MIDIs by My Chemical Romance at Cool-Midi.

“Famous Last Words” is a good track to start on. Here’s the most popular TAB from Ultimate Guitar. It’s not exactly as I play it. (Or as on the MIDI). You can try some of the other versions.

Famous First Chords is an easy study, aimed at beginners. It uses the same chord sequence, but played in a simpler fashion.

2-1-2-4 Study

Here’s the TAB file for 2-1-2-4 Study, so called because that’s the main pattern played with the left hand fingers. The intro riff is very much for beginners. Each riff after that is a more challenging variation of the same pattern.

Here’s the MIDI file for 2-1-2-4 study, and a slower version at 80 BPM