Metal Song Writing Styles by Rich Shaw

Introduction

Unlock the secrets of metal songwriting with our comprehensive guitar lesson series "Metal Song Writing Styles" by Rich Shaw. This series is meticulously designed to explore a vast range of metal genres, each with its distinct sound and technical complexities. Whether you're a beginner eager to dive into the world of metal or an experienced player looking to refine your skills and add new techniques to your repertoire, these lessons cater to all levels. From the theatricality of 80s Glam Rock to the aggressive rhythms of Nu Metal, Rich Shaw's expert guidance will elevate your musical prowess.

Lesson Breakdown

80s Glam Rock

Dive into the flashy world of 80s Glam Rock where guitar techniques like whammy bar tricks and string bending dominate. This style is all about creating a showy, ostentatious sound that captures the era’s extravagant spirit. Learning these techniques not only enhances your playing style but also helps in mastering the art of performance.

90s Groove Metal

Groove Metal focuses on rhythmic precision and heavy riffs. Techniques such as palm muting and syncopated rhythms are pivotal, offering a foundational skill set that improves your timing and dynamic control, essential for any aspiring metal guitarist.

Black Metal

Embrace the raw intensity of Black Metal with lessons on tremolo picking and blast beats. These techniques are crucial for creating the genre's signature atmospheric and fast-paced sound, enhancing your ability to generate mood and pace within your compositions.

Death Metal

Death Metal lessons focus on double stops and sweep picking. These complex techniques require precision and speed, offering significant benefits in finger dexterity and attack clarity, which are vital for mastering the heavier sides of metal.

Grunge

Grunge lessons teach the importance of barre chords and distorted riffs, reflecting the genre’s raw, unpolished aesthetic. These techniques help in developing a sludgy, powerful sound that is as emotive as it is gritty.

Nu Metal

Explore the rhythmic and experimental world of Nu Metal with slap bass techniques adapted for guitar and alternative tunings. This style is all about breaking traditional boundaries and incorporating elements from various genres, fostering creativity and innovation in your playing style.

Power Metal

Power Metal is characterised by its speed and melodic intensity. Techniques like galloping rhythms and dual guitar harmonies are essential, enhancing your ability to create uplifting and epic music that is both powerful and harmonically complex.

Thrash Metal

Thrash Metal lessons will have you mastering fast picking and complex solos. These techniques demand precision and stamina, critical for any guitarist looking to excel in fast-paced, aggressive music styles.

The Performance Aspect

Each lesson includes a performance by tutor Rich Shaw, demonstrating how these techniques are applied in real musical contexts. Watching a skilled guitarist perform provides visual and auditory reinforcement of the techniques learned, making it easier to grasp their practical uses and benefits in a live setting. These performances are not just demonstrations but are designed to inspire, showing how far you can push your creative boundaries.

Conclusion

"Metal Song Writing Styles" by Rich Shaw is not just a series of guitar lessons; it's a journey through the history and evolution of metal music. These lessons equip you with the skills needed to not only play metal music but to understand and innovate within each genre.

List of Guitar Techniques Used


Explore Licklibrary

About The Tutor

Tutor Profile

Rich Shaw

Richard is most well known as the guitarist and co-songwriter for UK metal band, Cradle of Filth, from 2014 until 2022. In his time with the band, he co-wrote and performed on the albums ‘Hammer of the Witches’ (2015), ‘Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness of Decay’ (2017), and ‘Existence is Futile’...

View More