Smooth Criminal by Alien Ant Farm

Our Smooth Criminal guitar lesson offers you a step-by-step breakdown of this rock classic, originally popularised by Michael Jackson and reimagined by Alien Ant Farm. This lesson focuses on nailing the key guitar techniques that drive the song's unique, energetic feel, giving you the opportunity to master essential rock guitar skills. Whether you're a beginner looking to build your technique or an experienced player wanting to tighten up your execution, this lesson has something for everyone. John Connearn breaks down this classic 2000s rock cover song in this exclusive Lick Library video tutorial.

The Guitar Techniques in "Smooth Criminal"

In this note-for-note lesson, you’ll focus on various guitar techniques that make the Alien Ant Farm cover of "Smooth Criminal" stand out. Let’s break down the techniques that are highlighted and explain how they benefit your playing.

Power Chords

A staple of rock music, power chords form the backbone of the rhythm guitar parts in this track. The lesson takes you through the punchy, driving power chord sequences that define the song’s main riffs. Mastering power chords will not only help you with this song but will also enhance your ability to play countless other rock songs. These chords are essential for adding intensity and fullness to your rhythm playing.

Palm Muting

Throughout the lesson, you’ll apply palm muting to create that tight, percussive sound featured in the verses. Palm muting helps control the resonance of your chords and riffs, making them sound more aggressive and rhythmic. Learning this technique improves your overall timing and dynamic control, which is vital for both rhythm and lead guitar playing.

Slides

Slides are used in various transitions within the song’s riffs and lead lines, adding a smooth flow between notes. In this lesson, you'll practice using slides to create seamless shifts between different parts of the song. Mastering slides not only makes your playing sound more fluid but also enhances your ability to connect phrases in a more expressive way.

Alternate Picking

Alien Ant Farm’s version of "Smooth Criminal" requires precise and fast alternate picking to handle the fast-paced riffs. This lesson breaks down alternate picking patterns, allowing you to build speed and accuracy. Practicing alternate picking enhances your efficiency in both rhythm and lead playing, making it easier to tackle fast runs and intricate riffs in any song.

Vibrato

Adding expressive vibrato to the sustained notes in the lead sections brings the melody to life. Vibrato is a technique that involves varying the pitch of a note slightly, which creates a more vocal-like quality in your playing. This lesson teaches you how to control vibrato to add depth and emotion to your lead guitar playing, allowing you to express yourself more dynamically.

String Bending

String bending is a crucial technique in many rock solos, and in this lesson, you’ll focus on getting those bends in tune to match the style of the song. String bending allows you to reach higher notes without changing positions, and it adds a soulful quality to your solos. Learning this technique improves your pitch control and expressiveness.

Tapped Harmonics

The lesson also covers the use of tapped harmonics, a flashy technique that adds unique texture to the song. Tapped harmonics produce high-pitched, bell-like tones by lightly tapping on the string at harmonic nodes. Mastering this technique opens the door to creating intricate and ethereal sounds, making your playing stand out.

The Guitarist Behind "Smooth Criminal"

The cover version of "Smooth Criminal" was brought to life by Terry Corso, Alien Ant Farm's lead guitarist. Corso’s playing is known for combining rock, punk, and metal influences, giving the band’s sound its distinct, aggressive edge. His guitar work on "Smooth Criminal" emphasises rhythm, tight riffing, and memorable lead lines, helping to modernise the song into an alternative rock anthem.

Terry Corso’s use of techniques like palm muting, power chords, and harmonics shows his versatility and ability to inject creativity into familiar songs. His approach to the guitar is both accessible and energetic, making him a key figure in Alien Ant Farm’s sound and influencing many guitarists who seek to blend rock and punk elements with mainstream appeal.

Benefits of Learning These Techniques

• Power Chords: Mastering power chords helps you lay the foundation for rock and metal rhythm guitar playing. It gives your playing a strong, authoritative presence.
• Palm Muting: Learning palm muting improves your control over dynamics and allows you to add texture to your riffs, making your playing tighter and more rhythmic.
• Slides: Practicing slides helps you create smooth transitions between notes and chords, adding fluidity to your playing and improving your fretboard navigation.
• Alternate Picking: Developing alternate picking boosts your speed and accuracy, enabling you to handle faster songs and intricate riffs with ease.
• Vibrato: Adding vibrato to your playing allows for greater expression and emotional depth, making your solos sound more dynamic and impactful.
• String Bending: String bending enhances your ability to express musical ideas and adds a bluesy, soulful quality to your solos.
• Tapped Harmonics: Tapped harmonics offer a unique tonal texture, allowing you to create higher-pitched, ethereal sounds that can add a professional touch to your playing.

Guitar Techniques Used in These Lessons:

• Vibrato
• Alternate Picking
• Power Chords
• Palm Muting
• Slides
• String Bending
• Tapped Harmonics

This lesson is an excellent opportunity to not only learn a classic rock hit but also build the technical foundation necessary for tackling more advanced guitar songs in the future. Whether you're a fan of Alien Ant Farm, Michael Jackson, or just rock music in general, mastering "Smooth Criminal" will add a valuable piece to your guitar-playing repertoire.

List of Guitar Techniques Used in This Lesson

• Power Chords
• Palm Muting
• Syncopated Rhythms
• Octaves

This detailed exploration into each technique ensures that you not only play the song but also understand the underlying musical concepts that make it stand out. Join us at Licklibrary.com to embark on your guitar journey with "Smooth Criminal" and beyond!