Show Me How to Live by Audioslave

"Show Me How to Live" by Audioslave is a powerhouse of riff-driven rock that showcases Tom Morello's unique and innovative guitar playing. In this note-for-note guitar lesson from LickLibrary.com, you'll learn how to master every element of this dynamic track, capturing the signature sound and feel of the song. With a focus on technique, you'll be guided through the key elements that make this track a staple in modern rock guitar playing. John Connearn breaks down this classic track in this exclusive Lick Library video tutorial.

Tom Morello's Influence

Tom Morello, the lead guitarist of Audioslave, is widely regarded as one of the most inventive guitarists in rock music. Known for his experimental techniques, Morello combines conventional guitar playing with innovative effects and textures to create sounds that are both unique and powerful. His work in "Show Me How to Live" exemplifies his ability to blend raw, riff-driven energy with a creative use of the guitar's potential. For guitarists, studying Morello's style offers an opportunity to explore unconventional techniques, develop creativity, and add a distinctive voice to their own playing.

Techniques Focused in the Lesson

Power Chords and Palm Muting

The foundation of "Show Me How to Live" is built on power chords and palm muting. Power chords provide the song with its heavy, driving force, while palm muting adds rhythmic precision and tightness. By mastering these techniques, guitarists can achieve the characteristic punchy, aggressive sound that defines much of modern rock.

• Benefits: Learning power chords and palm muting enhances your rhythm playing, allowing you to create tight, percussive riffs. These techniques are essential for building strong foundational skills in rock and metal.

Alternate Picking and Downstrokes

Throughout the song, Tom Morello's use of alternate picking and fast downstrokes brings a steady, rhythmic attack to the main riff. These picking techniques help you develop speed, accuracy, and fluidity across the strings.

• Benefits: Practicing alternate picking increases your picking hand coordination and endurance, making it easier to tackle fast riffs and solos across various genres of music.

Slides

Morello’s riffs often include slides, which add fluidity between notes and give the guitar a vocal-like expression. In "Show Me How to Live," the slides between chords and notes contribute to the song's smooth yet heavy feel.

• Benefits: Mastering slides helps to improve fretboard movement and gives your playing a more connected and seamless feel, which is vital for both rhythm and lead playing.

String Bending and Bluesy Bends

In the solo sections, Morello uses string bending and bluesy bends to add emotion and tension. These bends help to accentuate notes, making them stand out while delivering a soulful, expressive sound.

• Benefits: Learning how to control string bends improves your lead playing, as it allows you to express musical phrases more dynamically. It’s also essential for creating tension and release in solos.

Pinched Harmonics

One of the key techniques Tom Morello is known for is his use of pinched harmonics. These harmonics add a sharp, squealing effect to individual notes, which gives the riff an aggressive, high-pitched edge. This is heard in several parts of the song, particularly during the more intense sections.

• Benefits: Pinched harmonics help you develop precision in your picking technique, and they add a powerful, unique sound to your riffs and solos.

Whammy Bar Tricks

A signature element of Tom Morello's playing is his use of whammy bar tricks. In "Show Me How to Live," he uses the whammy bar to create pitch shifts and dive-bombs that give the solo an unconventional, futuristic sound. This technique allows you to push the boundaries of traditional lead guitar playing.

• Benefits: Incorporating whammy bar techniques into your playing opens up a world of sound manipulation, enabling you to create unique and experimental sonic effects.

Syncopated Rhythms

The main riff of "Show Me How to Live" is driven by syncopated rhythms, which give the song its distinct groove and forward momentum. Syncopation refers to playing off-beat or using unexpected accents in the rhythm, which adds complexity and excitement to the track.

• Benefits: Mastering syncopated rhythms improves your timing and feel, especially in rock and funk styles. It helps you create more dynamic and engaging rhythm patterns.

Techniques Used in This Lesson

1. Power Chords
2. Palm Muting
3. Alternate Picking
4. Slides
5. String Bending
6. Bluesy Bends
7. Pinched Harmonics
8. Whammy Bar Tricks
9. Syncopated Rhythms

By mastering these techniques, you’ll not only be able to play "Show Me How to Live" with accuracy and flair but also develop skills that are essential across many styles of rock guitar. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced player, each technique offers something valuable that will enhance your overall playing ability.

Guitar Techniques Used in This Lesson

At the end of this course, you'll have learned several vital guitar techniques that can be applied to a wide variety of music styles. Below is a list of techniques covered in this lesson and others available through LickLibrary, complete with helpful links for further learning:

• Palm Muting
• Hammer-Ons
• String Bending

Explore more techniques and deepen your guitar skills with LickLibrary's comprehensive glossary and lessons. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced player, there’s always something new to learn that can elevate your musical journey.