Living Wreck by Deep Purple - Guitar Lesson Overview

"Living Wreck" by Deep Purple is a hard-hitting rock track featuring the iconic guitar work of Ritchie Blackmore. Known for his melodic riffs and fiery lead lines, Blackmore’s performance on this track highlights several key guitar techniques that any aspiring rock guitarist should master. In this note-for-note guitar lesson, we’ll dive into the primary techniques showcased in "Living Wreck"—power chords, double stops, vibrato, and string bending. These techniques are not only integral to the song but also essential for developing your overall guitar skills, helping you to play with more power, precision, and expression. This lesson is taught by Danny Gill.

Key Guitar Techniques in "Living Wreck"

Power Chords

Power chords are the backbone of many rock and metal songs, and they form the foundation of the rhythm guitar parts in "Living Wreck." These simple yet powerful chord shapes typically consist of just two or three notes, providing a thick and driving sound that’s perfect for rock music. In this song, Blackmore uses power chords to build a solid rhythmic base, giving the track its heavy, propulsive feel.

Mastering power chords is essential for any guitarist looking to play rock music. Not only do they add depth to your rhythm playing, but they also help you develop your hand strength and fretboard awareness. In this lesson, you’ll learn how Blackmore incorporates power chords into his playing and how you can apply them to your own rock riffs.

Double Stops

A double stop involves playing two notes simultaneously, and this technique is heavily featured in the lead guitar parts of "Living Wreck." Blackmore uses double stops to create harmonically rich melodies, adding a sense of fullness to his solos and riffs. Whether you’re playing rhythm or lead, double stops are a great way to thicken up your sound and add more complexity to your playing.

Learning double stops is a crucial skill for rock and blues guitarists, as it allows you to add harmonic depth and create more engaging guitar parts. In this lesson, we’ll break down Blackmore’s use of double stops in "Living Wreck" and show you how to incorporate them into your playing.

Vibrato

Vibrato is one of the most expressive techniques a guitarist can use. By subtly bending a note up and down, you can add emotion and character to your playing. In "Living Wreck," Blackmore employs a wide, aggressive vibrato that gives his lead lines a vocal-like quality. Vibrato is used extensively in this track to make sustained notes more dynamic and impactful.

Developing a strong vibrato technique will dramatically improve your lead playing, allowing you to add personality to every note. This lesson will focus on Blackmore’s vibrato technique in "Living Wreck," helping you master the control and expressiveness that vibrato adds to your guitar playing.

String Bending

String bending is a technique where you push a string across the fretboard to change the pitch of the note, often used to mimic the sound of a human voice or add emotion to a melody. Blackmore’s use of string bending in "Living Wreck" adds a bluesy flair to the song’s lead lines, giving them a powerful, wailing sound. The bends in this track are precise and deliberate, often bending to exact pitches to create tension and release.

Mastering string bending is essential for any guitarist looking to add more expression to their solos. This lesson will break down Blackmore’s use of bends in "Living Wreck," showing you how to execute bends cleanly and with control, ensuring your bends hit the right pitch every time.

About the Guitar Player on "Living Wreck"

Ritchie Blackmore is widely regarded as one of the most influential guitarists in rock history, especially known for his work with Deep Purple and Rainbow. Blackmore was instrumental in shaping the heavy, driving sound that defined much of the early hard rock and heavy metal genres. His guitar playing on "Living Wreck" perfectly exemplifies his ability to blend classical influences with bluesy rock riffs, creating a sound that is both technically impressive and emotionally charged.

Ritchie Blackmore’s use of power chords, aggressive bends, and distinctive vibrato set a high standard for guitarists aiming to master rock and metal guitar. By studying his technique through songs like "Living Wreck," you’ll gain insight into how Blackmore combines technical skill with raw emotion to create a dynamic and memorable sound.

Guitar Techniques Covered in This Lesson

• Power Chords
• Double Stops
• Vibrato
• String Bending

Learning "Living Wreck" by Deep Purple will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of these essential rock guitar techniques. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced player, mastering these techniques will take your playing to the next level, allowing you to play with more power, expression, and precision. Dive into the lesson today and start channeling your inner Ritchie Blackmore!