Victim Of Changes - Judas Priest

Judas Priest’s Victim Of Changes stands as one of the most iconic and ambitious tracks in the band’s early catalogue. With its dynamic shifts, emotive solos, and a blend of aggressive and melodic guitar work, it offers guitarists a treasure trove of techniques to explore. At LickLibrary, our detailed note-for-note guitar lesson breaks down this powerful track to help you learn every riff, lead line, and expressive nuance found in the original recording.

This lesson not only helps you master the song, but also enhances your overall playing by focusing on a range of essential techniques. Whether you're working on your precision, expression, or speed, this song offers multiple technical and musical opportunities for growth. Danny Gill breaks down this classic track in this exclusive Lick Library video tutorial.

The Guitar Work in Victim Of Changes

Performed by the legendary guitar duo K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton, Victim Of Changes showcases the distinctive twin-guitar approach Judas Priest helped to popularise. Tipton and Downing were pioneers of the dual-lead guitar format, trading off solos and harmonising melodic lines in a way that would influence generations of metal and hard rock guitarists.

Their playing is both technically precise and emotionally charged, blending blues-infused licks with futuristic speed and aggression. This song captures the breadth of their style – from clean, moody arpeggios to fiery lead breaks and driving rhythm parts.

Song Breakdown and Guitar Techniques

Our Victim Of Changes guitar lesson covers the full range of techniques used by Tipton and Downing, and walks you through each section of the song with clear, slow demonstrations before bringing it up to speed.

Alternate Picking

The opening riff and several lead sections demand clean, controlled alternate picking. Practising this technique with the song sharpens your picking accuracy, improves synchronisation between your hands, and helps you maintain speed without sacrificing clarity.

Legato Phrases

Throughout the solos, there are fast runs that rely on legato – particularly using hammer-ons and pull-offs. Mastering legato helps build finger strength and speed while maintaining smooth, fluid lines.

Vibrato

This song places a strong emphasis on expressive vibrato, especially in the lead parts. Learning to control your vibrato adds depth to your playing and helps convey emotion, making even simple notes stand out.

String Bending & Unison Bends

Bending strings to pitch is a fundamental expressive tool, and Victim Of Changes includes both regular string bending and dramatic unison bends. These techniques build your ear for pitch and improve finger control.

Pinched Harmonics

Characteristic of Priest’s heavier tone, pinched harmonics are used to add aggressive flair to certain licks. They’re a great way to develop control over harmonic overtones and spice up your phrasing.

Power Chords and Palm Muting

The main rhythm sections are based on tight power chords paired with aggressive palm muting, giving the song its signature heavy metal punch. This is perfect for players working to strengthen their rhythm playing and right-hand precision.

Double Stop Bends

You'll also encounter double stop bends in the lead sections. These double-note phrases are great for building finger independence and reinforcing intonation.

Slides and Trills

Slides and trills add movement and energy to many of the connecting phrases in the solos. Incorporating these techniques enhances your phrasing and helps make your playing more expressive.

Arpeggios and Chord Progressions

Clean guitar sections feature arpeggios and clever chord progressions, ideal for improving fretting-hand accuracy and finger dexterity. These parts also help with musical understanding and voice leading on the instrument.

Why Learn Victim Of Changes?

This lesson gives you more than just a faithful recreation of an iconic metal track – it’s a masterclass in rock guitar vocabulary. You'll walk away with better timing, greater expression, and stronger command over a wide range of essential guitar techniques. Whether you're an intermediate player aiming to push your skills or an advanced guitarist wanting to fine-tune your technique, Victim Of Changes is a worthy challenge that will pay off in your overall development.

Guitar Techniques Used in this Lesson

• Vibrato
• Alternate Picking
• Legato
• Hammer-Ons
• Pull-Offs
• String Bending
• Unison Bends
• Double Stop Bends
• Pinched Harmonics
• Power Chords
• Palm Muting
• Slides
• Trills
• Arpeggios
• Chord Progressions

Unlock the full power of your guitar playing with this timeless Judas Priest track – dive into our full lesson and take your technique to the next level.