Pending Closure

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Instructor: Sean Conklin Level: Advanced Topic: Cool Riffs Style: Metal

Excerpt: Alright! Welcome to the "Pending Closure" song tutorial. This is definitely one of my favorite tunes that I've written. What I'll be showing you in this tutorial is a segment taken from the song's mid-section. Ready? Buckle your seatbelts. This one is intense! Also, note that this song is in Drop D tuning. If you aren't exactly sure what that is, click her...

Media Length: 0:56

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Instructor: Sean Conklin Level: Advanced Topic: Cool Riffs Style: Metal

Excerpt: In this riff, we have a good mix of alternate picking, palm muting, and legato. First thing we should note, is how on every single pull-off you do, you'll be using a downstroke. Make sure you keep that pattern throughout so we can stay consistent with our picking. Besides those downstrokes for the pull-offs, we'll be using strictly alternate picking. Just i...

Media Length: 0:32

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Instructor: Sean Conklin Level: Advanced Topic: Technique Style: Metal

Excerpt: Here we have a short little sweeping/tapping run. I love implementing these type of licks into my playing. It's a great way to add some flavor amidst all the intense rhythm as well. If you are unfamiliar with sweeping and/or tapping, I'd suggest going over some of our applicable tutorials to get you grounded in those techniques. On the first beat, watch ou...

Media Length: 0:29

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Instructor: Sean Conklin Level: Advanced Topic: Rhythm Style: Metal

Excerpt: In this section, we have a strong rhythm mixing octave chords with palm-muted alternate picking in between. As always with octave chords, make sure that your index finger mutes all 4 of the non-applicable strings. We only want the A and G strings to sound, so your index finger needs to slightly touch the other 4 strings so they're muted. If you observe the...

Media Length: 0:36

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Instructor: Sean Conklin Level: Advanced Topic: Cool Riffs Style: Metal

Excerpt: Like some of the other riffs in this song, we'll be palm muting the Low E string notes, while all other notes are played normally without palm muting. Also, if you want, some of the picking in this riff can be played a little differently than how I indicated in the tab. For example, there are some upstrokes that you might rather play as a downstroke etc., a...

Media Length: 0:27

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Instructor: Sean Conklin Level: Advanced Topic: Cool Riffs Style: Metal

Excerpt: In this riff, we're actually playing the harmonies to the previous lesson's riff. So it's pretty much the same thing as far as the rhythms and techniques go, just played on different notes. One key difference though is that the notes on the A string are now played as sixteenth notes, as opposed to how they were played in the last lesson as eighth notes. Ok...

Media Length: 0:26

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Instructor: Sean Conklin Level: Advanced Topic: Cool Riffs Style: Metal

Excerpt: Okay, here's the backing track! You'll hear the guitar harmonies in the audio, but the main guitar parts are left out. Have fun and remember to be patient while you learn this piece. This is a fast song so if you have trouble, just take your time and gradually build up speed. If you make an audio or video recording of you playing along, be sure to post it ...

Media Length: 0:54