How to Play Guitar Strings

Playing guitar strings is a fundamental part of becoming an accomplished guitarist, especially if you're diving into the intense world of metal and its subgenres. Whether you're shredding through a thrash metal riff or creating a moody atmosphere in black metal, understanding how to control and manipulate your guitar strings is crucial. This guide will take you through the essentials of working with guitar strings, offering tips, techniques, and insights to enhance your playing and help you achieve the sound you’re aiming for.

Getting a Grip on Your Guitar Strings

First things first, let's talk about how to physically handle the strings. If you're a metal guitarist, your relationship with your strings is intimate—every movement, every touch counts. The way you press down, pluck, or strum can change the entire character of a note or chord. So, how do you get a grip on those strings?

• Finger Positioning: Position your fingers close to the fret but not on top of it. This minimizes buzzing and ensures a clean sound.
• Pressing Technique: Apply just enough pressure to get a clear note. Over-pressing can lead to intonation issues and fatigue.
• String Muting: Use your palm or fingers to mute strings that aren’t being played. This reduces unwanted noise, especially important in fast metal passages.

Once you’ve got the basics of handling down, it’s time to think about your sound. Different metal subgenres may require different approaches. For instance, djent often uses heavy muting and precise pick attack, while metalcore might lean more on aggressive strumming. It's all about finding what works best for you and the style you're aiming to master.

Picking Techniques for Precision and Power

Picking is where a lot of your sound dynamics come from. Proper picking technique is especially important in metal, where precision and speed are key. Here are some aspects to consider:

Alternate Picking

Alternate picking is a cornerstone of many metal styles. It involves alternating between downstrokes and upstrokes, providing a consistent rhythm and sound. To start honing your alternate picking:

• Start Slow: Begin at a comfortable speed and gradually increase as you become more consistent.
• Use a Metronome: This helps maintain timing and can be a great tool to measure your progress.
• Focus on Economy of Motion: Keep your picking hand movements small and efficient to build speed without losing accuracy.

Interestingly enough, Riffhard offers lessons specifically focused on alternate picking, taught by some of the best in the business. You can explore these lessons to refine your technique further.

Downpicking for Heavy Riffs

Downpicking is another essential technique, especially in genres like thrash and heavy metal. It gives a chugging, aggressive sound that's perfect for driving riffs. Here’s how you can nail it:

• Practice Stamina: Downpicking can be physically demanding, so build your endurance gradually.
• Use Wrist Action: Focus on wrist movement rather than arm movement to maintain control and reduce fatigue.
• Palm Muting: Combine downpicking with palm muting for that classic metal "chug" sound.

Building your downpicking skills can feel like a workout, but it's a rewarding process that adds immense power to your playing.

Understanding String Bending and Vibrato

String bending and vibrato are techniques that add expression and emotion to your playing. They’re subtle but powerful tools to make your solos sing. Here’s how you can get the most out of them:

String Bending

String bending involves pushing or pulling the string across the fretboard to raise its pitch. It’s common in solos and melodic lines. Here’s a step-by-step approach:

• Push with Multiple Fingers: Use more than one finger to bend the string, providing extra strength and control.
• Listen and Match: Bend to a specific pitch and practice matching it consistently.
• Control the Release: Smoothly release the bend to maintain musicality in your playing.

Vibrato

Vibrato adds a singing quality to notes by slightly varying their pitch. To develop a good vibrato:

• Use Your Wrist: A wrist motion, rather than finger motion, provides better control and consistency.
• Start Subtle: Begin with a subtle vibrato and gradually increase its width and speed as you become comfortable.
• Keep It Musical: Always aim for musicality rather than speed or intensity alone.

Bending and vibrato require practice, but they can dramatically improve the expressiveness of your playing.

Chords and Power Chords: Building Blocks of Metal

In metal, chords, and especially power chords, are the foundation of rhythm guitar playing. They give your riffs and progressions a solid, driving force. Here’s how to effectively use them:

Power Chords

Power chords are two-note chords that are easy to play and perfect for distortion-heavy music. Here’s how to get started:

• Start with Root and Fifth: The simplest power chord consists of the root note and the fifth. For example, an E power chord is played with an E note and a B note.
• Practice Sliding: Slide power chords up and down the neck to create dynamic riffs.
• Add Muting: Use palm muting to add rhythm and texture to your power chords.

Advanced Chord Shapes

Once you’re comfortable with power chords, explore more advanced chord shapes to add variety and depth to your playing. Consider:

• Incorporating Open Strings: Use open strings in combination with fretted notes for a fuller sound.
• Experiment with Inversions: Change the order of notes within a chord to create interesting variations.
• Try Diminished and Augmented Chords: These can add a sense of tension and complexity to your music.

Chords are the backbone of your rhythm playing, and mastering them can significantly enhance your sound.

Harmonics: Adding Sparkle and Sizzle

Harmonics, either natural or artificial, are a great way to add some unique tones to your playing. They can create a shimmering, ethereal sound that stands out, especially in metal solos. Here’s how to incorporate them:

Natural Harmonics

These are produced by lightly touching the string at specific points (like the 5th, 7th, or 12th frets) and picking it. To get them right:

• Light Touch: Just graze the string with your finger without pressing it down.
• Immediate Release: As soon as you pick the string, release your finger to let the harmonic ring out.
• Experiment with Locations: Try different frets to find various harmonic tones.

Artificial Harmonics

These require a bit more finesse, involving your picking hand. Here’s a simplified method to get started:

• Palm Positioning: Use the edge of your picking hand to lightly touch the string near the bridge.
• Pick and Release: Pick the string while lightly touching it with your thumb or finger to create the harmonic.
• Practice Consistency: This technique takes practice to execute consistently, so be patient.

Harmonics can add a layer of sophistication and flair to your playing, making solos and riffs more engaging.

String Tension and Tuning: Getting the Right Feel

String tension and tuning are critical factors that influence playability and tone. Adjusting these can help you achieve the sound you’re looking for in metal music:

Choosing the Right String Gauge

The gauge of your strings affects both the feel and the sound. Heavier gauges offer a beefier tone but require more finger strength. Consider the following:

• Heavier Gauge for Lower Tuning: If you’re tuning down, heavier strings maintain tension and tone.
• Lighter Gauge for Lead Playing: Easier on the fingers, making bends and vibrato more manageable.
• Balance for Hybrid Styles: If you play both rhythm and lead, find a gauge that suits both aspects of your playing.

Tuning for Metal Genres

Many metal musicians experiment with alternative tunings to achieve different sounds. Some common tunings include:

• Drop D: Lower the low E string to D for easy power chords and a heavier sound.
• D Standard: Tune all strings down a whole step for a deeper, darker tone.
• Drop C: Similar to Drop D but in D standard, providing an even heavier vibe.

Tuning and tension adjustments allow you to customize your guitar to fit your personal playing style and the specific metal subgenre you’re focusing on.

The Art of Palm Muting

Palm muting is an essential technique in metal, adding percussive power to your riffs. Here’s how to perfect it:

• Positioning: Rest the side of your palm lightly on the strings near the bridge.
• Pressure Control: Experiment with the amount of pressure for different muting effects.
• Rhythm Practice: Use a metronome to practice timing and rhythm with muted notes.

Palm muting is not just about silencing strings; it’s about controlling dynamics and adding texture to your playing. It’s a skill that can transform a simple riff into something powerful and engaging.

Exploring Different Picking Hand Techniques

The picking hand plays a crucial role in defining your sound. Beyond basic picking, there are several advanced techniques to explore:

Fingerstyle Picking

While less common in metal, fingerstyle can add a unique flavor to your playing, allowing for complex rhythms and harmonies.

• Use Your Fingers: Pluck the strings with your fingers instead of a pick for a softer, nuanced sound.
• Hybrid Picking: Combine pick and fingerstyle for intricate patterns.
• Explore Arpeggios: Play arpeggiated chords with fingerstyle for a rich, layered sound.

Pick Tapping

A flashy technique that involves tapping the fretboard with your pick.

• Use the Pick’s Edge: Tap the string with the edge of the pick for a clear sound.
• Fast Transitions: Practice moving quickly between tapping and regular picking.
• Combine with Hammer-ons: Create rapid, flowing runs by combining tapping with hammer-ons and pull-offs.

Exploring different picking hand techniques can add variety and excitement to your playing, helping you develop a unique style.

Advanced Techniques: Tapping and Sweep Picking

For those looking to push their skills further, tapping and sweep picking are advanced techniques that can add impressive flair to solos and riffs.

Tapping

Tapping involves using a finger from your picking hand to hit notes on the fretboard, allowing for fast and fluid runs.

• Start Slow: Practice slowly to ensure accuracy and clarity.
• Use a Metronome: Gradually increase speed as you become more comfortable with the technique.
• Combine with Legato: Use hammer-ons and pull-offs to enhance your tapping sequences.

Learning tapping is a rewarding endeavor that can elevate your lead playing.

Sweep Picking

Sweep picking is a technique that allows for fast, fluid arpeggios by sweeping the pick across the strings.

• Smooth Motion: Focus on a smooth, even motion with your pick hand.
• Control the Noise: Mute strings as needed to prevent unwanted sound.
• Practice Slowly: Like tapping, start slow to build precision and control.

Both tapping and sweep picking are challenging but incredibly rewarding techniques that can add a new dimension to your playing.

Final Thoughts

Mastering guitar strings is a journey that involves a mix of technique, practice, and personal exploration. From picking precision to expressive bends, each aspect plays a role in shaping your unique sound. If you're looking for more in-depth guidance and lessons from top-notch metal guitarists, Riffhard is a fantastic resource to help you along the way. Happy shredding!