Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Cyber Monday
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
Don't miss these
James Hetfield plays his white Gibson Explorer live with Metallica in 1986. He wears a black Metallica longsleeve.
Artists Metallica’s Master Of Puppets has been to the Upside Down but this backwards version might be the Strangest Thing you’ll hear this year
Jackson American Series Rhoads: the Rhoads is now officially being made in the USA again, and is offered with a choice of a hardtail or Floyd Rose, with the hardtail finished in Satin Black and Snow White, and the Floyd in Satin Black, Matte Army Drab and Snow White. Note the reverse headstock.
Guitars All Rhoads lead to California as Jackson brings one of its most-iconic metal guitars home for a high-end upgrade
Paul Gilbert
Recording Four big-name guitarists spill their recording secrets
Jackson Pro Origins 1985 San Dimas: these retro S-styles take the high-performance electric guitar brand back to the '80s, offering single and dual-humbucker platforms for shred with the choice of rosewood or maple fingerboards – and what about that "Two-Face" black-and-white finish?
Guitars “These guitars empower metal artists with the authentic, crushing tone that built Jackson’s legendary reputation”: Jackson takes us back to the heyday of shred with the Pro Origins 1985 San Dimas series – and what about that Two Face finish?
Craig 'Goonzi' Gowans and Steven Jones from Scottish metalcore heavyweights Bleed From Within pose with their weapons of choice: Goonzi [left] has an ESP LTD M1000, while Jones has a Caparison TAT Special
Artists Bleed From Within’s Craig ‘Goonzi’ Gowans and Steven Jones on the high-performance shred machines behind their heavyweight metalcore sound 
Pantera
Artists “No Pro Tools, no tricks. We helped change the production of heavy metal records”: Pantera's revolutionary anthem
Greg Mackintosh of Paradise Lost plays his custom 7-string V live onstage with red and white stagelights behind him.
Artists Greg Mackintosh on the secrets behind the Paradise Lost sound and why he is still trying to learn Trouble’s tone tricks
Gretsch Electromatic CVT Double-Cut in Wychwood greenburst finish
Electric Guitars "For garage, punk, and rock styles, it’s got the tonal firepower on offer": Gretsch Electromatic CVT Double-Cut review
Jackson Pro Series Cory Beaulieu King V: refreshed with quilt maple top, signature Seymour Duncany pickups and offered in six and seven-string versions – both with a Floyd Rose vibrato.
Artists Jackson and Corey Beaulieu ante up with the Trivium guitarist's new Seymour Duncan-loaded next-gen King V
Bass
Music Production Tutorials 37 heavyweight bass production tips
Alex Skolnick of Testament shows off his signature ESP singlecut as he performs at Belgium's Alcatraz Festival in 2024. On the right, Kiko Loureiro and Dave Mustaine of Megadeth photographed in the corridors backstage at Wembley Arena in 2015.
Artists Alex Skolnick on the time he was on standby for Megadeth – and what to do when you can’t match a player lick for lick
Harley Benton ST-80 FR MN
Electric Guitars “Some might say a guitar at this kind of price point has no business resonating so well”: Harley Benton ST-80 FR MN review
Fender's American Professional Classic series photographed against the side of a chrome tour bus [L-R]: Jaguar in faded Sherwood Green Metallic, HSS Stratocaster in Faded Lake Placid Blue, Stratocaster in Faded Firemist Gold, Telecaster in Faded Butterscotch Blonde, Precision Bass in Faded 3-Color Sunburst.
Guitars Fender gives its US lineup a retro-modern makeover with the American Professional Classic range
Derek Trucks takes a slide solo on his Gibson SG as Tedeschi Trucks Band performs live at Madison Square Garden.
Artists Derek Trucks is one of the greatest slide players of all time – here’s how he decides when to use it
Ableton Live MIDI tools tutorial
Music Production Tutorials Stuck for ideas? Here's how to create fresh basslines and melodies with Ableton Live 12’s MIDI tools
More
  • Cyber Monday plugin deals - LIVE
  • JoBo x Fuchs
  • "The most expensive bit of drumming in history”
  • Radiohead Daydreaming
  • Vanilla Fudge
  • 95k+ free music samples
  1. Tutorials
  2. Guitar Lessons & Tutorials

Quick licks: Intermediate #4

News
By Guitar Techniques ( Guitar Techniques ) published 17 August 2011

Country picking and Hetfield-style rhythm

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Intermediate lick one: country-fried pickin'

Intermediate lick one: country-fried pickin'

Hybrid chicken-picking is the order of the day here with this Danny Gatton inspired example. Your plectrum takes the lower notes and the second and third fingers grab the higher strings. This is based on the G Mixolydian and G major pentatonic scales. Try your bridge pickup into a clean Fender style amp sound with a compressor and some slap back echo if you have them, to make it sing out as it should.

Page 1 of 2
Page 1 of 2
Intermediate lick two: Metallica style rhythm

Intermediate lick two: Metallica style rhythm

This James Hetfield style meltdown has lots of chromaticism. Make sure you keep the sixth string muted and pumping the whole time. Try alternate picking if you can't manage all downstrokes like JH at this tempo. A high gain Boogie sound with a bridge position humbucker will make you The Master!

Page 2 of 2
Page 2 of 2
Guitar Techniques
The worlds best high-quality guitar tuition from the UKs foremost teachers and players image
The worlds best high-quality guitar tuition from the UKs foremost teachers and players
Subscribe and save today!
More Info
Deals not to miss
James Hetfield plays his white Gibson Explorer live with Metallica in 1986. He wears a black Metallica longsleeve.
Metallica’s Master Of Puppets has been to the Upside Down but this backwards version might be the Strangest Thing you’ll hear this year
 
 
Jackson American Series Rhoads: the Rhoads is now officially being made in the USA again, and is offered with a choice of a hardtail or Floyd Rose, with the hardtail finished in Satin Black and Snow White, and the Floyd in Satin Black, Matte Army Drab and Snow White. Note the reverse headstock.
All Rhoads lead to California as Jackson brings one of its most-iconic metal guitars home for a high-end upgrade
 
 
Paul Gilbert
Four big-name guitarists spill their recording secrets
 
 
Jackson Pro Origins 1985 San Dimas: these retro S-styles take the high-performance electric guitar brand back to the '80s, offering single and dual-humbucker platforms for shred with the choice of rosewood or maple fingerboards – and what about that "Two-Face" black-and-white finish?
“These guitars empower metal artists with the authentic, crushing tone that built Jackson’s legendary reputation”: Jackson takes us back to the heyday of shred with the Pro Origins 1985 San Dimas series – and what about that Two Face finish?
 
 
Craig 'Goonzi' Gowans and Steven Jones from Scottish metalcore heavyweights Bleed From Within pose with their weapons of choice: Goonzi [left] has an ESP LTD M1000, while Jones has a Caparison TAT Special
Bleed From Within’s Craig ‘Goonzi’ Gowans and Steven Jones on the high-performance shred machines behind their heavyweight metalcore sound 
 
 
Pantera
“No Pro Tools, no tricks. We helped change the production of heavy metal records”: Pantera's revolutionary anthem
 
 
Latest in Guitar Lessons & Tutorials
Close up of a person playing guitar
With a massive 89% discount, $99 for a year's worth of Guitar Tricks online lessons is the best way to upgrade your guitar playing this Black Friday
 
 
Close up of a person holding an acoustic guitar bathed sunlight
Ignite your inner guitar god for just 27 cents a day with TrueFire’s July 4th sale - save 60% on online lessons
 
 
MusicNomad fret tuition
Can you fix your guitar's frets yourself? We try three innovative approaches from MusicNomad to investigate how they might conquer a major cause of fret buzz
 
 
George Harrison
How to play like George Harrison on The Beatles' Abbey Road
 
 
MusicNomad guitar fret cleaning
"You owe your guitar the chance to be its best": How to clean and polish your guitar frets a better way
 
 
Jimmy Page
Play like Jimmy Page! Exclusive video lesson
 
 
Latest in News
Ableton Push 3 deals on Cymber Monday
If you were wondering if the deals aren't as good this year, then this saving on Ableton Push 3 Standalone is all the proof you need
 
 
Victory The Duchess Deluxe MKII Head
Get the most out of your pedals and save £422 on one of the best pedal platform amps I've played - the Victory V40 Duchess Deluxe MKII Head
 
 
Yamaha PSS-A50
I love the Refaces, but at just £59, the Yamaha PSS-A50 is the best Cyber Monday ‘couch keyboard’ deal I’ve seen - and it’s perfect for kids, too
 
 
An Epiphone Dave Gorhl DG-335 semi-hollow guitar lying on a guitar case
Who needs the £10,499 Gibson Dave Grohl signature DG-335 when the excellent Epiphone version is just £777 today?
 
 
A pair of Sennheiser HD 490 Pro studio headphones on a light purple background
I’ve tested 13 studio headphones this year and my top choice just landed a serious Cyber Monday deal - save $110 on the Sennheiser HD 490 Pro
 
 
user18081971, aka Aphex Twin, on Souncloud
“Got many requests for this one from a few years back”: Aphex Twin uploads new tracks to his Soundcloud page
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...