Metal For Life with Metal Mike: Combining Various Techniques to Form Powerful Rhythm Parts

This video is bonus content related to the May 2014 issue of Guitar World. For the full range of interviews, features, tabs and more, pick up the new issue on newsstands now or at the Guitar World Online Store.

Last month, I demonstrated ways that you can combine metal-style rhythm-guitar techniques and devices, such as two-note power chords and single-note riffs, to form powerfully hooky rhythm parts.

When doing this, my goal is to maintain a melodic sensibility within rhythm figures that also serve to propel and drive a song’s groove. This month, I’ll expand on this approach by including full-voiced chords along with droning open strings, fast palm-muted single-note lines, dyads and triads.

In doing so, I’ll demonstrate a range of useful metal techniques that you can focus on within one self-contained and intrinsically melodic rhythm part.