How To Read Tabs

Introduction

Metal music and Hardcore have mixed together over the years to bring this subgenre called Metalcore. Usually Metalcore music has large, slow breakdowns which include lots of moshing and hitting. Metalcore usually has two guitars which play the same riffs harmonized. I'm not saying Metalcore sucks. To be honest, my favorite genre is Metalcore.

Metalcore Bands

Some DECENT Metalcore bands that i would look into are Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying, The Devil Wears Prada, Trivium, Bullet For My Valentine, and Avenged Sevenfold.

Tuning

I personally like to use Dropped tunings for this genre. Although you can use Standard, but i wouldn't reccomend it. some tunings to try that sound good are: [B] D A D G B E, C G C F A D, D G C F A D, or B F# B E G# C#[/B].

You don't need to use these tunings, but I prefer them. What I usually use is Dropped D (D A D G B E), but it's really your preference.

A Technique That I Use

What I usually do before I start practicing is that I take my right index and thumb finger, and I put it between my left index and middle and strech out my finger so that I have a better reach across the fretboard. This is very helpful. Believe me.

Starting Out

All I'm going to do in Riff #1 is teach you how to mute the bottom string, then play a note on another string. You need to practice this a lot inorder to get a nice fast metalcore sounding riff.

Example 1

|-------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----5-----7-----8^------5-----7-----8^------8-----7-----5---|
|-0-0---0-0---0-0-----0-0---0-0---0-0-----8-8---8-8---8-8-----|
pm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

It's ok if you can't do this riff right away. Keep practicing and you'll get the hang of switching strings back and fourth.


Example 2

Killswitch Engage - My Curse
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------10--------------10---------------6------------6--------|
|---10--------10----10--------10------5-------5----5-------5----|
|-8----8----8-----8----8----8-------8---8---8----8---8---8------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
pm. . . . . . . . . . . .

|--------------------0---------------------------0--------------|
|-------6----------------6----------6----------------6----------|
|---5-------5----5--------------5-------5----5------------------|
|-7---7---7----7---7---7------7---7---7----7---7---7------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
pm. . . . . . . . . . . .

This is riff is really good to build your finger strength, and how far you can reach. Just remeber to take your time and to hit each note clearly.

The Most Important Part, The Intro

The intro riff is probably one of the most important riffs in the whole song. it has to be catchy, yet not having so much notes that we cant even hear the riff. The intro sets the feeling for the whole song. And if you make a nasty intro, the audience will think the whole song is nasty. But thats ok for now. Here are some really cool intros that are worth listening to and learning.

Three Days Grace - Riot
BFMV - Tears Don't Fall
Atreyu - The Crimson
Atreyu - Honor
Killswitch Engage - Rose Of Sharyn
Killswitch Engage - My Last Serenade
Childrean of Bodom - Downfall
As I Lay Dying - The Darkest Nights

Example 1

BFMV - Hand Of Blood
**ALTERNATE PICK**
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-0-7-8--0-5-7--0-3-5--0-2-3--0-2-5-4~--0-7-8--0-5-7--0-3-5-0-2-3-2h3p2h3-|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|

Dosen't this intro just get you lost into the song?


Example 2

Saosin - They Perch On Their Stilts Pointing And Daring Me To Break Custom
E|------------------------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-2-2-2-2-2-2-----------------2-2-2-2-2-2--------------------|
D|-0-0-0-0-0-0-3-3p2p0-2-2-2h3-0-0-0-0-0-0-7-7h5/3-5-5-5h7----|
A|-0-0-0-0-0-0-----------------0-0-0-0-0-0--------------------|
D|-0-0-0-0-0-0-----------------0-0-0-0-0-0--------------------|

E|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-8-8-8-8-8-8--3-3p2p0-2-2-2h3-10-10-10-10-10-10-7-7h5/3-5-5-5h7--|
A|-8-8-8-8-8-8------------------10-10-10-10-10-10------------------|
D|-8-8-8-8-8-8------------------10-10-10-10-10-10------------------|

Verses

Verses usually have alot of screaming and hardcore riffs in them with muting, powerchords, and such like that. Here's an example just so you can get an idea.

Example 1

Killswitch Engage - My Curse
D|----------------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------|
F|----------------------------------------------------|
C|-5-----3--------------------------------------------|
G|-5-----3-----------------------------5--------------|
C|---0-0---0-0-/6-0-0-5-0-0-3p0-0-0--7---7-6-5-0-3-5--|
pm . . . . . . . . . .

D|--------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------|
F|--------------------------------------------------|
C|-5-----3------------------------------------------|
G|-5-----3-----------------------------3------------|
C|---0-0---0-0-/6-0-0-5-0-0-3p0-0-0--5---5-4-3-0-3--|
pm . . . . . . . . . .

Chorus


In my opinion, I like it when they sing during the chorus because it gives you some relaxation time to soak in the verse and just kinda chill a little before it starts again, I really wouldn't wanna listen to someone scream for like 3-4 minutes.

Example 1

Killswitch Engage - Arms Of Sorrow
|--------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------|
|-1-1-1-1--3-3-3-3--5-5-5-5--0-------0-------|
|-1-1-1-1--3-3-3-3--5-5-5-5--0-------0-------|
|-1-1-1-1--3-3-3-3--5-5-5-5--0--0-0--0--0-0--|
pm . . . .

Breakdowns

You can do anything in a breakdown. You can make palm-muted open string riffs, you can just stop playing and let the singer sing, you can make a little solo, you can do about anything! So, I'l leave that up to you. What I would do is palm mute some chords or make a tapping solo.

Conclusion

Thanks for reading my lesson and I hope that this helps you on your way to metalcore music! Most people might think that metalcore is really stupid and the riffs sound the same, but with a little creativity you can make a peice of art. I might make a part 2 to this.

from :ultimate guitar