Dying Fetus | Shepherd's Commandment | Cover with Tab

First things first, here's the tab!

GP5: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cX1w...

PDF: https://drive.google.com/file/d/11x7w...

So another video where I didn't really feel like writing a detailed description. But the song features a few techniques and "playing philosophies" that would benefit from more detailed explanations. But first, why the video and why now?

Well, I saw Dying Fetus live in Schweinfurt last week and I'm always positively suprised when I see them. Truly magnificient live band. I saw their soundcheck and was a bit let down by the guitar tone there, but in the band context it was perfect. The Dying Fetus guitar tone was always that kind of tone I couldn't really replicate with the Axe Fx. There's a certain solid state amp character in there, that I just couldn't get out of my Axe Fx. So I was surprised to see that they used a regular Peavey (5150, 6505 or whatever EVH, you know what I mean). Don't know what else John used, except for that noise gate and probably a tubescreamer. Btw, great use of a noise gate. Every break in the music was perfectly executed. Only thing that annoyed the shit out of me was the mosh pit haha

This is the first time I used the tone match feature of the Axe Fx for a video. I actually used it first to replicate the tone for Defeated Sanity's "Passages Into Deformity" album. That was also that kind of solid state tone that I just couldn't copy. And I was positively suprised again. It just works! So I had to try it for the Dying Fetus tone too. It's super close but there is still some high end sizzle in there that I don't like which I cut a bit. I also boosted the mids slightly, it's a playthrough after all, so my guitar can stick out a bit more. That's it tone wise!

Now to the playing. Let's talk about the tremolo picking first. I'm usually someone who obsessively tries to stick to strict 16th notes when it comes to those parts. But there are certain bands where the tremolo picking takes the lazy approach as soon as it hits a very high tempo. And Dying Fetus are one of those bands. Since the tremolo picking is open and not palm-muted you can get away with that kind of floaty playing, where you just play fast instead of strict note values. The drums are basically carrying those parts. If 16th notes are too strenuous I usually stick to 8th triplets. Except for the case when you have four 16th notes each string. Then I try to stick to that since the string change and up-down-stroke distribution is a lot more even. (With three notes a string you either have to use some economic kind of picking or play, down-up-down, string change, then up-down-up which also takes out the conistency). So this is one of the very few videos where you see me taking the lazy approach. I try to avoid that for videos. It's something more reserved for live situations haha. (Btw, no one plays those high tempos this strict in a live situation! You can thank me later.)

And now to the shred parts, the most important parts of the description. It's very hard to accurately write those out for the tab. When I write tabs I opt for clarity and readability even if it means that the tab is not 100% accurate. In my opinion it's easier to understand and play a part when you come from a very tight and strict playing and then add some feeling (that rhythmic floating) versus trying to understand an ugly ass tab. A tab with accurate rhythm notation would be more confusing in this case. I basically see it as a rhythmic ornamentation. It's something I learned from playing with Defeated Sanity because they have that a lot.

All the shred parts are fairly accurate in terms of notes, it's just the rhythm that you have to get a feel for from the record. The first shred part, the alternate picking thing with groupings of six, is slighty rushed and then dragged on the highest note on each grouping. That's the best description I have for it.

The sweep part is a bit harder to explain. The way I notated the tapped part of it is pretty accurate. The tab basically features the "perfect" robotic-like version of the sweep. So strict note values with a full 5 string sweep. On the record only a three string sweep is audible and that's what they do live as well. I personally play a four string sweep because it's the best compromise between conistency and playability + cleanliness. I included my version at the end of the tab so you can understand it better.

And now the part after that, that diminished thing. This one is really hard to notate. The first minor third is basically a flurry and you kind of linger on the lowest note on the E string a bit. So imagine the tab with the conistent sixtuplets but instead you kind of rush the first three notes and then stay a bit on the lowest note on the E string. Those are your rhythmic accents!

Enjoy the video!