Metal Soloing Patterns with Metal Mike

These videos and audio files are bonus content related to the December 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:http://guitarworld.myshopify.com/coll...

Mastering metal and hard rock guitar poses a great variety of musical and technical challenges, encompassing everything from the development of solid and reliable pick- and fret-hand rhythm playing technique to a complete understanding of metal-style licks and patterns and the scales upon which they are based, coupled with fleet-fingered fret-hand technique.

This month, I’d like to demonstrate a couple of fast, challenging lead-type phrases that are designed to lift your chops up to the next level.

One of my favorite things to do when soloing is play long note sequences based on an unwavering rhythm, such as steady 16th notes or eighth-note triplets, as this approach serves to create rhythmic tension and aids in the construction of a powerful solo. This is something Randy Rhoads loved to do, and his “Over the Mountain” solo is a prime example of this approach.