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Beginning Metal Guitar Workshop Terms |
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A number of terms exist to describe different guitar techniques and are referred to extensively in tablature and sheet music. It is important to learn at least the most commonly used terms to be able to read tablature. The following list should cover most common notations.
Terms
Mute/Palm Mute - A technique that involves using the outer section of your picking hand to muffle the strings. Placing the meat of your hand across the bridge and picking produces a choppy or crunchy sound. One of the most commonly used techniques in metal guitar playing.
Hammer on - Fretting a note by physically hammering a fingertip (or the pick) on the fretboard as opposed to picking it.
Pull off - Producing a note by stretching and then crisply releasing a string from a higher fret to a lower one. Typically performed with the fretting hand but can also be done with the picking hand.
Alternate Pick - Alternating between picking the strings up and down.
Down Pick - Picking every note downward. Usually used in conjunction with Muting.
Vibrato - Repeatedly changing the pitch of a note by bending and then releasing the tension on a string.
Power cord - Technically a 5th, this is the most common chord used in metal.
Step - A step is 2 frets. Subsequently a 1/2 step is one fret.
Bend - Bending a note up in pitch after picking. Usually measured in steps.
Pre-Bend - Bending a note up in pitch before picking. Usually measured in steps.
Tremolo Dive - As indicated, using the tremolo (whammy bar) to lower the pitch of a note.
Tablature
Tablature is an alternative method of writing out guitar besides traditional sheet music. Once you know what you are looking at, tablature is very easy to understand. There are six lines that represent each string of the guitar. The one caveat to remember is that they are displayed upside down. For instance,
The other main component is a fret represented by a number.
As depicted above, the you would begin playing this piece on the open 6th (E) string followed by the 3rd fret 6th string. Then the open 5th (A) string followed by the 2nd fret 5th string and so on. Any numbers that line up vertically are played at the same time so to play the last note above you would pick the open 6th string and the 2nd fret 5th string simultaneously. This would produce the open E "power chord".
Now we know that the lines represent strings (upside down), and the numbers are the frets to be played but there is one more component missing aside from special notations. Other tablature you come across may not denote finger positions but we will show fingering above the frets as shown below,
Just incase you skipped the basics or don't recall finger numbering, here they are again. 
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