| Attitude, being aggressive and quick are the hall mark | | | | The other forms are artificial harmonics. This is also |
| of heavy metal music. So, the techniques that you | | | | referred to as harp harmonics. It is produced by |
| should adapt for this form of music should be | | | | plucking a string with the third finger of your right |
| exquisite and mesmerizing. If you are keen to learn | | | | hand, while with the first finger you strike another |
| the essential heavy metal guitar techniques then you | | | | note simultaneously. |
| might find this article quite handy. The guitar | | | | Hammer-ons |
| techniques that form an important aspect in any | | | | A hammer-on is the guitar technique that generally |
| heavy metal band are mentioned below. | | | | involves two notes. This particular guitar technique is |
| Palm muting | | | | capable of producing a smooth, legato and connected |
| This is the technique where the guitar strings are | | | | sound effect. For playing Hammer-ons you need to |
| muffled slightly, while the strings are picked | | | | pick on a lower note. Then with your left-hand finger |
| simultaneously. This technique is executed by the | | | | you need to hammer onto a higher note on the |
| picking hand i.e. the right hand in most of the cases. | | | | same string. The second note, in this technique, is not |
| The main trick of this technique is to slightly mute | | | | picked. |
| the sound of the strings for the notes to be heard | | | | Alternate Picking |
| faintly. Palm muting can be better executed with | | | | Alternate guitar picking enables the guitar player to |
| electric guitars. It can also be performed in the | | | | play notes at a very fast pace. This technique |
| acoustic guitars but the effect will not be that | | | | requires the picking hand to pick in an alternate up |
| rocking. | | | | and down motion instead of a repeated downward |
| Harmonics | | | | stroke. The best ways to go about doing alternate |
| This is another important guitar technique that most | | | | picking is to use a very small, hard and sharp pick as |
| heavy metal guitarists use to spice up their | | | | this gives your fingers more control. |
| performances. There are different forms of | | | | These are some of the important heavy metal guitar |
| harmonics that are adopted by the guitarists. The | | | | techniques that are frequently used by the heavy |
| first one is natural harmonics. Natural harmonics are | | | | metal bands. Practice them thoroughly if you are |
| produced by lightly placing your left hand finger on | | | | seriously thinking of becoming a professional heavy |
| top of a note on the fret of the guitar, fretting a | | | | metal guitarist. |
| normal note. | | | | |