Simple tab reading to get you started.

I am new here I am from South Carolina and I am 17 I turn 18 in August. I want to say I am very stoked about being able to be part of this community and being able to learn from to me THE greatest guitar player in my world, when I was 14 so three years ago, A7x was the first band I listened to and over the past three years I slowly filled my music library with their albums. I wanted to play guitar when I was younger but I never really was interested my mom paid for lessons and she did them with me I just didn’t care for it much I was extremely obsessed with doing other stuff than practicing. When I started listening more to bands like A7x, It made me want to try and play guitar and I had been putting it off due to my cancer treatments that lasted from June to November 25 of 2020, and the side effects was neuropathy and since then my fingers are better. And I am ready to begin my journey!

Extreme is back after a long hiatus. Nuno Bettencourt really shows his chops on the release titled, "Rise". The album name is, "Six"

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The new album releases on June 9th! https://extreme-band.com

I'm sure that our younger audience might not be familiar with Extreme or Nuno Bettencourt.

Extreme - 1989
Pornograpffitti - 1990
III Sides to Every Story - 1992
Waiting for the Punch Line - 1995
Saudades De Rock - 2008

Extreme broke up and Nuno started a solo career.

Morning Widows - 1997
Schizophonic - 1997
Population 1 - 2002
Dramagods - (formerly known as Population 1) - 2005
Population 1 - Sessions from Room 4 - 2006

The above information is sketchy and I could be wrong. Needless to say, the albums did not gain as much popularity in the US.

Extreme:

First Album: Kid Ego
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Second Album: Pornograffitti (Live)
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Third Album: Cupid's Dead (Live)
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Fourth Album: Midnight Express (Live)
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Fifth Album: Comfortably Dumb
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xU6GNkPXZk


What are your thoughts on Bettencourt?

I've been trying to learn tapping for a bit, but its super quiet when i try. Is this an issue with my pickups? I have a fairly cheap guitar but wanna know if i could be doing something wrong.

Since we love putting the spotlight on our underdogs here, we'd like to present to you our student of the month: Syn Gates

His band release a single yesterday for the release of their next record in June entitled ''Life is nuts dream'' and we thought that the playing was pretty competent. A little birdie told us that he used the lessons on Synner to really get good at guitar so we thought it's only appropriate to showcase him in this way!

Anyways, if you wanna check out his band, it's called Avenged Sevenfold. They've been active for a while and they had weird phases with eyeliner and shit but overall, I'd say that they do interesting stuff. You should all totally keep an eye on them (And I am not talking about the bikini part).

Thank you to @Dominik Gräber for submitting him for spotlight student and congrats Mr. Gates

Hey folks! Wanted to introduce myself!

My name is Nathan and I've been playing guitar since November 2021. I started being self taught for 5 months and then joined a music school - School Of Rock - where I got some live stage experience playing different styles of music. I left at the end of January but I have a big chunck of guitar tab books - and even found some bandmates to jam with - that keep me inspired and constantly learning. And yes, I have almost all of the A7X tab books to refer too and I love Synyster Gates' work. I do have a tiny issue with the UI of the lessons but the content I am already breezing through due to my prior experience.

In terms of my tech, I run a Marshal MG30FX amp, have a few pedals, and I have 5 guitars currently, 3 of which are Jacksons, one Schecter, and an acoustic guitar. Because of this community, I will keep discovering new things and keep pressing forward!

Finally, will those who read this be my friend? lol

Respectfully,
Nathan

Haven't played guitar in roughly 12 months. I spent 16ish months grinding out a lot of stuff after coming off a 2ish year break from '18 - '20. Got to a point where I felt playing guitar had no purpose for me so I hung it up to pursue software development. It's an annoying thing I do - I'll drop everything to really dive into something else. I kid you not I've hated every minute of the past year. I'm always shredding ideas in my head, hearing insane improv over songs I listen to, yet I go to pick up a guitar and always felt nothing. On the other hand, I think about designing a website for close friends, my portfolio, course projects, and I get super excited. I've made some dope stuff since around August '22 and I had an epiphany. I have 4 Snapchat streaks all between 1200 and 1800 days (5ish years) and have been learning Spanish on Duolingo for 41 days. I realized I work incredibly well with maintaining streaks.
So as of today, I've started designing a Streak Manager that'll have an incredible UI/UX where I can input some tasks I want to track and create a streak system for those things, like playing guitar daily for any amount of time. I plan to bring this to you guys somehow. I've struggled with keeping the discipline to play guitar regardless the outrageous reasons. I've always loved playing it, I love listening to melodic shit on guitar, and hearing Nobody really is coming at my demons about it.
Brian redrum'd this song with his melodic input. It's been on repeat all day today just so I could trek through the mix to hear his guitar riff and solo and memorize them, think of what he's doing, so I can get back to work and bring you all a breakdown of it. It makes me wanna play again so very extremely badly. I miss it here and I'm sorry for going away and withholding my expertise on all things theory. I haven't forgotten anything, I just need to retrain the muscles.
The new record is right around the corner and I wanna be here for everyone to demonstrate all the guitar parts to the best of my ability. We all have inner demons we must fight, you're witnessing me fight mine, and I want you all to fight back and have a day!

- juice

- Fabrizio Romano

Hey guys doing a little poll to see what you guys think the best Syn Gates solo is.

now I know most of you are probably going to say, for the shredders, anything from the WTF album is the best—and cheers to you for thinking so!

mine is And All Things Will End — and I mean he really takes noodling with G minor to an carpal tunnel nightmare.
It’s my favorite also because it takes a careful ear to learn. I’ll repost me doing that solo for you guys using my smeared G minor licks on my les Paul like a young stripper with too much lipstick.

Cheers sevenfolders!

One of my guitar goals was to play Vinai T's Move the Sky. Of course, I understand that it will take a lot of practice. However, as I skim to players who covered it, I was wondering whether the phrase played at about 2:00 - 2:04 in Login to view embedded media , is considered legato? How do I go about practicing that and which lesson in the school should I focus on? I really have issues when trying to descend when practicing legato. As for my level, at the moment I have played almost 2 years and can comfortably play Neil Zaza's I'm Alright at 100 bpm ( slow, but getting there . I also need advice on how to reach the alternate pickspeed in 2:27-2:30. Will any alternate picking exercise do and what speed should I start practicing and how much should i bump the speed every week? Thanks in advance!

Congrats Brian!

For those looking for an interesting analysis of Albert Camus, and existential philosophy in general, you should check out the book (or listen to the audio version) The God Who is There by Francis Schaeffer.


For those who have read The Plague, this is one of my favorite excerpts from Schaeffer's book - in addressing the problem of evil and the nature of man presented in The Plague, Schaeffer closes with the following insights:

A Christian can fight what is wrong in the world with compassion and know that as he hates these things, God hates them too. God hates them on the high price of the death of Christ.

But if I live in a world of nonabsolutes and would fight social injustice on the mood of the moment, how can I establish what social justice is? What criterion do I have to distinguish between right and wrong so that I can know what I should be fighting? Is it not possible that I could in fact acquiesce in evil and stamp out good? The word “love” cannot tell me how to discern, for within the humanistic framework love can have no defined meaning. But once I comprehend that the Christ who came to die to end “the plague” both wept and was angry at the plague’s effects, I have a reason for fighting that does not rest merely on my momentary disposition, or the shifting consensus of men. (The God Who Is There, 117–18)

Syn, if you're really out there watching over us- please, for the love of G(O)(D), do a playthrough video of "Nobody", or at least the solo! And if you're feeling extra generous, breakdown the solo and thought process behind it.

It would be great guitar content for the great guitar school we are all currently occupying.

Many parts of the official A7X tab books are totally incorrect. It would be really cools if Syn, Papa, or someone else with the knowledge, could do a series of videos/posts on the proper way to play the incorrect sections. Or maybe even updated books.

For example:

• The Beast and the Harlot intro is shown on the wrong string.
• Sidewinder's 2nd acoustic solo has a pentatonic scale lick shown as doubles (alternate picking) when it should be tripples and singles (economy picking).
• The Wicked End solo's 2nd introductory lick is incorrect.
• Scream solo is totally incorrect, missing notes and played the wrong way.

Just wanted to make a thread about Jet City Amplification, which Zacky Vengeance was endorsed by for many years. He started using them live in 2011, all the way through at least 2017. To my knowledge, there's no proof that these were ever used in the studio. So we can only assume they were only used live. There's tons of documentation from 2011 when Zack started using these, and also the Rig Rundown from 2013. In 2017, Zack told Ultimate Guitar that if there was one amp he could save in a fire, it would be his Jet City 50 Watt Combo Amp. He also did an interview in 2017 with Music Radar that documents on page 12 that he was still using them in 2017 after The Stage.

I own 2 Jet City amps, the JCA100H and the JCA100HDM. They're the same amp, the HDM has a different look, a 100w/50w switch, and a Depth knob (hence the "DM" for "Depth Mod"). Zacky also used both of these amps on tour (pic below). A lot of people call this the "Jet City 333" because of the badge, but the actual model is JCA100H. I can confirm from talking to Jet City owner Doug White and the guy who made the Vengeance Blade badges for Zack, Mike Reid, that ZV's amps were stock amps and only had different badges and a different color panel on the front than a normal JCA.

Here's why these amps are special. Aside from them sounding amazing, they're designed by Mike Soldano, the legend behind Soldano Amplifiers. These amps are literally, and I mean literally Soldano Hot Rod amps, except they're made in China and use PCB boards instead of hand wiring. I owned the Jet City Amps at the same time as a Soldano Hot Rod 50 from the 90's and I took a picture of their guts, they're the literal same. Mike would frequently take trips to the factory in China where these were made to make sure they were using good quality parts and that things were being made correctly.

Another reason they're special is because I bought my JCA100H for $200 and my JCA100HDM for $300. I sold my Hot Rod 50 for $1800. If you are in a band or recording situation I would highly recommend trying to find one at a pawn shop, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Offerup, etc. It seems like prices have tried to go up a bit, but I wouldn't pay more than about $500 for one. They also have various combo amps, 20 watt heads, a 50 watt head, and a few other 100 watt models as well as customs and boutiques.

These amps are very easy to modify if you're handy with a soldering iron. I've done a few to mine such as adding a channel switch, 100w/50w switch, and a Depth knob to my JCA100H. My JCA100HDM is stock and will stay that way. Another super popular mod is the SLO Mod, which turns your amp into a Soldano SLO100 (a $4000 amp). There's very few differences in parts between the Hot Rod and SLO amps, so you can turn your Jet City into that for cheap. Even if you're not handy, any tech would be able to do these mods for you and they're heavily documented online.

Some lineage for you, the legendary Peavey 5150 and Mesa Dual Rectifier amps are both based off of the Soldano SLO 100, and both of those have spawned countless amps based on them. So the SLO 100 is really the grandfather of most modern high gain amps and is truly a legend itself.

Jet City amicably severed with Mike Soldano about 10 years or so ago, and the company was mostly inactive since. They only offered boutique custom builds. Jet City was recently bought out by Voodoo Labs with Doug White still in charge, so they're currently in the middle of a comeback. However, they will NOT be making more amps based off of Mike Soldano's design because he owns them and isn't with the company. You're only chance to get one of these is pre owned.

The JCA100 amps have 2 channels, Crunch and High Gain. You can get a somewhat clean tone with the gain rolled down on the Crunch channel. The High Gain channel is a more classic/Marshall sense of "High Gain", not like brutal modern metal amps. It's still great. I've gotten good cleans out of my amps, and also boosted the High Gain channel with a tube screamer which just pushed it over the edge and gave me nasty chugs.

You can read more about the JCA100 amps and others on Jet City's website.





Zacky V with his JCA100 and JCA100HDM in 2011



A better look at the amps and settings from Jet City's FB page



The guts of my Modded JCA100H (left) and my Soldano Hot Rod 50 (right)



My JCA100HDM, purchased for about $300.



A LED channel switch button that I (poorly) added to my JCA100H

I think mine would be Afterlife

Hey everyone. I recently purchased a Golden goddess edition of a synyster gates custom s guitar in excellent condition. I tried finding more information on it online but came across a video on YouTube where a man claimed only 500 were made in this combination. Is this true? I can't find many photos at all or information about this exact guitar.

Hey guys! Hope you're All Keeping Safe & Well

So I was sitting Jamming along to the last half of 'Exist' by A7X today and out of nowhere, the song just 'got me' (if you know what I mean) Full on goosebumps with the ending Synth parts & NDT's speech, lump in my throat, butterflies in my stomach, the absolute works - especially at the big Major Chord at the end!

I always find it fascinating how songs can have this almost drug like effect on us.

I thought I'd make a short thread on this because I'm really curious to see what others share - What song/songs give you a strong physical/emotional reaction and (if youre comfortable sharing) why?

Cheers!

Hey all! I've ran into this note pattern a couple times now in a few different songs, and I'm wondering if there is a proper way to pick it? I struggle with this one more than others! I've messed around with it a little, such as trying to alternate pick it and just down pick it, but it just doesn't feel right.

Any input is greatly appreciated!

What exactly is the “Dexter” amp Avenged Sevenfold used on Hail to the King?

In the Breakdown video for Shepherd of Fire (see below), a couple of the guitar tracks are labeled “Dexter” as mentioned by Shadows.

This sound is used throughout the album. I’ve heard an isolated track of it, and it sounds an awful lot like the Bogner tone used on all the other A7X Albums, but I’ve never seen or heard anyone call that Bogner “Dexter” and I’m not sure if the band has access to it anymore. I know they have their own Uberschall that’s a bit beat up and taped in some spots, so maybe that’s what they’re referring to.

Anyone have ideas?

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So i recently noticed a bump in my left hand wrist, visited the doctor and he told me it was a synovial cyst, my question is, anyone has or had it? can i keep playing? will it disapear on its own? it only discomforts a bit if i play for more than 30 minutes

Hey guys! I tried orange for the first time and I'd say it was a success! Lmk what you think

So do notes like have to look after their knees and other assorted body parts now?

1. Topics of discussion
2. The trill
3. Marcato, portato and tenuto

1. Topics of discussion

In this tutorial, we will be discussing various articulations that you may encounter in music. So, let's have some fun.

2. The trill

In music, a trill is used to tell a musician that he has to play a rapid alternation between to adjacent notes. I find it easy to understand this if I think of it as a voice vibrato. The trill is a fairly common musical ornament, which is used to add color to your playing. On a musical sheet, it looks like this:



And here it is played back.

How rapidly you alternate between the notes is up to you and the song that you are playing. You should adjust the speed of the alternation to the tempo of the song.

3. Marcato, portato and tenuto

A marcato note is somewhat similar to an accentuated note, with the only difference being that a marcato note is to be played even louder than an accentuated one.

The portato is a term that tells the musician that the note is to be played with a shorter length, but not as short as a staccato note. A portato is also known as a mezzo-staccato because of it.

Finally, the tenuto is a term that has two meanings:

• play the note for a longer period
• play the note slightly louder

This is dependent on the song and on any other notations in it. The general idea is that a note marked with a tenuto line has to receive some sort of emphasis.

Here is how you notate these terms on a music sheet:



And here it is played back.

The order of appearance is marcato, portato and tenuto.

And that about covers it for this tutorial. This is the last thread I have planned for now. So enjoy them wisely.

I have a problem with the hellwin ir-s i don't know how to make them sound good it always sounds very scratchy high pitched, too many highs
Do you have any idea how to make them sound good? Like add a certain amp or preamp or cab or something

Hey Synners!

As far as I know, the Floyd Rose 1500 so far has been very exclusive to only Schecter Guitars, with the exception that Jackson has one too but only on the Jeff Loomis signature(he probably wanted to bring it over when he made the switch).

I've been trying to contact both Schecter(even on their IG live) & Floyd Rose, the latter, especially, numerous times to ask why the Floyd Rose 1500 is not displayed anywhere on their page nor seem to be for sale for us consumers to purchase, but so far neither had responded. They've been promptly replying all my other queries, but seem to be avoiding the Floyd Rose 1500 question. I am very, very, very keen to replace all my older Schecters with the Floyd Rose 1500, but it doesn't seem I could purchase the standalone part anywhere, not even via the Floyd Rose website.

Anyone has any info on this?

To Syn & PG, hopefully you guys can look into this too I freaking love the Floyd Rose 1500!

Cheers!