M.I.A. solo

Alejandro Martinez · Aug 9, 2019

Hi guys,
Any tip on how to play M.I.A solo?, it’s dammn difficult and with fast licks , chromatics etc
Thank you, cheers!

idssdi · Aug 9, 2019

Generally speaking learning something fast always has the same methodology: Take baby steps, don’t expect to learn the whole thing in one sitting. Take one bar and figure that part out and then continue to the next and continue doing that for the whole song.
There’s a more general forum topic called ‘how to learn fast solos’ and there are some tips in there as well.
Issues with learning faster solos

This reply was modified 2 months, 4 weeks ago by Ids Schiere.

Ed Seith · Aug 9, 2019

If I recall, Syn himself has said re-learning that solo for him was so hard, he kept asking, “What was I thinking??”

Calvin Phillips · Aug 9, 2019

I think even syn himself still struggles to play it lol

Yosi Yamin · Aug 9, 2019

Syn definitely said that this is probably the hardest Avenged solo lol, I remember him saying in some interview that he didn’t think about the fact that he would have to play it so many years later when he wrote it. On another note, Ids’s advice made wonders for me with the Sheperd of fire solo which I’m practicing as we speak. You should take a look at the forum topic that Ids mentioned in his comment, I’m sure that the great advices there will help you as much as they helped me

Ezequiel Romanko · Aug 10, 2019

yeah check out ids post, its really gold in form of words. also patience is needed you have to know from the beginning its that you won’t lay it down in 2 days it may be 2 months or more but don’t get mad, you will get it eventually

Rezasa · Aug 11, 2019

before I learn M.I.A solo, I learn some fast alternate picking and economy picking. I think those techniques will help

Christopher Lonski · Aug 13, 2019

If you want a tab, I have it figured out pretty perfectly. Here’s the powertab version of it-
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1kBRpOPN7mXxjK0AHYIYK3xAWPrPTUZPB
I didn’t tab the whole thing, I just changed the solo. This should be pretty spot on minus that little Kirk Hammet “snake lick” at the end of the first one.
My advice is to practice really slow and accurate to make every little bit perfect. Then after you have it really good and memorized, just go for it! You cant always overthink it and you just have to look past the mistakes you make sometimes and do your best to make it all the way through.

Daniel Verde · Aug 13, 2019

My advice is to cross reference different sources. When I learnt it, I literally looked at sheet music, tablature, videos of Syn playing it, as well as fans making cover/tutorial videos. It was really hard determining what is really happening on the album. I felt like even the sheet music was not 100% true to the album.
Anyway here is my cover https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJOcfP7FAZ4 I’d say it’s close to 100% But I do believe there are a few notes missing(I won’t say where ).
There is probably other videos that have better audio/video quality. But feel free to reference any time in the video and ask a question if you want. I’ll do my best to help you if you want to go in to detail.

Rezasa · Aug 14, 2019

@Daneil Verde I’d say yours did not even close to 75% but you did well ! And I agree about your advice!
Here is mine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPk67271B0o , there are so many economy picking, sweep picking and ultra fast alternate picking, if you mastered the D aeolian, pentatonic minor, and D harmonic minor, this solo would be easier to do.

Calvin Phillips · Aug 14, 2019

Music sheets NEVER match up to the actual ways people play their stuff. It’s just an educated guess.. like you. Some are close but I dont think too many are EXACT.

Jakub Holos · May 8, 2020

I've just made a cover of it I believe it's the way he plays it on the album I slowed it down and watched the backstage video to get the fingerings right. It was a really hard one I spent 9 months on it. Use your ring finger instead of pinky for the fast sweep picking sections and try to keep your fingers as close as possible to the strings. Focus on the picking hand I had to change the motion of my picking hand for that 2 note per string section it's more of a rotational kind of movement and make sure you don't move the pick too much try to keep it in the same position also use downward pickslanting to avoid it getting stuck. I would also recommend doing slow speed bursts and build the speed that way

Jakub Holos · May 10, 2020

Hey guys, I've also tabbed the main solo part I'm sure it's the way he plays it on the album (apart from that Kirk Hammett descending lick at the end that's not set in stone he just plays random notes there). Have fun! https://docdro.id/GHLoUCa

summit · May 11, 2020

Ed Seith said:
If I recall, Syn himself has said re-learning that solo for him was so hard, he kept asking, “What was I thinking??”

Whoa really?

Where did he say this?

Found it:

Avenged Sevenfold's Synyster Gates reveals his most difficult solo

A7X guitarist Synyster Gates reflects on the toughest solo he’s ever had to play - and praises his bandmate Zacky Vengeance

www.loudersound.com

Join the A7X Discord!

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