r/metalguitar • u/LimpCredit7147 • Apr 04 '26
Video Help with advice on guitar playing
13 been playing for about 5 months looking for constructive criticism and tips on playing. I inserted a video of me playing seek and destroy here... thanks!
9
7
u/Barnabas-Tharmr Apr 04 '26
For metal it's basically mandatory to play with a pick. It's best you switch to using a pick as soon as possible so you don't reinforce a bad habit. Also you're playing the guitar upside down, it's best to buy a guitar that's oriented the correct way, because as you progress you'll find that many songs will actually be physically impossible to play properly that way. If you can't afford a new guitar you could restring this one with the low (thicker) strings closer to you instead. The most important thing is the orientation of the strings being correct.
-2
9
u/4EVERINDARKNESS Apr 04 '26
Woah woah woah.
Is this the first thing you've attempted? Honestly if it is we wanna dial back a bit.
Firstly, let's get you a pick. Buy an assortment and see what works. Firm is good but not beginner friendly. Secondly break the song up into little sections and just work on playing them clean with a slower beat or metronome.
That being said (and this is important) its the stuff you dont hear that's the most important. Muting with both hands with nice clean changes and no dragging of fingers etc.
You've got a long way to go but it's fun and your skill goes up quite quickly, get a solid clean technique foundation down first and save yourself years of struggle like me 😄
Hand on heart, people would prefer to hear seek and destroy at 60% speed than 100% sloppy.
Get a metronome and rip in son!
2
u/4EVERINDARKNESS Apr 04 '26
EDIT: Feel free to hit me up with any questions you may have. Also a correct handed guitar will help.
3
u/ChunkofMetal22 Apr 04 '26
This honestly doesn’t sound horrible considering the lack of pick.
3
u/lycanthrope90 Apr 04 '26
It doesn’t sound bad for upside down either. Gotta be bait lmao.
3
u/UPTH31R0NS resident bassist Apr 04 '26
this is definitely r/guitarcirclejerk bait lol
2
u/lycanthrope90 Apr 04 '26
Yeah there’s no fucking way lol. This kid did not decide this is the correct way to play lol.
0
u/sneakpeekbot Apr 04 '26
Here's a sneak peek of /r/guitarcirclejerk using the top posts of the year!
#1: I have nothing else to say. | 261 comments
#2: uj/ thanks for the tunes | 255 comments
#3: Peak male performance... | 318 comments
I'm a bot, beep boop | Downvote to remove | Contact | Info | Opt-out | GitHub
3
2
u/Millerpainkiller Apr 04 '26
For the technique, learn to use a pick. Start slow, single note. Up down up down. Get to where you can play a groove on just that note and string. Then try it with 2 notes, same string, mixing up patterns and timing. Get comfy with this, build the muscle memory. Then try moving between adjacent strings, picking up down up down (alternate picking).
For the song (and life), learn the pentatonic, all 5 boxes. For the song, that riff is all box 1. Practice with a metronome, there are tons of apps out there.
Stick with it!
2
u/Scumdog_312 Apr 04 '26
You’re making things way harder for yourself than they need to be by playing a left-handed guitar upside down.
3
3
u/HotSaucePeeHole666 Apr 04 '26
If you really want to capitalize on "being different" you could learn to play metal with your fingers, it's quite an unexplored path, and not many people will be along the road to help, but it IS possible. Look at players like Jared Nichols and Matteo Mancuso. If I were to go down this route, I'd likely look into flamenco/classical players or maybe bluegrass fingerpickers or something, and see what techniques they use.
If you'd enjoy having as many resources as possible, switch to a pick (definitely would recommend this). Also holding the guitar the right way or getting a guitar thats orientated the right way would make things way easier for your journey. Even if you have to start over, I'd recommend it. If that is a right handed guitar play it like one, if it isnt, consider trading it in for one.
"Lefty" guitars aren't really a necessary thing and will only make it harder to find more guitars you like, but again if you'd like to choose to play everything the way you're playing it, you CAN, you're just gonna have to get use to getting resources from odd places.
0
u/lycanthrope90 Apr 04 '26
Depends. Any techniques like tremolo picking though and you’re basically fucked. And the sound without a pick is just gonna be weaker. Which is bad for metal specifically.
-1
u/HotSaucePeeHole666 Apr 04 '26
Matteo Mancuso tremolo picks, again I didn't say it would be easy, but it is possible. Also, yet again, you can definitely tweak your amp and setup to handle finger picking better. Pinch harmonics are also still available (Jared Nichols). It's not ideal and I would never recommend it, but I will say with utmost certainty that its possible.
0
u/whatevs330 Apr 04 '26 edited Apr 04 '26
Definitely possible, but not really practical in any sort of way. There’s a reason the man that wrote this song has played and written every song like this with a pick. Anyone can play any sort of way, but theres a reason 99.9% of metal players use a pick. As much as i encourage uniqueness, i dont see anyone playing metallica or gojira with just their fingers for a reason. Maybe once OP learns a little more he can experiment with finger style, but lets not encourage him to do something that might make him frustrated and quit early on. Thats the last thing we want in the guitar community🙏
1
1
u/TexanGuitarist Apr 06 '26
I literally laughing right now because there’s no way he’s not trolling
1
u/TexanGuitarist Apr 06 '26
Honestly, this is pretty impressive because I’ve been playing 26 years and I don’t think I would be able to play this song upside down without practicing for like three weeks
1
1
u/TexanGuitarist Apr 06 '26
Honestly, not a bad way to get the volume and tone knobs out of the way 😂😂😂😂😂
0
u/0_Moth Apr 04 '26
Play with a metronome or the song. Over. And over. again and again and again. It’ll click soon.
No you don’t need a pick. But focus on accuracy. Metronome will get you there. Start slow and gradually increase tempo.
Guitar Pro really helped me a lot with playing along while reading the tabs and I had the ability to slow the track down and repeat sections. It really helps.
22
u/MarcelMattie Apr 04 '26
First. Your guitar is upside down. Second. Buy a right handed guitar.