Slash Guitar Methods

Slash, real name Saul Hudson, rose to fame in the fertile breeding ground of LA in the late '80s with the and Guns N' Roses, yet despite the demise of the original line-up, has continued to be one of the most highly regarded guitarists of all time. He currently plays in Velvet Revolver with ex-band mates Duff and Matt Sorum.

Slash’s playing is based around the bluesy licks and riff methods of the early '70s, and totes Jimmy Page, Angus Young and Jeff Beck as his primary influences. His sound is achieved with the help of Gibson Les Pauls (and the occasional Mockingbird) and the crunch of Marshall half-stacks, occasionally using a crybaby (either Vox or Jim Dunlop) or a Dean Markley Talkbox (Anything Goes and live solos). NOTE: there are many websites dedicated to documenting his gear, so check those out.

Moving onto the music, he relies heavily on the pentatonic minor scale, the blues scale, the pentatonic major, and the major scale, with the occasion reference to the mixolydian and dorian modes. Do not worry if you are not familiar with these, as knowledge of these comes with experience, and you are not required to know them to learn the licks demonstrated here.

One main features of his playing is his use of ‘double stops’, where two notes are played together to get a fatter, fuller sound. The following lick is from Out Ta Get Me:

|------------------------------------|-------------------|
|--17b-17b-17b-17b-17b-17b--17-15-17-|--------17-17-15b--|
|--17b-17b-17b-17b-17b-17b--17-15-17-|--------17-17-15b--|
|------------------------------------|-17-15-------------|
|------------------------------------|-------------------|
|------------------------------------|-------------------|

I would advise you to play the 2 notes together using your third finger, as it can get very tight to use two fingers on the high frets (if you’re playing along to the recording, note that it is tuned half a step down: Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Bb, Eb).

The next riff is taken from Paradise City, where, rather than relying on playing in the ‘right mode’, he plays a series of furious hammer-ons to create a swelling effect. It might not sound great slow, but practice with a metronome, built your speed up, and you’ll be able to rip it off nicely. Practise this lick to increase finger dexterity as well:

||----------------------------------------------|
||----------------------------------------------|
||-------------------------------------15h16h17-|
||-------------------15h16h17-15h16h17----------|
||-15h16h17-15h16h17----------------------------|
||----------------------------------------------|

|-----------------------------------------------|-----------15--------------------|
|--------------------15h16h17----------15h16h17-|-16h17h-18----18b20=(18)r--------|
|----------15h16h17-----------15h16h17----------|---------------------------------|
|-15h16h17--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------|---------------------------15\---|
|-----------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|

Rather surprisingly, Slash also uses various ‘country’ sounding licks, with the next lick (taken from Anything Goes), also being used by rockabilly maestro Brian Setzer:

|-----------16--17--18--19-------------------------19--------------------|
|---19b(21)-----------------19b(21)r19--17--19b(21)----19b(21)r19p17-----|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|

Try sustaining that first bend when you get comfortable with it, but make sure it stays at the target fret pitch (21), because otherwise it will sound horrible! For the four ascending chromatic notes on the top string, use all of your fingers. Practiced over time, the lick will increase your finger accuracy, and the strength of your 4th finger. This lick has also been used in Patience, and is a nice way of spicing up the major scale.

Slash also uses the pentatonic minor scale to great effect. This is the first scale most guitarists will learn, so it is worthwhile building up a solid vocabulary of minor pentatonic licks. This one is taken from Mr. Brownstone. Do not worry if the lick is fluid to start with, with practise, it will begin to flow:

e|------3-------3-----------------------3-|
b|----3---3-6b8---6-3------------------3--|
g|-5b7----------------5b7r-5p3-5p3-5b7----|
d|----------------------------------------|
a|----------------------------------------|
e|----------------------------------------|

e|---------8---------8-11------------------------8-|
b|-------8---8-11b13------8--------------------8---|
g|-10b12---------------------10b12r10p8-10-8h9-----|
d|-------------------------------------------------|
a|-------------------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------------------|

e|------10-13------------------------------------|
b|-13b15------10---------------------------------|
g|---------------12b14r12p10----12----10-10-(10)-|
d|---------------------------12----12------------|
a|-----------------------------------------------|
e|-----------------------------------------------|

The technique responsible for Slash’s characteristic chunky rhythms is called ‘palm muting’, where you rest your strumming hand lightly across the bridge of your guitar, giving your strokes a more percussive sound. Vary the pressure for different sounds. This is taken from the main riff of Paradise City:

||----------------------------|
||o---------------------------|
||------------------------3---|
||----------------------5-3---|
||o-5-3-4-5-3-2-5-3-5-3-5-1---|
||--3-1-2-3-1-2-3-1-3-1-3-----|
PM: . . . . . . . . . . . .

The last point I am going to give you is a really cool sounding idea called ‘pedalling’, where you play every other note the same, so you repeat the same note to give a cool effect. You can change the note you pedal to change the tone and make it fit into a song context. This is taken from Loving The Alien by Velvet Revolver:

E---15--13--15--12--15--13--12-13-15--15--13--15--12--15--13--12-13-15-|
B-13--13--13--13--13--13--13--------12--12--12--12--12--12--12---------|
G----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D----------------------------------------------------------------------|
A----------------------------------------------------------------------|
E----------------------------------------------------------------------|

E---15--13--15--12--15--13--12-13-15---15--13--15-----------|
B-----------------------------------------------------------|
G-14--14--14--14--14--14--14--------12--12--12--12—15b(17)r-|
D-----------------------------------------------------------|
A-----------------------------------------------------------|
E-----------------------------------------------------------|

I hope this has served as a useful introduction to Slash’s playing, and I apologize if it is too basic, too hard or just boring. For those of you who don’t know the scales pentatonic minor, major, blues, pentatonic major or natural minor, I would advise you greatly to get a scale book and learn the scale formula so you can play them in any key. They will not limit you creatively, but rather just increase your musical vocabulary and help you express your feelings. Yeah, Jimi Hendrix didn’t need theory, but he was a genius. It takes the rest of us years to get good. The best advice I can give is to learn solos note for note, and use the techniques in your own playing. But remember: be original.

Comments

[slash_ragnarock]

First. Gr8 mate. Keep up the good wprk

[guitartilldeath]

wow, nice stuff and great effort!!

[Tenacious D'er]

This is really cool. Thanks for a really good lesson. Rock on!

[berber]

hey this really helped me ! thanx

[johnmalkin]

Well done! Although it might have been nicer if you had gone more into depth, it is more then sufficient. Looking forward to the next one!

[metal_head@#$%]

holy a s s that was a sweet lesson

[Guitargod12345]

Yeah, Jimi Hendrix didn?t need theory, but he was a genius

He needed theory, how did his solos match his songs then

[hobodogfreak]

This is realy great

[Donkey Fly]

Can someone do an iron maiden one please

[padroma]

Great!!!
Thanks!!

[dommyx]

Guitargod12345 wrote:

Yeah, Jimi Hendrix didn?t need theory, but he was a genius

He needed theory, how did his solos match his songs then

He had perfect pitch

[spunkeymonkey36]

Nice work but if you look at some of the live performances of paradise city, you will see that the main riff is played by both guitarists, slash and izzy stradlin, and only the top string is played.

[cmonfeelthenoiz]

jimi didnt "use" theory like the rest of us would, he just had it inside of him.

nice lesson by the way.

[tmuchfreetime]

great job.

[gilby_clarke]

K this lesson
kicks A S S dude

Checked.

[Dreaming-V]

rock on
slash is my favorite guitarist

[andyscoot]

slash is my faveourite guitarist of all time, and that lesson helped a load, thanks

[Rocker1_1]

thr greatest since page

[Halenrockr]

sweet lesson. slash is awsome guitarist

[holelotsand46]

DUDE WHY ISN'T MATT BELLAMY A GUITAR GURU?

[spicybojan]

Awesome lesson thanks dude.

[rwieber79]

Hey man, This is really good work you have done here.
I am a huge fan and have all of the GNR tab books and I can tell you that this is 100% accurate.

[klawdcheiser]

ei.. this was a very good work.. i thank you for this..

[WhiskeyGuitar]

hmmm I can learn more when I listen to appetite...

[clint86]

Jimi was a genius but I think it comes down 99% of the time that there are the people that practice the right stuff and actually have a practice routine and then there are the people that don't practice enough or the right stuff. All the guitar gurus out there spent a crap load of time developing what they had or have.

[BlueTails]

holelotsand46 wrote:

DUDE WHY ISN'T MATT BELLAMY A GUITAR GURU?

why are you posting this in every guitar guru forum?
Bellamy isn't as good as any of the 'gurus' in this section. Plug in Baby is his most famous lick, which is really repetitive and not difficult. None of his songs are that difficult, he just uses effects a lot. Don't get me wrong I'm a huge Muse fan, but if you think Bellamy is a guru you need to compare tabs of the guys on these forums and his...Give him a piano section but he is definetly no guitar guru.

[shredrooster69]

slash is awesome guitarist and my hero but so many fags just copy his exact style and sound
make your own sound its what playing guitar is all about
slash didn't copy anyone and look what he has become

[HeavySam]

slash rocks

[ghostofhendrix]

Guitargod12345 wrote:

Yeah, Jimi Hendrix didn?t need theory, but he was a genius

He needed theory, how did his solos match his songs then

He was one of those weird people who have perfect pitch- means he can play modes and scales without lerning them and all the theory that goes with them because it all made sense to him naturally. I think Eddie van halen had perfect pitch as well but dont quote me on that

[ghostofhendrix]

shredrooster69 wrote:

slash is awesome guitarist and my hero but so many fags just copy his exact style and sound
make your own sound its what playing guitar is all about
slash didn't copy anyone and look what he has become

slash probably did copy people eg Jimmy page- its just that he managed to develop it into his own sound. Theres nothing wrong with playing similar to your idols, its just a good idea to warp it enough that it becomes your own style- or mixing it with other styles also works.

[ncm414]

great stuff, it helped out alot!

[slashno1fan]

nice,people can learn a lot out of this

[slashno1fan]

nice people can learn a lot out of that

[JEWNUGGET]

CAN WE GET SOME SABBATH UP IN THIS JOINT!!!!!

[Amar Shrestha]

great!
thanx

[LJNN]

greaat i love slash stile

[Guitar-Nooby]

SLASH IS GUITAR GOD!!!

[Falucho]

Slash Rocks!!
This article is very helpful for me

[MetallicGod07]

Slash is the Guitar Hero =)

[migandy100]

Yeah, slash makes your ****in' day

[simo030595]

slash is ****in' amazing

[Prowings]

why cant i be that good

[bbbbrooks1]

some1 should do a van halen lesson thing...that would be awsome..... great lesson though...really helped!

[BennyStruggle]

Comparing Matt Bellamy to Slash, Hendrix, Page, Petrucci or any of the so called "gurus" is not only insulting but also sickening to the music and the guitar as an instrument.

[Slasher88]

多谢哦 我很喜欢他 但是总 模仿不出那样的& 899;色哦 还有 揉弦~~

[Slasher88]

来这里的人都是% 027;里的人呀？？ 我是中国人哦（I'm Chinese)Are all of you American and English????
Please tell me .....Thank you a lot!!

[brokenanthem]

dommyx wrote:

Guitargod12345 wrote:

Yeah, Jimi Hendrix didn?t need theory, but he was a genius

He needed theory, how did his solos match his songs then


He had perfect pitch

You don't have to know theory and you don't have to know theory. A guy that I used to play with just learned a lot of scales and messed around with it for years until he just knew what sounded good with what.

[brokenanthem]

Um...wow....weird...I meant you don't have to know theory and you don't have to have perfect pitch....wow...

[noisepolution]

Great! Thanks for the tips.
:

[Sett]

nice

[Bosoxfan88]

Good lesson, but definetly not the best guitarist of the 80's and so on...

[bretty565]

holelotsand46 wrote:

DUDE WHY ISN'T MATT BELLAMY A GUITAR GURU?

Yeah why isnt matt bellamy a guitar guru hes amazing hes -as voted for in some guitar magazine- the first guitar guru of the 21st century

[leprechaun_sean]

need a kirk hammlet lesson.
good job by the way!

[wildchild6660]

Great lesson. Can Someone Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Please Post a Buckethead guitar method lesson.

[kissrocks51490]

great lesson slash is my favoret guitarest and i am a big Guns N' Roses fan

[Gigglebooster]

You can't teach bucket head haha, you have to have been raised by chickens to reach his playing capabilities lol.

[Gh057]

ghostofhendrix wrote:

Guitargod12345 wrote:

Yeah, Jimi Hendrix didn?t need theory, but he was a genius

He needed theory, how did his solos match his songs then
He was one of those weird people who have perfect pitch- means he can play modes and scales without lerning them and all the theory that goes with them because it all made sense to him naturally. I think Eddie van halen had perfect pitch as well but dont quote me on that

Wow, then that means I should be well on my way into a musical career with the best of em, cuz i haven't formally or informally learned shit, but I've been composing songs for months with my new band.

[Bailean]

sweet lesson helped lot and the way hendrix matched solos to his songs because it came naturally to him

[pyrogod]

Hey thanks for this.. Slash is one of my fave guitarists!

[blessthefall123]

Slash ROCKS GO SLASH WOO!!!!!

[blessthefall123]

slash is my favorite guitarist hes awesome

[myquarantine]

[Doug I.101]

Slash is awsome, i dont like velvet revolver though,
Guns n roses was the best, and why the hel does he play a epiphone now?

[GBLEV]

Here is a good youtube of Slash vs. buckethead:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yIXNQCcewU

[wildchild6660]

Gigglebooster wrote:

You can't teach bucket head haha, you have to have been raised by chickens to reach his playing capabilities lol.

Tried that already. Didn't work. Oh well. Maybe someone will post a paul gilbert style lesson. Fingers crossed

[orangeello]

this looks fun to play

[Iceman8204]

Nice one, Slash would smile. =)

[ryanph2421]

**** slash do a damn buckethead lesson that would be the shit real talk

[vincedemo]

GRANDE SLASH!!!!

[codyfamous]

nice

[KoRn-FrEaK-15]

Hi, Umm yea whenever i see (21) it just...Bogs me, i have no idea what that means, Can anyone tell me? i've seen like 15b16 Which means what? you cant Bend down to 16 From 15? and 9h15? Lol yeaaa...i dont think that'll be happening if you can help me Email me at [e-mail]

[devilex121]

hey KoRn-FrEaK-15 the (21) means your bend pitch should sound like the 21st fret
and you are bending up from 15 to 16 (i think) and you are holding 9 and hammering onto 15
if you dont get me (i wont be surprised) visit my profile devilex121

[devilex121]

oh by the way, this explains a lot of things about slash to me....the swelling bit especially

[jcj]

great lesson

[jr_flipp31]

fffffuuuuuccccckkkkk

[jr_flipp31]

fffuuuccckkk you

[joe8rulez!]

that was gr8!! irated it 10 star!!!!!

[joe8rulez!]

Yeah, Jimi Hendrix didn?t need theory, but he was a genius

He needed theory, how did his solos match his songs then

[EVH_G'n'R]

thanks for the lesson really helpful. you should do a van halen one

[Power_metall_13]

Thanks for the lesson, I wonder if some one could do a Herman lee lesson to?

[Jordan House]

I rated it a ten!!!!!

[121lespaul]

slash is awesome!!!! I wish i was home and not in school so i could be playing this right now!!!

[rockerdude4455]

slash is one of my major influences and one of the main reasons why i first picked up guitar and i really appreciate this lesson so keep up the good work due and keep on rockin.

[grungemoshin2k8]

somone help on a 5-string bass lesson? it went that way or something >>>>
lol

im eight years old 2

[guitar_freakgr]

hey fancy boy this site called ultimate-guitar if you want bass tabs go somewhere else . ok you stupid bassist. p.s. how do you call a professional bassist who quarreled with his parents and dont have a girlfriend. homeless hahahahha