Beginners Guide To Playing Hardcore

Chiodos, Underoath, Killswitch Engage, many people wonder how to get music like there's. I hope to help you out with some of my techniques.

Intro.
The intro should have either a catchy metal riff or just a straight up chord progression to catch the listeners attention. To come up with these riffs, you can listen to bands and listen to there intro riff and get a feel of what that song is like, so intro can be the most important part. Here are some examples:

Catchy intro riff: Left Without A Purpose's "All Was Lost"
e|---8p7-8p7----8p7-8p7|  |---13p12-12p12---13p12-13p12|
B|---8p7-8p7----8p7-8p7|  |---13p12-12p12---13p12-13p12|
G|---------------------|  |----------------------------|
D|000--------000-------|x2|000-----------000-----------|x2
A|000--------000-------|  |000-----------000-----------|
D|000--------000-------|  |000-----------000-----------|

Chord Progression riff: Chiodos' "There's No Penguins In Alaska"
e-----------------------------------|
b-----------------------------------|
g---777-777-777-7/5-33333333-5555---|
d---777-777-777-7/5-33333333-5555---|x3
a---555-555-555-5/3-11111111-3333---|
d-----------------------------------|

Verse.
The verse can range from a heavy riff or a melodic riff. You want the verse to have power to put into the chorus. It can also be called pre-chorus. For rhythem guitar you can lay down a barre chord riff too for harmonization. Examples.

Melodic riff: From First To Last's "Secrets Don't Make Friends"
e|----------------------|
b|----------------------|
g|-----2h3p2------------|
d|-2h3-------3p2p0h2h3--|x8
a|----------------------|
D|----------------------|


e|-----10~-----10~----------10~-----|
b|-----x~------x------------x-------|
g|-----7~------7--9~s10-----10~-12~-|
d|-0-0-0~--0-0-0~-------8-8-8--{8}~-|x2
a|-0-0-0~--0-0-0~-------8-8-8--{8}~-|
D|-0-0-0~--0-0-0~-------8-8-8--{8}~-|
PM... 

Chord Progression verse: Chiodos' "Baby, You Wouldn't Last A Minute On The Creek"
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|-7777------7777------3333333-999999999999------------------|
|-xxxx-0000-xxxx-0000-xxxxxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx------------------|
|-5555-0000-5555-0000-1111111-777777777777------------------|
|------0000------0000---------------------------------------|
p.m...

Chorus.
The chorus is the heart of the song, it usually contains powerful lyrics with a rhythmetic sequence of riffs and powerchords.

Left Without A Purpose's "Walk In My Door"
Chorus G1
e|----------------------|
B|----------------------|
G|-6-6-9-999-2-22222-2-2|
D|-6-6-x-xxx-2-22222-2-2|X3
A|-4-4-7-777-0-00000-0-0|
E|----------------------|

Chorus G2
e|2-1-421-421-421-421-421-|X4
B|------------------------|
G|------------------------|
D|------------------------|
A|------------------------|
E|------------------------|

Breakdown.
This is the core of the hardcore, the death defying breakdown, where it's all out mosh fist fight, crunching screams, the bass is pounding right in your face, and then the guitar comes out with a killer riff.

From First To Last's "Secrets Don't Make Friends"
|------------------------------------------------| 
|------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------|
|--0-0-----7p0--0-0-----7p0--3x-3x-3x-3x-3x-3x---|
|--0-0-5p0------0-0-5p0------3x-3x-3x-3x-3x-3x---|
|--0-0----------0-0----------3x-3x-3x-3x-3x-3x---|
PM...

That's pretty much all I can think of, it all just depends on how much your determined to do what you want to do.

Comments

[GeekInThePink]

Did we really need a lesson about this?

[jamsea]

You took some tabs from different hardcore songs and pasted them into an article...

I can't believe people would rather play breakdowns rather than guitar solos. Heck I can't believe people would rather LISTEN to breakdowns... The music industry is moving more and more backwards everyday.

[XxArtemesiaxX]

I actually found this worthwhile, since I make music in my spare time. This has given me a good general idea of what the Chorus should sound like...since thats always the hardest part to create for me.

Anyway, nice job!

[SilentGhost]

Horrible lesson, and none of that stuff is hardcore. Go listen to Earth Crisis, Gorilla Biscuit, and real hardcore

[keywork2389]

Hardcore music roots from the technical, melodic side of metal, and thrash. It's not all that great, cause everything get's lost amogst the crap they record and the only thing they've got is the infamous breakdown.

[Khufu]

ghaids.

[Nosf3ratu]

Hardcore music roots from the technical, melodic side of metal, and thrash.

Jesus! It's amazing how many uninformed people there are out there. Watch the documentary "American Hardcore", for all the details ... Hardcore came from Punk Rock. It's nothing but punk, but faster, and more aggressive.

"Hardcore" isn't even a style, really. It's actually called "Hardcore Punk".

Kids, today. Yikes.

[humpacow6]

"hardcore"...Chiodos, From First To Last, Left Without A Purpose? they must be the 3 best "hardcore" bands ever
its called punk, and you should really watch the "American Hardcore" documentary
ups to nosf3ratu

[Shabalaba]

I have to say this is oneof those ideas that sounds good in your head but in reality its not all that good. All you've done is stick some tabs in and sorta say abit about that part.

[If I Was Amish]

I think I actually suck more at guitar now...

[Handparty]

It's not a great lesson (with awful spelling too), but the above childish comments are really embarrassing.

[Sneak King]

Ummmmm... those bands aren't hardcore OR screamo. Screamo is Saetia, Neil Perry, Circle Takes the Square, etc. I can see how people would think hardcore sucked if they thought the bands in this "lesson" were hardcore.

This would be a great lesson if I wanted to know how to write generic metalcore crap. I'm not saying all metalcore is crap, but people like this author are the reason the genre is oversaturated with horrible, generic music.

And metalcore is a subgenre of hardcore, so like the one guy said BTBAM and DEP can be classified as hardcore.

[Kb3mol]

Ok first off, Great Lesson, even if it was some tab's put together, it still shows how to play the main stlye of Hardcore music.
Secondly, What is up with all this trashing other peoples work? Aren't we all here to learn and promote guitar playing, not a big trashing and cussing scene? Ok, the guy did make a few mistakes, but instead of trashing them, why not HELP him, so his future lessons are better?

Lastly, I'd like to see some of you that are trashing these lessons, write one yourself.

Kris (kb3mol)

[Tensorspencer]

This was terrible, since when is Chiodos or From first to last hardcore? Try actually listening to the type of music you're trying to give lessons on. Better yet, just stop making lessons all together haha.

[razorandrosary]

Nice try. Just try to listen to some MUSIC not suck like Chiodos and From First To Last.

Chiodos and From First To Last suck in your opinion, but maybe not in other people's, Cha0sThe0ry. Don't state it as fact.

[Boxy Brown]

First Off a breakdown is just an extremely horrible excuse for a solo. Second, all of these bands suck. They suck balls. From First To Last was something I played in the first month of playing guitar

[davo_TSL]

man, you just took riffs from another song and put it on here? good try, i wont flame you, but learn a bit more first before posting a lesson buddy

[Forgotten-Faces]

ok, sure it wasnt a good lesson. But this sint the place to wine and bitch about the music and what it is, or whether or not u like it.. so for all the ppl out there that posted about the music he used(except th ones that werent complaining), stfu!!!!!

[BlueTails]

i've never seen a genre argument that ended...

not a very good lesson though; mostly just pasted tabs with no dissection of technique. if you just want to post tabs of songs do it in the "Tabs" section.

[OnlyOnTuesdays]

Well you forgot to tell people about the most stereotypical hardcore interval

the flat 5 lol

enjoy

i hate that music its only funnny sometimes

[CommentMasta]

i guess it's a " OK " lesson, but also pretty shit
you should of written it about Metal, not hardcore

and put in some 'As Blood Runs Black' riffs !

[L_J_R,81]

ummcoy!calm down ppl dont bust chops so hard at least my man is out there tryin!

[SkAsupafly]

i thought hardcore = sick of it all, minor threat, gorilla biscuit, the warriors, black flag, hatebreed, hatesphere.
not chidoes uunderoath or that screamo crap.

[SkAsupafly]

want real hardcore, here's a lesson
Listen to these songs, Learn these songs, Love these songs:
Tough Guy - Beastie Boys
Dead Bodies - Rancid
My War - Black Flag
Hardcore Punk - Minor Threat

they are very basic hardcore music isn't that challenging at all. throw some unison runs in root 5 of course and go up the neck for a sick breakdown.

[harrypgreend]

can we please stop arguing about music categories? how bout we just listen to what we wanna listen to and appreciate all of it as rock music in general? just becuase you don't like a kind of music, doesn't mean it's bad, it just means you don't like it.. if a band were really that bad, they would have very few, if not, no fans at all, right?

[skater66]

that was absolutely horrible man

[dreamtv]

Seems like he got the basic structure right, but the examples are sorely lacking.

Those of you who are bitching, you'd be doing more of a service if you wrote a better lesson.

[jasonho1987]

First Off a breakdown is just an extremely horrible excuse for a solo.

A breakdown doesn't neccesarrily need to be a solo, it usually has a slightly different feel in contrast to the rest of the song.

Well you forgot to tell people about the most stereotypical hardcore interval

the flat 5 lol

Also you forgot the semi-tome :P

Makes me laugh over and over again when u hear it in songs.

[lilphil1989]

none of those bands are hardcore haha... hardcore is minor threat, black flag, dead kennedys, sick of it all etc

[CobAtr]

SkAsupafly and lilphil1989 know what they are talking about. Flat 5th is an interval made famous by deathmetal, not hardcore. Semi-tones are used commonly in jazz music, whats the big deal? People on these threads are so damn ignorant its no wonder why music is taking the shit. Please go get informed before posting!

[Jumboshrmp]

Everyone else was rude and said this sucked so I'll be nice and say that I liked it :P

[leading_theway]

hey bro u tried but for a better lesson, try to get down to the musical aspect of different genres and how it progresses....oh btw everyone above me for the most part if all u do in youre spare time is debat if a certain band is a certain type of music, wow....

[Metallica_Man55]

what you needed to add in there was a part for solos. otherwise this is a good lesson, very brief, and gets right to the point. good job man

[mouseman0117]

this is post-hardcore, but still it does help with song structure

[Jokaaa]

Well, yeah, it gives a song structure - for those who are totally new...
And "breakdown as excuse for solos"... damn, you've never heard a good breakdown right? But what is more important, you have never FELT one live, it's really like they were throwing big fat heavy waves of bass into your face! =p
But yeah, those bands aren't hardcore for me, but at least killswitch is metalcore IMO... and metalcore isn't a part of hardcore, more the other way around, IMfO (!). And it isn't punk for me at all... again, IMO!

[lintkingofska]

SkAsupafly wrote:


Hardcore Punk - Minor Threat

hmmm.. sorry but minor threat doesn't have a song called hardcore punk. at least not on any record. maybe you meant straight edge. ?

[lintkingofska]

....maybe if they played it live. but then how is he gonna listen to it?

Checked.

No argument of the Hardcore genre, k?

[rokstar666]

this is intense? its not a lesson tho dude. good examples but u didnt explain em so much as u glorified em....

[endofnothing]

wow only about 3 of the people posting these comments know what the hell they are talking about. samsea you talk about soloing instead of breakdowns ive never played a show or been to a show where someone played there solo and the crowd started going wild thats what happens when you do breakdowns lol so go ahead with the solo's and make it know where since the crowd will be standing around doing nothing while i play my breakdowns and help the crowd enjoy the show. this isnt the best lesson ive ever seen but it is simple and to the point...

[LedDaveZeppelin]

hahaha. kinda sad.

checked.

[mercmet]

you only paste parts of differents songs and you're saying that this is a lesson?

[Drdroob]

i never such a stupi- tab like this before

[Jondy]

If I Was Amish wrote:

I think I actually suck more at guitar now...

hahahaha

[wheelz1045]

Why are people constantly bitching about the genre. It's def, post-hardcore. But who cares. Some people have actually named the Dead Kennedys as hardcore which is funny as hell. They "influenced" hardcore guys. They didn't make it.

[xdolmayan]

Jesus F*cking Christ. Leave him alone. He listens to Chiodos, which is a good band. And nobody can keep up with the thousands of genre's idiots make up everyday.

I liked it, in spite of everyone else's bitching.

[hurricanenita]

I play metal and I'd like to explore hardcore but I just didn't really get this lesson.

[Tearaider]

You took some tabs from different hardcore songs and pasted them into an article...

I can't believe people would rather play breakdowns rather than guitar solos. Heck I can't believe people would rather LISTEN to breakdowns... The music industry is moving more and more backwards everyday.

Hmm, i personally like both, solos make me feel at ease, is nice to listen to, while breakdowns, real good breakdowns give me a boost of adrenaline, a kick, like jumping out of plane to skydive.
Well you like it or you don't i guess.

The lessons is good in a way that i did show the basic structure of a modern 'hardcore' song.

[BANE05489]

yeah no offense but this is a terrible guide. chiodos is not a terrible band, but is in no way hardcore. this has nothing to do with hardcore. im not trying to be mean, at least you tried, but seriously....

now to try to be a bit constructive, instead of bitching at people for making bad guides why doesnt someone write a good guide about hardcore? there needs to be a guide with examples like BANE(how can you write a guide about hc without bane), have heart, shai hulud!!, verse, comeback kid, in the face of war, minor threat, etc.... or even some grindcore like converge or dillinger

please anyone with a good knowledge of music who likes these bands or bands like them, you have to write a guide im learning to play guitar right now pretty much only so i can play some hardcore

[315Hardcore6895]

i agree with humpacow6, these bands all blow, if you read this and want some real hardcore influence, check out some suicide file tabs, bane tabs, comeback kid tabs, etc.

[nickfinn]

NICKS GUIDE TO PLAYING HARDCORE MUSIC:

1. throw on a cd.
2. dont even bother looking the tab up on UG because its most probably not on there if its "real" hardcore...
3. figure the song out for yourself.


its as simple as that

[sev945]

i wouldn't call these bands hardcore, no offence there more emo, hardcore in my opinion is like circle jerks and black flag stuff

[thesmartguy50]

Haha... hardcore lesson?

[Regression]

Why does everyone have to bitch about the genre, times change, back in the 70's Led Zeppelin got called metal, as you can see times change, it's impossible to keep up with genres, and very easy to be misinformed, some people obviously do consider this music hardcore, and they will be looking for a lesson on hardcore, and will find this and be delighted, alot of you probably label bands incorrectly too, such as using the term emo. As for the guys who say breakdowns are excuses for solos, we aren't all egomaniacs who think every song needs a solo, sometimes breakdowns are better, they work awesome live, and as mentioned before give you a boost of adrenaline, and sometimes solos are better as they can add an element which makes a song a whole lot better, I hate how some guitarists see solos as a prerequisite for a song.

[Regression]

Sorry for the lack of fullstops there btw. And I forgot to say the lesson is ok, but you could have added tips on theory you could use to create similar songs.

[thrash3x6master]

hmmm..

this is why i am discusted with humanity.

[skinny g]

ye we know how a song is structured what about the actual hardcore part of it!!!

SG

[Shaggy7935]

none of those bands u named were hardcore at all.thats pussy metal/pussy-core

[Shaggy7935]

those are not hardcore at all...try listening to some of the red chord..

SkAsupafly wrote:

want real hardcore, here's a lesson
Listen to these songs, Learn these songs, Love these songs:
Tough Guy - Beastie Boys
Dead Bodies - Rancid
My War - Black Flag
Hardcore Punk - Minor Threat

they are very basic hardcore music isn't that challenging at all. throw some unison runs in root 5 of course and go up the neck for a sick breakdown.

[Cameronrobson]

SilentGhost wrote:

Horrible lesson, and none of that stuff is hardcore. Go listen to Earth Crisis, Gorilla Biscuit, and real hardcore

Earth Crisis isn't a hardcore band.

[billybusa]

I like it thanks

[absinthedemon22]

Unless there is a guidebook that states what exactly is or isn't a genre, i think people should lay off... not a great guide, but at least someone's trying, if everyone that has bashed this lesson could post their own guide to playing "hardcore" it would be greatly appreciated

[speedmetal777]

Nosf3ratu wrote:

Hardcore music roots from the technical, melodic side of metal, and thrash.


Jesus! It's amazing how many uninformed people there are out there. Watch the documentary "American Hardcore", for all the details ... Hardcore came from Punk Rock. It's nothing but punk, but faster, and more aggressive.

"Hardcore" isn't even a style, really. It's actually called "Hardcore Punk".

Kids, today. Yikes.

THANK YOU!
okay, chiodos is not hardcore, neither is from first to last. you want a real hardcore band? go listen to minor threat.

[kdcisgod]

no matter what genre you said the bands are in people would still complain anyway so don't listen to them
but the lesson wasn't good either lol

[distortion4116]

absinthedemon22 wrote:

Unless there is a guidebook that states what exactly is or isn't a genre, i think people should lay off... not a great guide, but at least someone's trying, if everyone that has bashed this lesson could post their own guide to playing "hardcore" it would be greatly appreciated

I agree for the most part. But even, and this is to all the people claiming what IS and isn't hardcore, if there was a 'guidebook' genres and tags can evolve with the bands that play those genres. The meaning behind a name for a musical style can completely change if enough people begin using it differently, just look at emo.

[learninclutch]

I am starting a new genre, its countrycore.
And the singer will scream his vocals and its countrycore screamo. I never heard anything more hardcore than sick of it all and minor threat.
black flag, too. It has evolved since the 80s and early nineties but I think Agnostic Front and Crowbar are more modern hardcore today than anything else mentioned here. Kids, learn the meaning of coothe!

[learninclutch]

I was kidding about the countrycore if your oblivious to sarcasm. I hope I spelled coothe right. I wouldn't hear the last of it.

Hardcore that grooves: Groovecore,as follows hahaha

Clutch- Passive Restraints
- Impetus
- Rats
- Juggernaut
- Wicker
- many more

[learninclutch]

I was kidding about the countrycore if your oblivious to sarcasm. I hope I spelled coothe right. I wouldn't hear the last of it.

Hardcore that grooves: Groovecore,as follows hahaha

Clutch- Passive Restraints
- Impetus
- Rats
- Juggernaut
- Wicker
- many more

[thelonesoldier]

It doesn't ****ing matter how you personally define genres that are too similar to be clearly distinguished, posting one or two short tabs for each example isn't really going to help anyone.

[CrimsonG]

keywork2389 wrote:

Hardcore music roots from the technical, melodic side of metal, and thrash.

Thrash is actually a mix of Hardcore and Metal. Hardcore came before thrash.

[ftbstrd95]

its crap... the music... thats not hardcore...
its post-hardcore... its poppy crappy screamo shit...
a panty-waist of time... quit getting you music from hottopic and listen to some real music... listen to real hardcore...

[TW909]

I opened up lesson and expected to find some
HATEBREED!!! Thats the "hardcore" band we all love

[BesideTheThrone]

ftbstrd95 wrote:

its crap... the music... thats not hardcore...
its post-hardcore... its poppy crappy screamo shit...
a panty-waist of time... quit getting you music from hottopic and listen to some real music... listen to real hardcore...

Dam scene kids and their Hottopic lol

Chiodos is not hardcore. Underoath, Killswitch? You've got to be kidding me.

Listen to some good stuff. Underground Hardcore like Trapped Under Ice, CDC, Barricade, not that crap.

[XxDre09xX]

this is the kind of music I want to play, i really wish someone could make a really good article about it, not just give tabs

[outlaw metaler]

jamsea wrote:

You took some tabs from different hardcore songs and pasted them into an article...

I can't believe people would rather play breakdowns rather than guitar solos. Heck I can't believe people would rather LISTEN to breakdowns... The music industry is moving more and more backwards everyday.

guitar solo's are really only interesting if your are a guitar nerd 90% of people aren't
break downs are catchier
and also allow teh guitarist more room to rock out

[xFrontalx]

man, I thought I was gonna see a lesson about playing hardcore music like Swron Enemy, Earth Crisis, terror, Death Before dishonor etc. But all I see is a couple of post-hardcore tabs. Nonetheless, it's an OK tutorial

Boxy Brown :
First Off a breakdown is just an extremely horrible excuse for a solo.

guitar solos aren't really a "requirement" for a music to be good, Now try playing "cool" guitar solos in a hXc show and see if people would mosh like hell to your solo. So stop criticizing Breakdownds

[JMerr1212]

why can't you play a solo that goes INTO a breakdown...now thats bad ass music! haha...and i think hardcore is more like shai hulud, poison the well, refused, and shit like that..and if u wanna consider them, then as i lay dying, between the buried and me, trivium, 36 crazyfists and messugah...genre's are all conceptual anyway...just like music is all together..music is all conceptual and subjective...just like i think hardcore had nothing to do with punk..however most rock music does originally derive from punk cuz punk came first, but i dont feel hardcore relates to punk...see what i mean..its all conceptual...one person's idea of hardcore can greatly differ from anothers

[JMerr1212]

oh yeah...and old school underoath...im talkin OLD SCHOOL, is pretty hardcore..their new stuff is all pussyfied...listen to the song "the last" by underoath..pretty wicked stuff

[Cameronrobson]

JMerr1212 wrote:

why can't you play a solo that goes INTO a breakdown...now thats bad ass music! haha...and i think hardcore is more like shai hulud, poison the well, refused, and shit like that..and if u wanna consider them, then as i lay dying, between the buried and me, trivium, 36 crazyfists and messugah...genre's are all conceptual anyway...just like music is all together..music is all conceptual and subjective...just like i think hardcore had nothing to do with punk..however most rock music does originally derive from punk cuz punk came first, but i dont feel hardcore relates to punk...see what i mean..its all conceptual...one person's idea of hardcore can greatly differ from anothers

The idea that music genres are subjective doesn't really hold up. In fact, it's just plain not true.

[handbanana]

Too bad not a single band you used as examples are hardcore bands. They're all scene pop metalcore

[TimeIsTheEnemy]

Sorry but none of those bands are hardcore bands, not even close really...