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How to Play Sludge Metal ?



Posts: 18   Visited by: 66 users
10.09.2014 - 12:02
angel.
Evil Butterfly
Hey guys and girls, I already played electric guitar for about 4 or 5 years, the first few years I spent to learn heavy/thrash metal and some songs from Metallica, Megadeth, Lamb of God and some other ones... although I enjoyed a lot but it was waste of time mostly because I had no clear idea of music theory and right way of Technics or how to improvise or write music.

Later on I switched to learn blues guitar for almost 3 years, it was horribly boring at first and later it was interesting to me because I could see how many stuffs from metal were borrowed from blues.

I've put playing guitar to a half for about 2 years, because simply I was a bit disappointed with finding my fav style and all those blues playing finally bored the shit out of me and ran me out of my motivations. Plus some other personal reasons.

I still do not have so many variable methods of playing metal, it's all limited to thrash, heavy, rock and blues methods, I already feel bored of them though I haven't played all of them completely and personally I really love thrash, heavy, hard rock, additionally, in recent years I have grown a big love for sludge metal BUT I HAVE NO IDEA that how I can learn to play sludge metal. It's somehow a mystery to me !

So I need your help people especially musicians who have experience playing these styles, would you please give some real advice, tips and any suggestions that how I may be able to gain the skills for playing sludge metal guitars or from where I can learn it.

However, any other advice about how to improve more in playing guitar in the styles I mentioned above is welcome.

Thanks in advance.
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The Fangirl.
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11.09.2014 - 05:57
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
Downtune to B standard, learn Cult Of Luna songs.
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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11.09.2014 - 09:44
angel.
Evil Butterfly
Written by Boxcar Willy on 11.09.2014 at 05:57

Downtune to B standard, learn Cult Of Luna songs.

Really is that all ?
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The Fangirl.
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11.09.2014 - 13:52
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Don't be so quick to knock the blues playing, that style is actually a very strong core root for both stoner and sludge guitar playing styles. I'd recommend you start with learning some blues scales and then perhaps try to base some of your early songwriting around that. I'm not sure how much you're up on music theory, but as an example:

G blues scale: G, A#, C, C#, D, F, G... or, in compositional terms... base note, 1 1/2 steps, whole step, 1/2 step, 1/2 step, 1/2 steps, whole step

As far as the downtuning your guitar thing goes, honestly it doesn't really matter what you're tuned to, an amp with good bass and feedback can give you a fine sludge sound even if you're set in E standard. That's something you're gonna have to play around with according to what you're looking to hear more than anything else.
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I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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11.09.2014 - 14:22
angel.
Evil Butterfly
Thanks a lot Che
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The Fangirl.
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11.09.2014 - 23:01
InnerSelf
proofread free
Yeah. I'd say it's more about the tone than it is about the tune ... although I've played some Process of Guilt songs with my friends with the guitars tuned 2 steps down, and the memory of the heaviness still gives me smiles everyday (my neck still hurts as well).
And as Che suggested, the G blues scale is a great place to start off from, it makes for awesome grooves.
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He who is not bold enough
to be stared at from across the abyss
is not bold enough
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12.09.2014 - 12:03
angel.
Evil Butterfly
Thanks a lot Innerself.
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The Fangirl.
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12.09.2014 - 19:45
Ganondox

1. Learn to play doom-styled riffs, especially blues based ones.
2. Add feedback.
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12.09.2014 - 20:24
angel.
Evil Butterfly
Written by Ganondox on 12.09.2014 at 19:45

1. Learn to play doom-styled riffs, especially blues based ones.

Do you have any specific suggestion ?
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The Fangirl.
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13.09.2014 - 05:24
Ganondox

Written by angel. on 12.09.2014 at 20:24

Written by Ganondox on 12.09.2014 at 19:45

1. Learn to play doom-styled riffs, especially blues based ones.

Do you have any specific suggestion ?


Well, you should probably learn your blues scales, it's easy to do, they are easy to improvise from, and they play a big part in giving some sludge it's rustic, southern sound. I don't have anything else to say because I'm a shitty guitarist, and that's all I know about making the sludge sound.
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13.09.2014 - 10:04
angel.
Evil Butterfly
Written by Ganondox on 13.09.2014 at 05:24

Well, you should probably learn your blues scales, it's easy to do, they are easy to improvise from, and they play a big part in giving some sludge it's rustic, southern sound. I don't have anything else to say because I'm a shitty guitarist, and that's all I know about making the sludge sound.

Thank you so much anyway
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The Fangirl.
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13.09.2014 - 11:26
Fallen Ghost
Craft Beer Geek
Get your hands on the awesome tab-software Guitar Pro, and download tabs for the songs you want to learn from Ultimate Guitar. It's a great way to learn songs you want to learn, and you will get an insight of how it is to play sludge.
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13.09.2014 - 11:44
angel.
Evil Butterfly
Written by Fallen Ghost on 13.09.2014 at 11:26

and download tabs for the songs you want to learn from Ultimate Guitar. It's a great way to learn songs you want to learn

Is it free ?

Edit : YEAH it is, thank you.
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The Fangirl.
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13.09.2014 - 16:44
BloodTears
ANA-thema
Written by Fallen Ghost on 13.09.2014 at 11:26

Get your hands on the awesome tab-software Guitar Pro, and download tabs for the songs you want to learn from Ultimate Guitar. It's a great way to learn songs you want to learn, and you will get an insight of how it is to play sludge.


Ahah I use that program as well. It's very helpful. That's how I started playing stuff with Guitar Pro. It's great to get your timing right and all that.

As for sludge, I haven't played much of that in my guitar, so others might help you better
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


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14.09.2014 - 01:34
Fallen Ghost
Craft Beer Geek
It's extremely helpful, both for beginners and experienced players it's awesome that you can actually listen to the tabs, slow it down etc, a very good tool overall
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14.09.2014 - 06:27
qlacs
"The Quaker"
Hi Frit.

Sludge needs extreme distortion/overdrive (whichever you prefer) and indeed some down-tuning. If you have preamp then I'd put that up near the max possible. Regarding the tone, you might want to switch to the upmost pickup, closest to the neck and play a bit with the pots to get the fuzzy sound.

Now, sludge riffs can be complicated (The Ocean for example) but usually it won't bleed your fingers. Learn how to properly pick, you can get a sh*tload of YouTube videos on the topic, just make sure you practice it daily. Not needed to sit down and force yourself to do it, but just pick up the guitar and chug-along while watching TV or something. Ganondox above had a good tip, try practicing bluesy stuff, since it's not very difficult you can add your own thing to it and start improvising from there.

Complex riffing in sludge usually involves dissonant chords on the higher strings, you can also look up YouTube videos about it but most of them will refer to either classical related things or math metal.

I'm playing guitar for about 10 years now, self-learned and started to play with the tones just recently but it's pretty easy if you get the hang of it.

Hope it was helpful. Have fun
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14.09.2014 - 17:09
angel.
Evil Butterfly
it's helpful for sure
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The Fangirl.
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04.09.2015 - 00:27
HadesRhythm

This method worked for me :

1. Tune down to drop C or drop B
2. Take 4 notes , from 1st to 7th fret on a low string
3. make a riff and play it slowly, until you feel sleepy!

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I think this is some kind of doom, but works for sludge metall very well!
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