1 Uae aa et ~ ue Ree cut at a LTT a LT Leo g | rn ae] ry PRU ea ee ee Ta) A eo mu rere ed BCU Mc ae cL aT) ced rng rer cies eet)conscious y to “see” there sive conl beaded by Records, pd Kerry album, lai B group Death.” Gd they we don’t have to. CUS aaa N ea eA LC)How To Achieve A Right-Hand Technique From Hell Tfnothing else, the one thing you must have to play Slaycr’s music is right-hand velocity. Tempos frequently exceed 200 beats per minute (4-200), and many riffs are composed of difficult sixteenth-note figures. What follows are a number of exercises that will bring you up to speed; master these and you will be prepared to handle almost any Slayer riff that will come your way. Don’t expect to be able to play at extreme tempos right away; that would be like a neophyte jogger trying to run marathon. Work diligently, every day, and increase your tempos gradually and comfortably. There are two basic rules for achieving great speed with accuracy: use subtle and short movements of the pick and keep your arm relaxed and in a comfortable position. Any tension in you hand or arm will ultimately hold you back from playing accurately at fast tempos. Play this simple quarter-note exercise with successive downstrokes. Start at a comfortable tempo, perhaps J=120, and work up to 4=208, This cighth-note exercise can be played with successive downstrokes at slow to moderately fast tempos, but will require alternate picking once the tempo approaches the 200 mark. Start at ¢=80 and work up to 208. nV AV fe Ss There are three important sixteenth-note patterns you'll need to master: constant sixteenths, the gallop, and the reverse gallop. Be sure to follow the notated pickings. (Downstrokes are shown as M, upstrokes as \.) Try these fig- ‘ures on different strings and on various frets, with and without palm muting, Constant SixteenthsThe Gallop non vw ere ——= ae [SHS SSS the Reverse Gallop i aed au au uy u ut Cae ein | * ° ° 7 ‘A metronome is a must-have for any musician, and it will come in quite handy when practicing these exercises, and for benchmarking your progress as you increase your speed. Accurate, clectronic metronomes are available at any music store and are about half the price of an average distortion pedal. Ifyou are currently without a metronome you can use this sampling, of Slayer songs and their opening tempos as a guide: South Of Heaven 1-54 Seasons In The Abyss 4-64 Divine Intervention =74 Dead Skin Mask 2-109 Jesus Saves Black Magic Raining Blood Die By The Sword Angel Of Death War Ensemble The AntichristThe Antichrist Words by Jeff Hanneman ‘Music by Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King Fae At 288 Boca Sk Mar BMIVAmgin Muse EMYEup Ml Ant by Bg No ‘Th Arangement ©1991 Bloody Sul Musiciamgne Maeup Mae Intemational Copyrgnt Secured Al Rights Resonon Incarnation Of Satan Satan is given an earthly form in this riff, based on the F# blucs scale (F# A B C§ C# B). Slayer often places a heavy jmphasis on the tritone (here F8-C) the interval that in the Middle Ages was called diabolus tn onan or “the devil in music.” = Pi tines E =——, —! ————=- =| et caer a ea “Fs Le 315 ae es z 2 z a z Sr 4 A = ——— = == = Intro Riff Moving away from the F# tonal area of the previous riff we are now centered in E. This iff, with its frequent F5?s, the Be cree runatily fom the E Phrygian mode (E F'G A.B CD) and forms the batis for the venea, Ben though the BS chord contains an Fé, it is not prominent enough to override the Fi, Ds auChorus Riff ‘The wide, open sound of stacked Sths predominates here: one guitar plays low power chords, while the other plays higher power chords, a 5th above, which results in a series of sus2 chords. For example, the first chord is made up ofa DS (D-A) in one guitar, and A5 (A-E) in the other, which fuse together as Dsus2 (D-A-E). Daud Cosa Bbsus2 , Ds Bbsus2—Fsus2 Gul E10 Words and Music by Jeff Hanneman Copyright ©1083 Booey Saul Muse BMIVAmgine Music MI/u9 Misc (EM Admins by Bug Music ‘This rangement ©1001 Bloody Sl Muste/Amaine Muse/Bug Mucle Internationa Copyright Secured Al Fights Resend Intro Riff ‘Though it’s played primarily in 5th position, this riff spans a wider fingerboard range. The double-stop slides (in bars 1 and 3) should be taken by the first finger, and the 8th and 10th fret double-stops (in bars 2 and 4) should be played with the third finger. NCES) FASGS N.C(ES) BbS NC(ES) FASGS [Link]) BIS cS Die By The Sword | Chorus Riff ‘This riff is comprised of three different four-note descending figures. The single-note portion of this riff is played in 2nd position, and even though it doesn’t use the third finger, it makes for a good finger exercisc. Ne. DS CHS Bhs AS Bridge Riff : This riff, played beneath King’s wailing tremolo bar work, is composed of two-bar phrases. Each phrase begins the same way, but changes in its second bar (bars 2 and 4). It is here that a similar, yet varied, sound occurs because of the altered scale degrees that these chords are built on: first the Bb (b5) and then F (42). BS os Bs BbS ES os BS BS FSlo hallmarks of Hanneman’s guitar style are present here: wide vibrato (bars 1-2 and 34-37), two-handed tap- (bars 5-8, 15, and 26-28), unison bends (bars 9-10, 16, and 22-24), and tremolo picking (bars 17-20). are several instances where rather than taking a scalar approach Hanneman uses a symmetrical fingering pat- s this is evident in the triplet lick in bars 3-4. NCES) BOS AS [Link]) BBS AS [Link]) BbS AS NCES) CS Bs svoroeen AEE eos ena 3 BS AS NCES) Bos AS TR p TRp Rp Thp TPp 1hp Thp Pp Pp Thp Thp Tep TR p ° é 3 6 6 6 C3 pick TPP TPP TPP TPP TPP TPP TeP TPP TPP TPP TPP TPP TPP ide "Tap weg of pick NCES) BS AS NCES) cs Bs ou Fs 4 Pip Thp Tep TPp Tep te ir 1h pcre ieeaReemeerer ee the TT pth pT? p Th pat hip Tk p cf Theres Ee IW PSP PS por shP sPP sPP pe? gPP GPP gPP PP php yPP yer PP yee 6 ¥ BS AS NCES) BbS AS NC(ES)Die By The sword (cont) NCE) cs NCES) BbS AS NCCES) Bos. As ova xcaes) BIS AS NCES) COs : 2 4 ma Ft rata Se te erm eS p Pp TP op at pi hn Bree b ee) —— rat ot he tee ta r = fees 12as P Pr P Pp TF TT? TP TP TP 2 ra eas ee ERS ESL ESS OS ES ES EY 1. "Tap w/ eg of pick ext 3 bars) FAS cs TP p th p Thp Thp Thp wep Th p PEPIN Say pice 3 IPP TP TRP TPP TRP TPP Tp Piles, a NCJES) FAS GS NCES) Bis NCE FHS OS NCCES BIS cs NCES)Black Magic Liaw SHOW No Mince | Words by Kerry King Mine by Jeff Hanoman an Key og ‘Sopra 1989 Bloody Skt Mune Bhy/Amgine Music BMWEug Music MD Adie by Bp Mic ‘Ths rangement 1801 Bloody Sk Miichurgine Museroup Mee Ioana Copyimt Sects Al Rights Rocervea Main Riff ‘This song fades in witha low-E chug (identical to the first siteenth-note exercise from How To Achieve A Righ- Hand Technique From Hell [on page 4]) and leads into the riff shown here. The fretted single-note line that inter- rupts the low-E pedal builds upon itself'on each return: What begins as a lone E (bar 1, beat 2) grows into E-F (bar 1, beat 4), and reaches its fruition in the f bar as E-F-G-D-G-E. ney = Main-Riff Variation This rif begins as a power-chord version ofthe first bar from the previous riff, and then moves on to a new—yet harmonically and rhythmically related—idea in the second bar. Play 4 times Nc. ES FONG. ES Intro/Verse Riff ‘The ever-prominent F5 (bI1) from the Main-Riff Variation returns in this riff—as does the steady, sixtcenth-note chug from the fade in. BS i sess FFSISII SE 4$ =e fiiissssssa3| - oe — : Ere oS SS < esses Giieesessesselses3 > ee ——- ? - = Intrratenal Copyright Secured A gh Reserves ‘Tone Painting Par Excellence Slayer sounds almost exactly like a rewving engine, especially when Lombardo’s low-tom strokes enter the mix. This ‘tiff combines four essential Slayer rhythms: steady eighths, steady sixteenths, the gallop (J22), and the reverse gal- lop (72), ca yet Tian Guan Shot Faster still Asif the 4-200 tempo of the previous riff wasn’t fast enough, now try this almost entirely sixteenth-note riff... at 4-212. 123) yi tme Eun Sl.Chemical warfare (cont. Chorus Riff Afyour hand hasn’t fallen off after the two previous riffs, you'll find this oge pleasantly restful. Though the tempo is still as fast as a harlot running from Hades, the long note values make this section a welcome respite from the sixteenth-note madness heard previously. Bhs AS Bhs AS FES AS BBS AS. BbS AS Bos AS FES As 2 8 Fas as Bridge Riff Most of this riff is pure E Phrygian (E F GA B C D), but the final menacing figure is from E harmonic minor (EF#G ABC D8), Ne. FS ESNC. FS ONC. FS ESNC. 16Words and Music by Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King Copyright ©1984 Bloody Sl Muse/Amgine Musi Mase (IM) Administered by Bug Music ‘This Arangerent ©1994 Bloody Sul Nusc/Ampine Maso/Bug Mule Invention! Copyright Secured Al Fights Reserves tro Riff ie single-note portion of this riff is from the F Phrygian mode (F# G A B C# D E). The A#5 and C5 chords, to this mode, seem to be used for mere shock value. NcerAs) AHS NCEPHS) This riff appears before Araya’s vocal entrance, and is closely related to the Intro Riff. The harmonic function of the D85 chord is even more confounding than the A$5 chord. 7Words by Kerry King ‘Music by Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King Copyright 61986 Bloody Sku Music EM/Eun Musk EM) Bloody Skul Mane Administered by Bug Music “This Arangarent ©1902 Bloody Skul MuseBug Muse tntemetional Copyright Secures Al Fights Reserved Intro Riff #1 This hell-born riff is played over a low-E pedal—which makes the F5 and Bb5 sound especially dissonant. ES Fs ESBS. ES FS BS Bhs BS cy SES FS BbS AS EDS Intro Riff #2 A flustering effect is created because of the unpredictable placement of the chords that interrupt the low-E sixteenth notes. NCES) FS ES FSNCES) BOS AS BbS AS BS GS NCCES) k Riff ‘band drops out here leaving a single guitar to handle this riff alone (a break). Play the opening eighth-note fig- with successive downstrokes: This will prepare you for the sixteenths in the following bar and enable you to the heavy-handed sound on the recording. C5 BS C5 DS GESGS DS_ CAS NCCES) DS CESNCWES)Hell Awaits (cont) verse Riff Even though you only need it for a small percentage of the time, use a first finger bar on the 3rd fret (cover the eyen eet strings): This will make the C5 chord, and subsequent pull-off igure, much easier to play. cs NCGS), cs pbs: Guitar solo “After the frenzied tremolo bar work in the firs eight bars, a varity of scalar Passat and sequences occur, The tonal center shifts to G# Phrygian (G# A B Ct ‘Dé E F4) in bar 9, where it remains until the end of the solo. But the G4 Phrygian center is reflected in the solo only until bar 11, After that ‘King wanders into the D harmonic minor scale (DEFGA Bb Ci) in bars 12-14, the E blues scale (EGA Bb B D) in bars 15-18, and finally the E Phrygian mode (EF GABCD) in the last two bars. CHS ESDES ESBS CHS ‘ES D#S ES BS CHS ESDES ESBS CAS ‘ES DES ES BS tg =e E — o a? BS BS CHSESDISES BS cesEsD§s ESBS CBS ES DHS ES BS *yronosoeeeoe eonieec = ee ee Pinte = == = — = ——— ~——"= Be Fh 1 “owen 7st 10 (10y- = = a * Pull bar up. - ag wiew/Rhy. Om. Om 2m. Ow se af oA » oF wr Aun, Pal sma >) ‘A. pick: AP Pal rat B\t i= AG 3 eu Ful ZVHell Awaits (cont) At Dawn They sleep LY Words by Tom Araya, Jeff Hanneman, and Kerry King Music by Jeff Hanneman (Copy ©1885 Bloody Skul Muse (MI/Dag Music @MAh ‘ody Sal Music Adriitwred by Bug Mase ‘Tis Arangement ©1822 Bloody Suu usictBug Mac Intratonal opygnt Secured Al Rights Reserved Odd-Meter Intro Riff This is the two-guitar harmonized riff heard at the outset of this song. Though the guitars play in ®, the bass and drums imply af meter (or ® with a half-time feel) Get eeecrophiliac Words by Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King Music by Jeff Hanneman in Riff is insancly fast riff foreshadows the verse’s vocal melody line (C#-D-B-C8). 2 esse 2 Pee 2 2 eae oe ES NC. SS gasses” geese | Hh 23Angel Of Death Words and Music by Jeff Hanneman Sopyrght ©1088 Oot Jam Misi ACA ‘Tis Arrangement ©1900 Def Jam Mose Intemational Copyight Socirad Al Fights Reserved Intro Riff This riff is composed of power chords rising out ofa sea of. palm-muted E's. one Bgesseeessss ee sre == SS = c eS Zee J3u33 333 i a 3 Ss 5 = Verse Riff #1 Hanneman places heavy emphasis on the tritone relationship between ES and BbS in this barbaric riff, and he also adds hints of E Phrygian dominant (E F G# A B C D) in bars 2, 4, and 6. ES Bis iysee Ee ?moniacal Ornaments hammer-on/pull-off figure adorns a chromatically descending line in this riff. All of the eighth-note lines in this should be down picked. Upon the repetitions of this riff, one guitar splits off to play harmony (in Sths) in the bar and a half. nse Riff #2 ; ls ttf is used during the third and fourth verses. Like Verse Riff #1, this riff relies heavily on the ES to BOS tri- relationship, but here there is no trace of the F and G# figure from E Phrygian dominant. ASBbS ES26 Angel Of Death (cont) Guitar Solo Riff : This riff is closely related to the Intro Riff—especially in its rhythmic design, ES NC Bbs Altar of Sacrifice Words by Kerry King ‘Music by Jeff Hanneman Copyright ©1806 Det Ja Music (ASCAPY ‘This rangement ©1989 Def Jam Mle Copyint Secured Al Fights Reserved Intro Riff ‘The f meter and riff that opens this song never returns, but gives us a clue that we might encounter some com- Pound meter riff or section latet. The intro riff finishes with a 4 section in FF Phrygian (F# G AB C# D B), with hints of F8 harmonic minor (F# G4 A B Cf D EA) in bar 5.rse Riff key center of this section (G) is a half-step higher than the previous section in F¥. Fourths (inverted power , if you will) are played above a gallop/reverse gallop G pedal-tone figure. NEWS) Fs NCGS) FHS NCGS) Abs NCAGS) rus Riff are the name of the game in this riff, which retains the gallop/reverse gallop motive from the Verse Riff. enough, the compound meter idea from the intro has returned, albeit with new chords and rhythms.Jesus Saves Words by Kerry King ‘Music by Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King Copy ©1986 De Jam Kasi ASCAM The rangement ©1009 De Jam ucts Ineratonai Copy Secured Al igs Reserved Intro Riff Slayer surely loves those tritones—as evidenced in this most dissonant introduction. Ne Single-Note Riff This 8 riff, composed of constant eighth notes, is broken down into a 445 thythmic grouping (1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9), Play 3 tnes Tas Ne. Ne.e Riff faster than the previous riffs, this riff is played as a break (without band accompaniment) at its outset, just ‘Araya’s vocal entrance. itar Solo Riff perpetual motion (con: iar eolo. stant sixteenths throughout) single-note riff, played entirely on the low E, accompaniesPostmortem Words and Music by Jeff Hanneman ho eth Cac saeco a Intro Riff A half-step relationship between chords is the unifying element in this # riff FS = — 7 Ending Riff The final section of “Postmortem” is based on this single-note figure. Unless you have already sold your soul for super chops, it will be necessary to learn this riff at a tempo more reasonable than Slayer’s 4-240! Ne.aining Blood EEE Words by Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King ‘Music by Jeff Hanneman ‘Copyright ©1988 De Jam Music ASCAP) Re rg 1985 at Jam Mu Troma Copy Soered AB Fights Resered tro Riff #1 ave probably noticed this recurring motive in many Slayer songs: up @ major 3rd, down a minor 2nd. sidentally, this pattern (heard twice in the second bar of this example) is the same three-note cell that serves as the block for che 12-tone row that the early-20th century composer Anton Webern used for his Concerto op. 24. ‘w/ Ril A (2 simes) (1) Ne. NC. ee arte = 3 ei z. a ae = —_* 4 = = = = PS = — " = SSS - = — —* ae -e o a c ——+ aa ve “Intro Riff #2 ‘One of the prime examples of a reverse-gallop figure in Slayer’s music, this riff ends with an eighth-note line drawn from a combination of E major (E F# G# A B C# Df) and E Phrygian (E F GAB CD). eae 359 338Raining Blood (cont) Intro Riff #3 ‘The only thing that makes this riff even close to tice this riff with a metronome, start out at 108- NC. playable is that it’s all played on a single string, If you want to prac: —roughly half of what Slayer’s tempo is. Ne. Bridge Riff ‘The E Locrian (E F G A Bb C D), death metal-style single-note line in the first half of this riffis contrasted with the punk-like unmuted power chords in the second half, Ne. 32 bs.rus Riff jost important facct of this riff is the “hidden” descending power-chord linc (B5~Bb5-A5~G5-F#5) that hits: “ands” of beats 2 and 4. Ne. Gs Bs NG Gs BS ONC. as AS NC. Gs Fis PM. Pile ann al Riff riff is heard below the unbridled tremolo screams at the end of the song. The tempo is brisk («=247), so if you peto practice this with a metronome (most go to only 208) set it at 120 or 126 and play the riff as it were six: — Play ines Ne. NG. a OeSouth of Heaven Words by Tom Araya Music by Jeff Hanneman Sopp ©1988 Oe am Music ‘Tha rangement 61980 Oe ar ome Intemational Copyright Secured Al Pgs Reserved Intro Riff “South Of Heaven” opens with this harmonized guitar figure. At the outset the guitars are in unison, but th uickly splinter into a harmony in 4ths. A i i | vail val i Intro-Riff Variation This riff is almost the same as the lower Part from the previous riff, but notice the subtle pitch changes Hanneman incorporates in the beginning of the first bar. vald-Verse Riff fnfemal item in the long line of reverse-gallop riffs ban the Slayer ocavre, this time the sixteenthenote pale interrupted by eighth-note figures with added accents on off-beats (2) and on weak beats (4). aos” Riff ft to an F# tonal center characterizes this riff in the section preceding the chorus. Play the slides on beat 4 of Land 3 with your third finger. ight But Loose ‘iff, played during the chorus, exhibits an ebb and flow in the tempo, slightly accelerating and decelerating a four-bar cycle. Gs FIs Nc.South of Heaven (cont. FES NC. iD Ghosts of War Words by Kerry King Music by Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King Scorn ot Dt sm Wee asc Tvs Avangement 90 De dar tan Intemational Copyright Sacred A igs Resoned Verse Riff The tonal center of this riff is F, but doesn’t stay true to any specific mode, as it incorporates the b2 and 42, and the 58 and 45, fs seeseazie Ti at ieee: c SSS + a es————— SEE SSS Tiissisisssssass ” 333933 PM. 4 a vt rs + ++ rus Riff ‘and Hanneman create tension in this riff by intentionally avoiding the tonic, F, until the very end. ae SC~dZ abs gs chs NG. Fs e s Vs Seve veevevvvvved ig i andatory Suicide EEE Words by Tom Araya ‘Music by Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King ©1088 Da Jar Misc (ASAP) “iis rangement ©1009 Dot Jam Mute Trtemational Conyght Sacute Al Figs Reseed v0 Riff #1 ‘to part of the “South Of Heaven” intro, this riff (Gtr. I) is also harmonized in 4ths (Gtr. II). At 0:14 Araya Lombardo lay down an almost funky groove that contrasts nicely with the guitars GH rs ES NC. os rts Fs as Nc ort i {= 2 m3 : = out 2 es === = ig 3 fi ise or i =| — : 1 Ss — =Mandatory suicide (cont) Intro Riff #2 The 4ths idea from Intro Riff #1 returns here, in one of the simplest’Slayer riffs, as an inverted C# power d ‘This riffs also used in the verse, but there the ES chord is played in a steady cighth-note rhythm. ES ces NCES = ee ee Intro Riff #3 This riff may give you the spins, or at least make you dizzy, as triple-meter sections in otherwise duple settings often do. GS FAS FS_NC. 05 NC G5 FAS FS NC. G5 NC. GS FHS FS NC. GS NC. GS FHS BS Spi [[ The Blood Words and Music by Jeff Hanneman Copyright © 1968 Dat Jam Musie ASCAP) ‘This Aangement © 1988 Det Jam Muse leteatonal Copyright Secured Al Fights Reserved Clean Intro A perfect-4th dyad (B-E) is played above an ominous, moving line (the downstemmed part) in this opening riff. Ne.r Chords the most of his musical materials, Hanneman developed this riff from the lower voice of the previous riff. bs os Hs ie ts = B = z Es = ; ; ; le-Note Riff final intro riff is quite similar to the riff Hanneman used to begin “South Of Heaven,” but here he weaves a harmonically adventurous, “wandering” line that roughly outlines an Em-Gm progression. Nem) ae ¥ v 2 . PM. PM. PM. s s+ 20 6 2 — t= ay Ensemble EEE Br Words by Tom Araya and Jeff Hanneman ‘Music by Jeff Hanneman Copyright ©1990 Deaths Head Musl/Amarican Det Tune, re: ASCAP) ‘has Arangoment @T052 Death's Head Mlemeroan Get Tune ne Intemational Copyright Secured Al Fights Record Riff #1 Ensemble” explodes at the outset with this fittingly nihilistic E Phrygian (E F G A B C D) riff. Gs Nc. RBS SSSR SSIS SHS SS oe 39War Ensemble (cont, GS NC. Intro Riff #2 A motive, consisting of two power chords a minor 2nd apart, ascends chromatically above an E pedal in this mently played riff, Gs Fas ABS Gs BS BBS GS FAS Abs. Gs BS BbS Verse Riff This single-note riff is composed of a C minor-based line above a G pedal. The rhythmic figure of this phrase (S7ISIFTISA) has the character of a military snare drum part. Ne.man’s Solo of Hanneman’s most savage solos—perfectly matching the unwavering intensity of the rest of the song, jing many examples of his signature three-notes-per-string hammer-ons and pull-offs. The triplet lick in and 12 is similar to a lick in his “Die By The Sword” solo, but here it stays true to a single scale, B penta- (BDEF#A).War Ensemble (cont) This chaotic and rage-filled riff, immediately following the drum fill, is based on the half-step motive from Riff #1. [Link] EbSDS FS ES. EBS GS AS BbS. AS EbSDS EDS GS BbS AbS BbSAS BMS Ds EDS BbS AbS G5 BOS AS EbS DS King’s Solo King opens his solo with some deranged two-handed tapping on the low E that outlines chords as diverse as Am(maj7), Emadd4, and E7. Fast alternate-picked licks abound in the second half of the solo, and in bars 22 and 23 King recalls the triplet lick from Hanneman’s solo, but moves it to A pentatonic minor (A C D E G) We TF TP PP aR Te TPP PH TP OTP PPR OTP TPPNTE FANT SY 1H Er Se it Wi 7 TPP HH T TP PAH PHA TH HHP BS BbS Ful Fall FulWar Ensemble (cont, Gs Bs Bhs BS cs ops ES Db5C5_DS CHS ES EAs Full Fall oot i Full Full Fa Fall Verse Riff Variation ‘This tiffs a more fleshed-out version of the Verse Rif. The principal differences are that now the rif is played i E, the single-note line is played as double-stop 4ths, and the pedal is based on the tonic instead of the domin;food Red | From SEASONSIN THE ABYSS Words by Tom Araya Music by Jeff Hanneman Sopyrght ©1080 Deaths Hoad MusicAmerean Det Tne, nc. ASCAP) ‘This Afangemort ©1002 Dea’ Head MuscsAmercan Bet Tune, ne. ASCAP) Interatinal Copyight Sacure Al Rights Reserved 0 Ri iff gets its theatrical sound from the widely spaced, yet dissonant, dyads in the guitar and Lombardo’s tribal- uinding on the low toms, Dum -Da-Dee, Ba-Dum-Da-Dah ree hythmic design of this riff demonstrates an Iron Maiden influence (as does the harmony in 3rds that gman adds later), though the bizarre notes in bar 2 are unquestionably pure Slayer. E sao => — 3 3) os 3 ¥ a ese ST ] Se ee Se e Riff tsimple riff, based on the rhythm of the previous riff, is used as the accompaniment to the verses. pic Es_NC. FS NC. ES NC. ie a FSS Gesveseses goassas¥s0 y33e3 9333 Trees £ 45Spirit In Black Words by Kerry King Music by Jeff Hanneman ‘Sopyigt 1000 Death's Head Minc/Amercan Def Tne, ne: ASAP) ‘Ths Arangarert OT902 Deaths Hed Mievrosn Gt Tne, ne ‘nternatonal Gnyright Secured Al Fights Resewed Rising Minor 2nds A series of minor 2nds rises sequentially through the E Phrygian mode (E F G AB C D) in this intro riff On PERE cae 4 poe + = 7 “Seer ge ss Y 33 So vee" ses SSS SSS Chorus Riff (‘sme a= i aS Se ee ee ee =e FS NC. ae FS NC. ‘BS. Tid gi ee idnie ae eee ———— = = =LULL + TW = Bi WW ge Riff riff gets its snarling soun .d from the quick hammer-on/pull-off figures. NC. PM. xpendable youth Words by Tom Araya tro Riff js riff is comprised of a dD rhythmic pattern (only % of a beat) that is ‘hus forming a highly syncopated figure. cycled over the first three beats of each bat,Expendable Youth (cont) Verse Ri “This riff is composed of a gallop figure on the low E and a chromatically descending power-chord motive. Ea ss 5 FS ES EIS NG NC. a =_ H PMecccenseet He PMeoweseeeood Bo Sec 1 4 4 aoa {—— FS ES BBS NC. Gs FAS FS Saeg geese a oe 8 0 Chorus Riff Contrast between the verse anc the use of long, held note values. .d the chorus is achieved here by placing a firm emphasis on the F45 chord, and ho er — Sa Wyosssassaad eee (2 « Jduvesesse" sae S| 7 1°Tly easy to play, except for the steady sixteenth-note figures on beats 3 and 4 at the ends of each Phy beat 3 of the first figure (in bar 2) in 4th position, then quickly switch to 5th position on beat 4, The bar 4 should be played entirely in 4th position. The final figure (in bar 5) should be played in 4th posi- 4 shift into 3rd position on beat 4. eDead Skin Mask Words by Tom Araya Music by Jeff Hanneman Copygh ©1990 Dests Head Mus/Amercan Oa Tune, ne: ASCAP) ‘he argument ©1002 Deaths Head Mstc/Arertan et Tao, Intentional Copyright Secaes Al Figrs oooved Cimmerian Intro Riff Here we find another dark and gloomy intro riff based on the same four-note figure that opened “South Heaven,” which is fine, because if you're going to wear a dead skin mask you're probably headed south heaven anyway. . . ab pick:-Verse Riff ors ai ne monotony of the repeated gallop ures by introducing sixteenth notes in unpredictable Paes, Playin ES pes NC. BS NC. FS NC. ASBIS NC se Riff the skin is peeled away from the previous rif, this bare bones version is left behind. idge Riff syncopated rhythms (. .ged sound, and make it fun to play as well. ETI_D and J_J1.) in this riff give it a deransDead skin Mask (cont) Dual Guitar solo Extravaganza King opens this solo section with three-notes-per string licks, followed by a super-fast descending passage Phrygian dominant (E F G¢ A BC D). In bar 5 Hanneman takes over with an E pentatonic minor (EG A. lick composed of 4ths, and then plays hammer-on/pull-off figures that climb two octaves. King re-enters in with one-handed pyrotechnics on the B string, In bar 13 the torch is passed back to Hanneman. During this and longest, section he plays four ascending gestures that add an intensity to these closing, barssv 1 1 1A nn wie Wa AS BIS ONG. oie Ae Pia Ng a ee reweeee ¢ _peeretes x mie te tis a, LN OUP pap AEE EE AS GIS ee 88 0 alee Pal aro.Dead skin Mask (cont) ES DESC. ES NG FS NC ASBBS Ne H WH WH Wo HHs H HAS Tt DIS NG tH Ha, HH ES Es NC. BS NC FS NC. ASBDS Ne. Fall Fall, de re. PP PP PP *Pilbwup ES Dis NC. BS ONG FSNC. AS BIS NC. ES a ie JR = Rates i Ww «aH HPAallowed Point Words by Tom Araya and Jeff Hanneman ‘Music by Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King tro Riff pei minor 2nds pervade this extremely fast rif, the central section of which is used to accompany the verses. DSCHSASGHS [Link] C5 BbS NC. 14 FE ————=— SS Ml pil ne an seve PMians-a-4 PM pa eet F ¥ Chorus Riff This riff’s angular sound comes between the D and A functions more from the prominence of the descending-4ths line (DA-E). The B that occurs like a passing tone, a filler to the melodically more important notes, ze ae goes Wraeessess 2? ? Saas rasssseeees PPHallowed Point (cont) Bridge Riff ‘This riffs savage sound comes from the viperous pull-off figures on beats 2 and 3. NC,Words by Kerry King apy 960 ns end 2 Rrengoment ©1992 Deats ‘mamatonal Copymgnt Seoued A EONS Music by Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman shasrnmercan Oot tuna, ne (ASCAP) te nmscnmetean ble intro Riff descending sixteenth-nore figures, heard pummeling into beats 2 and 3, give this riffa rage-filled sound. Ply mer RS HS NG BONG AS NG. cs NG. ge = === SSS tee teage fees seag 2933 Pion PM ened pe ries Pies SS SaaS SS Ne ONG AS eeNS. cs NG ge SS = — “g tp sa 798? ore 3 Mena Jacctacead PMcsicoeen=o-t rere eee PM = a i — = a = t sae verse Riff ‘An almost purely F# Phrygian (E4 GAB C8 D E) riff, only one ‘chord is foreign to the mode: the BPS in the final bar. [Link]) weds ssseee 3 3 ee Fs5s saa s ete = See = NG Bs NC. —. * PM. = SSS ST Se = sass EER ELEEL ESS oe = = = = naeBorn Of Fire (cont) Bridge Riff This riffis in two sections. ‘The first half makes use of a descending minor-2nd motive. The second half is com; of an E pedal with a stabbing single-note line that is in rhythmic unison with the Yocal line Seasons In The Abyss si Eo renn mse Neer ek a -FEEERERACEEEL Eis Js =: rs $+ et, eh —s o nal Re i xc ners 33S 335 3 a2 t ott 4 Words Music by Tom Araya by Jeff Hanneman opr C180 Dots Head Min/Americn Det Tun, (ASSAF) ‘nis Arangerent Intnatonal Copy Secu Layered Intro Riff 182 Deas Hoa Mantanetcan etn, eserves ‘There are four guitars present in this tenebrous intro riff, but it can be easily simulated by two, as the arrangement here shows, Ps auel|Pe os ue.tave Doubling s figure doubles Gtr. I sh quality. from the previous riff, but sounds two octaves higher, and adds an even more night Clean Intro Riff ‘These “arpeggios,” played with a clean tone, E (a major 7th) ringing together. and F and are extremely dissonant due to the A® and B (a minor 2nd), Doom And Gloom Riff ‘This E Phrygian (EF G AB CD) rif, played posed of the lowest possible voicings: The C5 ES FS at the same slow tempo as the previous part of the intro (4=64), is com- ‘and BS are inverted (Sth in the bass) for the deepest possible sound. ot se t- ics Be ES FS60 Seasons In The Abyss (Cont.) Eighth-Note Riff . ‘The tempo picks up here (4=152), but this entire riff is still played with all downstrokes. There is an odd-grou sound in the second bar: Even though it’s composed entirely of eighth notes, the placement of the chords esta lishes a 3+3+2 grouping, contrasting the previous bar’s 4+4 grouping. Play 7 times Ne. ES Dis NG. Ges Gs Verse Riff ‘The two b5 chords and military-like rhythms give this riff a demented and disturbing sound. ES B69) NC® ES FOS) NCES), Es E65) NCCES) BOS) NCIS) FOS) NCES) NCES)aped stab~ chorus Riff One of the catchiest of Slayer choruses, this riff is split in two four-bar phrases, each with a different melodie harmonic contour. BS os FAS Gs Fis BS Fs Gas os = Words by Tom Araya and Kerry King Music by Kerry King. Copyight ©1904 Desin’s Head Muss ASCAP) ‘resrrttonal Copyght Secured Al Fights Reserved Intro Riff Even though the tempo is moderate (4=100), this riff'is anything but. Don’t let the notation of this rhythm intin idate you; it’s simpler than it looks. Thirty-second notes are ‘unusual in Slayer riffs, so if you want you can cou this riff in double time (4=200) and think of this rhythm as JIFTTS, instead of STFA. ES_NC. FS_NC. ES FHS NC. FS GS NC 3 aaaes eeeaa tt sever I I — St °° AS EBS NG. BS FS NC. BS FAS NC. BS Gs GHS ——— ee oe beeet Seed st seeet 2 i ——— SeKilling Fields (cont) Intro/Verse Riff ‘The first part of this riff is a repeated rhythmic figure on an E5 chord. Again; the rhythm is simpler than it k consisting primarily of gallop and reverse-gallop figures. The # meter is phrased as 2+2+1 throughout nc nine as gas 425532 2332 Sood seu ss 333 eS 3 , : an oe am “Sgusddegeu' essa JPsSssv sess see Buea se ie BEN many PM 20600000 8 oat 004 ——— Dittohead Words and Music by Kerry King ‘Copy ©1004 Dvahis Head Maric (ASCAP) tremor! Copan Seared Al gts Peebved Intro Riff This tiff poses the usual challenges for the right hand, but the left hand gets good exercise here as well. Finger this riff in 2nd position, use a first-finger stretch to play the Ist fret F in the last bar. NC. ft — ——; Ope dd eset used ee SISTTT ISS IIS SI SS GtS: “i as” os se s FES. t > [BY DySY ay DIVES i Loe B:Divine Intervention Words by Tom Araya, Paul Bostaph, Jeff ‘Hanneman, and Kerry King, ‘Music by Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King aastrt 1004 Moloswer MuscASSOT0 aseyPanemunde Must Retina Muse Petntal Cpyrgte Secured Al Rigs esoved Tutro Riff #1 Tuer are reo important things about playing this rift First play t with downstrokes throughout—the slow tempo makes this quite manageable; and second, for the most ‘economical fingering usc a firstfinger barre on the 9th fret of the A and D strings in bar 1, and on the 12th fret in bar 2_-this will avoid any awkward fingering changes on beat 4% nd eis FrErrrr Ess aaee 32 3% 3 see FF na iia ea = es Intro Riff #2 This rifis quite similar to Intro RIF #1, as it t00 consists ofa low-E pedal and double-stops on the A and D strings. Sa. Spisscdevsssedeee™ ae single-Note Riff . ‘The ‘most dfficule thing about this Fiff'is the rhythm. Be careful to observe the syncopations, especially on beat 2 Notice that the low B is played on the “a” of beat 2 (2-c-8-a), not on beat ar Play 4 timesDivine Intervention (cont) Pre-Verse Riff ‘This riff, played with a clean tone, is composed of five different power chords played above an E pedal. ES os pis S BS as pis Bibs as & rd, ee ot sve E se = 2 2 2 = @ Apia bones verse Riff ‘This isa prime example of how a simple change can breathe new life into a riff. Here, Intro Riff #2 returns, but the double-stops have been brought down an octave for a darker sound. soot ttt sooo oO we SEO O SOO OO Chorus Riff This riff appears concurrently with Araya’s vocal “Blind my eyes, I can’t see . ..” and King’s dive-bomb (he plays the open D, G, and B strings and slowly depresses his tremolo bar). The tonal center here is F#, a half step higher than the F center of the brief interlude that it follows, and a whole step higher than E, the overall tonal center of the song. a | re TiotiTes ese Besser F Se + a a rs = + ———King’s solo ‘The best thing about this solo is the use of recurring melodic ideas (motives) that are constantly evolving, yer always recognizable. In fact, all of the slow passages in the solo are related—the fast scalar work serves only as a means to join together King’s more profound melodic work. To ensure that the Dé artificial harmonic sounds, play closer to the rhythm pickup than the bridge pickup. . cE. 1 AR at a ‘AL pitch DF o7Divine Intervention (cont) Hanneman’s Solo Unlike King, who adhered exclusively to E harmonic minor (E F# GA BC Df), during his solo, Hanneman is play- ing too quickly to think about scales—sometimes more than 13 notes per second! Hes definitely playing in E, but his adherence to fingering patterns (see bar 2) negates any specific scale referenceDepa bar before sing nok Sound of tem, barhiting sigs Words by Tom Araya and Jeff Hanneman ‘Music by Jeff Hanneman to nusePennernde io ‘Copytght ©1004 Moloney Musi ‘eatona Copy Secured Al Fights Pasar reminiscent of “Seasons Intro Riff Here is another examp! ‘The Abyss.” Je of an arpeggiated intro composed of dissonant “chords” E ;70 213 (Cont) Low Pu (Loffs A tense and restless sound occurs because this Bb major scale (Bb C D Eb F G A) riff is played over an E Phrygia (E F GAB C D) progression. ES FS ES Gs FS Bighth-Note Riff Even though this riff is composed entirely of eighth notes, the notes on the A string stand out as an independent line against the F# pedal. FHS) FAS F465) Fis NC. FAs FROGS) Fags) Verse Riff Hanneman sinks back down to the deep, dark sounds of E Phrygian (E F G A B C D) in this riff.Chorus This is the infectious chorus riff . . Dahmer references. | maybe 213” would have been a Top ‘Ten hit if it wasn’t so heavy on the NCFHm6) N.CaFHm6) NCFAMO) és ESOS FHS ES FES213 (Cont) Hanneman’s Solo This solo is similar to King’s solo in “Divine Intervention.” Notice the importance of the half-step motive in this solo (see bars 6-9). Hanneman uses the wah as a filter to accentuate the treble frequencies and enhance the tone of BS ES BS ES FS ES GS FS FS OBS ase. 1p. we An, (a) Gs FIs G5 Fs GSFES | ASGS)—GSFS aa . i 2 i ve iil Tia” oe theh aat He NO a ah P st a la Pall Lz lighri, sh sh slosh nweww shah Stke armone while depressing ba.Gemini Words by Tom Araya Music by Kerry King Copyright ©7904 Moloser Mile/SS010 Music ASCAP Insmatona! Copyright Secured Al Fights Reseved Intro/Outro Riff ‘The most difficult ching about this riff is making sure that the rising of the tremolo bar is not heard (at the end of bars 2 and 4). This problem can be solved in this way: Hold the chord until the last possible moment, and just before you release the bar, mute the strings with your left hand. Play $imes Tune down a whole step (low to high: DGC FAD. Verse Riff Long note values are used in the first three bars of this riff, but the final bar is filled with cighth-note motion, which adds a “push” at the end of the phrase. ES FS NC. GS FES NC FS BS fi Til tAde? PM anon Chorus Riff ‘This riff is composed of power chords that mirror the vocal phrases; the low E5 pedal fills in the gaps. Nc. Bs as ss 2 See $IBitter Peace ET Words by Jeff Hanneman Music by Jeff Hanneman ‘Copyight ©1908 Penvemunde Music ASCAP) Intemational Copyright Secired. Al Fights Reserved Fast Riff Just after the slow introduction, this powerhouse riff is unleashed. The first bar is, essentially, just an ornamented £5 chord. The F5 chord, in bar 2, is the bII in this key. The sound of the bII chord is so striking and tension filled that Hanneman simply lets it ring out, thus contrasting the rhythmic vitality of the first bar with the brute harmonic strength and pull found in the second bar. News) Fs Play 3 times Bridge Riff Lesser men might simply play the opening bars of this riff as octave E's . . . not Hanneman and King. Here they embellish the open and 7th fret E’s with D’s and D#’s for maximum Slaytanic effect. 74Words by Jeff Hanneman ‘Music by Jeff Hanneman Copygtt ©1998 Pennemunde Music ASCAP) Copa er Copy Secured Al Fights Reseed triplet Ri ff “This riff forms the basis for the entire ending of the song. The combination of the incessant triplet rhythm and th angular root movement creates 4 disturbing and unsettling mood. ES ts Bs eee - : i Le PM. ts os serie === SSDeath’s Head {cont.) cts cs cts ts Bs ne. 2 FIs Overt Enemy) a Words by Jeff Hanneman ‘Music by Jeff Hanneman ‘Copyright ©1908 Pennernunde Music ASCAP) fromavonal Coppigh Secured Al Fights Peservod Motivic Intro Riff Notice how Hanneman develops a simple motive (an upward leap followed by a downward step) into a large-scale introductory section. The guitars begin in unison but soon split into octaves, followed by 5ths, 4ths, and (finally) a brooding, Twilight Zone-esque section in major and minor 10ths. Ne Gus 1 necceeeceeeeterrt troneeeeeree is fo =f Be pe Gtr, tof sashes n TABOvert Enemy (cont, Verse Riff ‘Taking a cue from forebears Black Sabbath, Hanneman crafts this power-chord riff that doubles the vocal line.screaming From The Sky Words by Tom Araya, Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King ‘Music by Jeff Hanneman CCopight ©1908 Pennemune Musc/SS810 Music/Malosser Music (ASCAP) Irterational Copyright Secured. A Fights esered Intro Riff Here is a somewhat slow E Phrygian-based riff. The gallop figures keep the music moving, Bs Fs BS Ne ES Bs ES AGS) NC Fs BS Nc. ES Bs Bs FS OES ROS) Bridge Riff ‘A demented melody on the Sth and 4th strings jumps out from the pulsing F#s on the 6th string in this no-non- sense rif. : PM. letring=4 Tt ring leering fering et ing Deng “For net 4 bars nly all PMS relight.Ne. 43 — gaa sos ssh sip idss SS ee Words by Kerry ‘Music by Jeff Hanneman Copyright ©1008 Penne unde MusiMolosser Musi ASCAP) Intemational Copy ‘Secured All Fights Reserv -note “rotation” figure tar 2) that is counterbalanced in the last bar by more (which spins out to a halt on the bN chord at the end of symmetrical four-note figures, Play Smee Ne a «! wut : a I ut re mh vataa Tima stl er) be P OR LU Ue le eee ec) Ca Pees a ts Le tee eed COTS cre eee Uae ee oR en ee Re eee tan eo Peele Mos Meo Mee I Mele ene NI MeN el ell Mela iven band or artist Riff by Riff presents detailed and easily accessible instructional materials that Dees ers eMC MO oy Aol ue Ra oes Molo Re Ae Post Meu LS NL oe ee eer el aceite tg MME Rela Te MUN oy RM eMC tooicelite) $17.95 InUS. DOS9=01)SLAYS! 4 init Hs saTwusic 179% O71 Im, Cherry Lane Music Company + Quality In Printed Music + P.O. Box 430, Port Chester, NY 10573 HAL*LEONARD* mCORF 02506329 Printed In the U.S.