Getting Heavy - with Paul Martin



Uncle Fester, the Blackened Fifth and things that make you go Gug!

In our never ending quest for heaviness we sometimes overlook some of the fundemental principles of chord structure and execution and rather go for the easy option of the old distortion box.  Instant fuzzy barre chord.  None more heavy. Right? Wrong. For Gugliness is next to dirtyness, and the Gug factor is an intrinsic aspect of rock/metal guitar playing.  What would Purlple Haze have sounded like without those Gugly chords at the start, Twist of Caine by Danzig has marvellous Guggability.  Slayer, Tool, Sabbath, Godsmack, Zakk Wylde....masters of the craft.

It's all about gut wrenching some dark broody quality out of yourself and twisting it onto your fretboard to emphasise a particular chord or accent in the song and take it to that next level of heavy.  Gug.

Here's a quick and easy recipe to add a small haunting moment or ray of eerie black to your barre chords, I call this the blackened fifth.  Let's say we want to play a C barre chord in a song at a point where it's hanging over a bar or two of the song but we need to produce a dark, morbid dissonance to make the audience uncomfortable.  Simply add the G note on your top string (fret 3) to the C Barre chord.  ENTER UNCLE FESTER !!!!  Easy huh?  Now try it with a B barre chord and you'll be adding the low fifth, F# (E string fret 2). Note the evilry> Were you frightened??

You will see that the blackened fifth is a moveable accessory that can be applied to any barre chord rooted on the A of D strings, it is most comfortable when allowed to hang and sustain over the music (great at the end chord of a song) and heavy! It's the chordal equivalent of a Russian war monument!

It sounds great (obviously) with distortion but equally cool with a clean sound adding a spacious spookiness that'll make you the talk of all your friends.  Of course bass players have been employing this technique as part of fat ass chords for ages because it adds power or, if you like GUGG!!

(Please note this technique should not be engaged when playing standing inside a pentagram chalked on the floor and surrounded by black candles.)  As with all cool sounding tricks, play it too much and it will lose all impact and become passe'.  Dont overdo it and remember to poke your tongue out and growl when you do use it.  Enjoy !!!!!!

Paul Martin produces and presents "The Axe Attack", a two hour metal radio show on The Rock FM, Tuesday nights from 8pm and networked througout New Zealand.  Paul has released 3 albums with Hamilton band 'Blackjack' and a solo album entitled 'Nightfall'. He is now writing and performing in his own original band WWIV. You can contact Paul at pmartin@radioworks.co.nz or visit The Axe attack website.

Watch out for more from Paul in upcoming months!!!!!!!!

All Music Academy