Is there a "chug" book?

[ArtieToo]

No, there's not.

Sweet! But which two notes?

[ArtieToo]

What JB posted is pretty much my recipe, granted I'm no Olaf. . .
https://www.fender.com/articles/play...-a-power-chord

Nice link. Thanks man. I will be chugging soon.

[JB_From_Hell]

You are talking SO over my head. I'm a tech. Not a musician. But I want to chug.

In standard tuning, play an open low E, and a B (2nd fret on the A string). That’s a root-fifth. 3rd fret low E, 5th fret A, etc... that’s a standard power chord shape.

You can also add the D string, same fret as the A. That’ll be the octave of the note on the E string.

The big advantage of drop D tuning (tuning your low E down to D, leaving the rest in standard), is it lets you make that chord shape with one finger. Those shapes I described above would be played with one finger barring the second fret on the bottom three strings, etc...

Start there, and then we can get into more cool easy chord shapes that sound good for what you’re trying to do.

[Bogner]

Yeah. I'm watching YouTube vids of guys doing metal. It almost looks like they're only hitting the bottom two strings. I'm sure there's more to it than that.

On the Gallop type (chug) type thing you are only hitting the low string(s) but the chords hit along with the trem picking, open string rings and scrapes, behind the nut bends can take things all over the place. In a "riff" itself there can be all kinds of techniques and things going on with all strings within that part. Other parts can simply be right hand mute requiring no left hand involvement at all technically. Another interesting aspect is using your fret hand fingers to mute some strings and allow others to ring or muting the string above what you are fretting with the fingertip(s) of the chord/notes being played.

It requires skill, anyone thinking all of this stuff is easy is fooling themselves.

[JB_From_Hell]

Yeah. I'm watching YouTube vids of guys doing metal. It almost looks like they're only hitting the bottom two strings. I'm sure there's more to it than that.

There are other extended versions of what I described above, but start with the root-fifth shape. If you want, give me a call sometime if you need more description of the more subtle stuff like pick angle.

[solspirit]

There are other extended versions of what I described above, but start with the root-fifth shape. If you want, give me a call sometime if you need more description of the more subtle stuff like pick angle.

I think pick angle, finger & wrist technique is very important.

[Bogner]

I think pick angle, finger & wrist technique is very important.

In addition to how much pick is actually hitting the string. Too much pick exposure and you get locked up and its over. Pick thickness and how much pick you are using is crucial. I see players using too much pick so they go with a thinner pick not to get hung up and they lose the crispness and aggression. The attack is lost. Pick angle on a proper thickness pick without to much pick hitting the string makes a big difference. How you mute, pick, dig into the string has a radical effect overall and shifting those things a bit can make for interesting rhythmic variances to spice a riff up.

[ArtieToo]

It requires skill, anyone thinking all of this stuff is easy is fooling themselves.

Yup. Like soldering. It ain't as easy as it looks. Thanks. I'll practice.

[solspirit]

In addition to how much pick is actually hitting the string. Too much pick exposure and you get locked up and its over. Pick thickness and how much pick you are using is crucial. I see players using too much pick so they go with a thinner pick not to get hung up and they lose the crispness and aggression. The attack is lost. Pick angle on a proper thickness pick without to much pick hitting the string makes a big difference. How you mute, pick, dig into the string has a radical effect overall and shifting those things a bit can make for interesting rhythmic variances to spice a riff up.

I use a coin pick for it and rake the pick a bit on the string as I'm picking.

[alex1fly]

Helps to have the right distortion settings too. Lots of distorted sounds out there but only a few are that specific Swedish style chug.

Helps to have long, luscious locks as well.

[ArtieToo]

Swedish chug's Luscious locks?

Elaborate.

[LLL]

Key point for getting "chug" style tone is enough bass to let the "balls" though without extra "flab/flub".

May have to EQ sculpt a little in the 60-125Hz and 160-250Hz range.

Start by lowering 200 or 250Hz a few dBs... that's a "flab/flub" area.

Remember, standard tuning low "E" is about 80Hz.

[Top-L]

That might work.

I've learned a few things that way.

[Demanic]

Sweet! But which two notes?

Well, that depends on what chord you're playing. Those do change of course, but for metal rhythm, you're usually just playing a two note chord and palm muting them. Occasionally you might use three notes, but very rarely do you strum straight across all six strings.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

[ArtieToo]

If you want, give me a call sometime . . .

I just might take you up on that.