Slipknot is fun to play

[DrewJD82]

I was meeting up with the prospective new guitarist last night and before I left I made a quick vid to show him some progress and fired off this tune. The whole band ended up turning up, we all piled in my truck, I played them a couple originals, showed them this vid and the singer asks the guitarist, "I know you were going to check him out on your own, but I think we can all say he's in if he wants it" and just like that I was in the band!

And they're all cool guys!!!! We were instantly joking around and busting each other's balls!



Using a preset I slapped together with a Mark IV and an Uber, each amp hard panned L/R. This tune's a great alternate picking workout, that's for damn sure. I found a guitar-less track, but there's a guitar that comes in during the verses I didn't play.

 

[Stone]

Awesome Drew

 

[Warmart]

Sounds like you are in with a great group!

 

[Sidler72]

Sounds killer..this is the album that really got me into Slipknot

 

[Sascha Franck]

Great playing.

And a serious question: I've noticed that particular thing rather often especially with folks into heavier styles, namely the thumb and index finger kinda forming an O, like this...

(sorry, couldn't get a better screen grab from your video)

aa opposed to how I'm usually holding my fingers (and I'm not alone with it, either):

(also taken from an actual playing video)

So, is there any particular reason for you folks to do it your way? And if so, which is it?

 

[DrewJD82]

Great playing.

And a serious question: I've noticed that particular thing rather often especially with folks into heavier styles, namely the thumb and index finger kinda forming an O, like this...

View attachment 20625

(sorry, couldn't get a better screen grab from your video)

aa opposed to how I'm usually holding my fingers (and I'm not alone with it, either):

View attachment 20624
(also taken from an actual playing video)

So, is there any particular reason for you folks to do it your way? And if so, which is it?

Hmm, good question.

My best guess would be because of the way I pick, I’m often using the joints of my thumb/forefinger to control the pick. I never paid attention much with playing rhythm type stuff, but I know with leads/speed picking those joints are doing a lot of the heavy lifting and maybe I just developed my right hand to stay like that? I kinda think of my picking hand as one of those claw machines you see in arcades where you waste a shitload of money to try to pick up a shitty stuffed animal with.

 

[JT]

Hmm, good question.

My best guess would be because of the way I pick, I’m often using the joints of my thumb/forefinger to control the pick. I never paid attention much with playing rhythm type stuff, but I know with leads/speed picking those joints are doing a lot of the heavy lifting and maybe I just developed my right hand to stay like that? I kinda think of my picking hand as one of those claw machines you see in arcades where you waste a shitload of money to try to pick up a shitty stuffed animal with.

Maybe for palm muting precision as well?

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Maybe for palm muting precision as well?

for me it’s about where it allows me to mute the strings, the palm mutes, and where the pick attacks the string. Getting those right means it’s clean, tight, dynamic and chunky.

Great job @DrewJD82

I listened to a podcast with Dave Fortman recently and he was talking about the album afterwards, but basically how Joey did EVERYTHING in that band. I think that’s basically what caused the split and why they basically all hate each other (slight exaggeration but there’s definite rifts). Super interesting and worth checking out

 

[Sascha Franck]

Maybe for palm muting precision as well?

Hm, I just tried, and with Drew's finger positioning, I seem to have a tougher time to palm mute. Obviously, that's also got to do with me never ever holding my pick like that, but otoh, I never felt that could be one of the weak points of my pick grip.

Anyway, might as well just be an "each to their own" thing, but I was asking because as said, I've seen this kinda grip before plenty of times, usually with folks being vastly better at the picking game than me (such as Drew).

 

[DrewJD82]

for me it’s about where it allows me to mute the strings, the palm mutes, and where the pick attacks the string. Getting those right means it’s clean, tight, dynamic and chunky.

Great job @DrewJD82

I listened to a podcast with Dave Fortman recently and he was talking about the album afterwards, but basically how Joey did EVERYTHING in that band. I think that’s basically what caused the split and why they basically all hate each other (slight exaggeration but there’s definite rifts). Super interesting and worth checking out

Shit, that might be a huge part of it right there, where I’m muting and picking and if the pick has to stretch away from where I’m muting. Surely definitely playing a part of it.

I also hold the pick kinda weird and only allow the very tip of it to stick out, I almost wonder if that has something to do with it.

I’d love to check that podcast out! Hahahahha I can’t listen to his kick drums when playing it, the flams fuck me all up, during those verses I’m 100% getting the rhythm from the vocal line.

 

[DrewJD82]

Hm, I just tried, and with Drew's finger positioning, I seem to have a tougher time to palm mute. Obviously, that's also got to do with me never ever holding my pick like that, but otoh, I never felt that could be one of the weak points of my pick grip.

Anyway, might as well just be an "each to their own" thing, but I was asking because as said, I've seen this kinda grip before plenty of times, usually with folks being vastly better at the picking game than me (such as Drew).

Then there’s those dudes like Marty Friedman, I can’t even comprehend how that dude holds his pick and plays what he does.

 

[TSJMajesty]

Hmm, good question.

My best guess would be because of the way I pick, I’m often using the joints of my thumb/forefinger to control the pick. I never paid attention much with playing rhythm type stuff, but I know with leads/speed picking those joints are doing a lot of the heavy lifting and maybe I just developed my right hand to stay like that? I kinda think of my picking hand as one of those claw machines you see in arcades where you waste a shitload of money to try to pick up a shitty stuffed animal with.

I noticed 2 things-

You have a shit ton of control, and you're catching those pinch harmonics with an upstroke. So I'm thinking it's the tip of your index finger that's catching them?

(I think I remember you saying you can catch PH's with many digits.)

But that playing is on point! Early on a Saturday morning no less! (Or is it late on a Friday nite?)

 

[TubeStack]

Great video + playing, @DrewJD82 !

Super happy to hear that you're hooking up with a fun group of guys to form a band with. Man, do you ever have a lot to bring to the table in a band situation, those f*ckers are lucky to have you!

There's nothing I love more than playing in a band, having fun joking around, hanging out, and playing loud rock music. It's such a special thing. Happy for you!

 

[Sascha Franck]

Then there’s those dudes like Marty Friedman, I can’t even comprehend how that dude holds his pick and plays what he does.

Yeah, it's almost Benson-style, and I was always wondering how that holding style would work with distorted sounds as there's barely any palm (or even just thumb) "meat" to mute strings you don't want to ring.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

I’d love to check that podcast out!

think that was it.

all the stuff here backs up what he says and you can piece together how it all went down

Slipknot's 'All Hope Is Gone': The Story of Defiance Behind Band's Fourth Album

Corey Taylor, Joey Jordison, Paul Gray, more talk pushing "every boundary" during alternately hilarious, heated sessions for 2008 record

www.revolvermag.com

odd situation, definitely a band that probably get themselves into a shitty situation by not having an even split between all band members, and also where the main songwriter wasn’t a core member. Fortman seemed forced to have to pick sides, and Joey was the one who got him the gig in the first place so he’d be crazy not to align closest to him (helps that he was bringing most of the best ideas to the table too).

Really interesting to learn about.

 

[DrewJD82]

I noticed 2 things-

You have a shit ton of control, and you're catching those pinch harmonics with an upstroke. So I'm thinking it's the tip of your index finger that's catching them?

(I think I remember you saying you can catch PH's with many digits.)

But that playing is on point! Early on a Saturday morning no less! (Or is it late on a Friday nite?)

Hahahah that was 5 minutes before I walked out the door to meet the guys last night. I had a little headache this morning.

Good catch on the PH’s- I catch them two ways- the traditional way with my thumb, but when you see me cup my picking hand, I’m hitting them with the knuckle of my ring finger. I can nail them 98.9% of the time using my knuckle, but I have to remember to ‘set my hand up’ to cup like that because losing the support of my pinky on the body makes me feel naked.

I’ve been meaning to make a video about that, I’ve only heard of a bass player doing it before. It developed from cupping the whammy bar ripping off Gilmour when I was 14, my knuckle would accidentally hit the string and make a harmonic, so I just worked it into my thing.

 

[DrewJD82]

think that was it.

all the stuff here backs up what he says and you can piece together how it all went down

Slipknot's 'All Hope Is Gone': The Story of Defiance Behind Band's Fourth Album

Corey Taylor, Joey Jordison, Paul Gray, more talk pushing "every boundary" during alternately hilarious, heated sessions for 2008 record

www.revolvermag.com

odd situation, definitely a band that probably get themselves into a shitty situation by not having an even split between all band members, and also where the main songwriter wasn’t a core member. Fortman seemed forced to have to pick sides, and Joey was the one who got him the gig in the first place so he’d be crazy not to align closest to him (helps that he was bringing most of the best ideas to the table too).

Really interesting to learn about.

I’m gonna check that out for sure! Thanks man!

 

[TSJMajesty]

Hahahah that was 5 minutes before I walked out the door to meet the guys last night. I had a little headache this morning.

Good catch on the PH’s- I catch them two ways- the traditional way with my thumb, but when you see me cup my picking hand, I’m hitting them with the knuckle of my ring finger. I can nail them 98.9% of the time using my knuckle, but I have to remember to ‘set my hand up’ to cup like that because losing the support of my pinky on the body makes me feel naked.

I’ve been meaning to make a video about that, I’ve only heard of a bass player doing it before. It developed from cupping the whammy bar ripping off Gilmour when I was 14, my knuckle would accidentally hit the string and make a harmonic, so I just worked it into my thing.

That's right, I remember you talking about that now.

I occasionally catch a PH with some part of my hand that I didn't expect (like my palm while tapping, e.g., go figure!), but can't recall ever doing it with a knuckle.

 

[DrewJD82]

That's right, I remember you talking about that now.

I occasionally catch a PH with some part of my hand that I didn't expect (like my palm while tapping, e.g., go figure!), but can't recall ever doing it with a knuckle.

This is how it ends up working out if I were doing one on the low E. though the pick looks like I’m picking the A string.

 

[TSJMajesty]

This is how it ends up working out if I were doing one on the low E. though the pick looks like I’m picking the A string.

View attachment 20644

OOOOHH!! Wow! That's fucking weird. (To me. Prob natural af to you!)