Avenged Sevenfold - "Unholy Confessions" Guitar Lesson With TABS

That main riff in “Unholy Confessions” by Avenged Sevenfold changed the game for modern metal music. The use of dual guitar harmonies, pedal point, and exotic scales in that brilliant arrangement has inspired, and has even been ripped off by, many artists since the banger came out in the golden year of 2003. I'm gonna teach you how to play this riff and cover the nuances used so that you'll be equipped to play a riff that will sound cool to anyone. You'll also wanna share this lesson with a guitar-playing buddy because I'll show you how both guitar parts are played.

Overview

Tuning: Drop D

Key: D Minor

My Tone Setup: I'm running my guitar through my interface, which then plugs into my computer.  Reaper is my digital audio workstation.  In this case, I'm using the free version of Amped Roots by ML Sound Lab as a digital amp simulator.

To learn more about the theory that goes into this song, check out this older video I made.

The Riff: Guitar 1

This is a fast, fun riff that relies heavily on the A string. You'll need to have more advanced techniques solidified, such as palm-muting, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and tasteful vibrato. While it is fun to play on its own, you can challenge yourself to learn both guitar parts. Doing so will be a great opportunity to study harmony, plus you'd get a taste of the dual guitar experience.

The Riff: Guitar 2

Rhythmically, Guitar 2 is the same as Guitar 1. The difference here is the selection of notes since this guitar part was written to harmonize with the first. Instead of relying heavily on the A string, the notes in Guitar 2 are mostly played on the D string.

Conclusion

Congrats! You now know how to play one of my favorite riffs of all time. Not only that, but you can also play both guitar parts. If you really wanna have some fun with it, learn both guitar parts with a friend so you can each take turns being Zakky Vengeance and Synyster Gates. Just make sure your guitars are in drop D tuning. Start slow with this if you have to. It's okay if you're not up to speed in the beginning. Stick in and I know you can pull it off.

Watch the full lesson here: Avenged Sevenfold - "Unholy Confessions" Guitar Lesson With TABS