Tenacious D - "The Metal" Guitar Lesson With Tabs

In this lesson, I get to show you how to play one of the most fun riffs I have ever learned: “The Metal” by Tenacious D. The riff is fast, flashy, and absolutely HEAVY. Not only will I walk you through how to play the riff step-by-step, but I’ll also hook you up with tabs to help support you visually. By the end of this lesson, you’ll be equipped to play an insanely fun riff that is sure to impress whoever you play it for.

Overview

• Tuning: Other sources indicate the song is in drop D tuning. The main riff can be played in E standard and that is the way I’ll be showing you in this lesson. If you want to play in drop D, feel free to adapt the material accordingly by playing everything on the low E string 2 frets higher than what I demonstrate.
• Chords: E and F power chords.
• Scale: Phrygian mode.

To learn more about the theory that goes into this song, check out the video I made that analyzes this song and shows you how to take it to the next level.

E Power Chord (E5)

F Power Chord (F5)

Phrygian Mode

The Riff: Section 1

Section 1 of the main riff for "The Metal" introduces the E5 chord followed by a fast sequence of sixteenth notes. The sixteenth notes are performed mostly using hammer-ons and pull-offs.

The Riff: Section 2

Section 2 begins the same as the first measure in Section 1. The F5 chord is introduced during the turnaround portion of the riff. Hammer-ons and pull-offs continue to be used during this section.

Conclusion

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. We've covered the chords and the scale used to give this song its heavy metal power. You also got to see how both sections of the riff are played in E standard tuning. Now go out there and master the riff that lives up to the name of the genre! 🤘

Watch the full lesson here: Tenacious D - "The Metal" Guitar Lesson With Tabs