To be honest, I thought that Smoke on the Water was THE forbidden riff but I loved that video! 
I gotta get me one of those Big Muffs, though. And a RAT, obviously, because more (classic) gear means that I’m gonna instantly become a better player.
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When I first saw the title, that was the song I was thinking of as well.
Going through a few other videos his done, came across one that listed songs you’ll never hear getting played n a gutair shop, and still never mentioned Smoke on the Water which was a surprise
Yeah same.
Although it’s typically one of the first things fa that guitar teachers try to teach you to practice and that’s why there is a general dislike of it.
Also honourable mention to Enter Sandman main riff
Funny thing, I’ve never even thought of trying to learn Stairway to Heaven but one the first riffs I learned to play on the guitar was Smoke on the Water, just to see if I could pick it up by ear. It was so simple and everyone knew it, so I thought “OK, if I can’t get this one right, I shouldn’t bother with this thing”. I didn’t improve much since then, though!
Since we’re talking about forbidden riffs/songs, in these parts, everyone starts learning guitar by learning Nothing Else Matters for some reason. I remember people telling me “you should learn that one, it’s so easy, everyone can play it” but I had many difficulties with it, especially with the arpeggiated stuff during the verses (I think it’s called like that in English, please correct me if I’m wrong - that thing when you play a chord note by note).
Paranoid is also one song that might be filed under “forbidden” category as well, haha! I’m sure there are many more but these are the ones that immediately pop up in my mind.
My go to riff to start off with at a guitar store is Redneck by Lamb of God. It’s got a nice little squeal in the middle. Also Back In The Village by Iron Maiden.
I’ve been listening to Iron Maiden for twenty years and if there’s one song that I never thought someone would say “yeah, I like to play that one”, it’s that one (Gangland being a close second)!
I can see why you’d like it and Redneck as warmup, though. Kudos to you, those are way too fast for me and I’m truly envious! Then again, I suspected you might be an advanced player if you’re looking at Aristides.
I’ve spent the last few days trying to learn the solo from Only For the Weak by In Flames but that quickfire part is killing me. I thought that my playing would improve quicker if I identified songs that have something peculiar, a lick or something that can be used while learning other songs (for example, I find a lot of Jimmy Page licks in Judas Priest, Metallica and Trouble solos, there are quick triplets and minor scale melodies in Iron Maiden and In Flames music etc.). If you have an advice or some other material, YouTube channel or something else to recommend, I’m all ears!
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Pick a section of the solo, a small one. Master it, then move to the next section. Slow it down using Guitar Pro to play sling. All it takes us regular practice. Also listen to the solo a lot so you can get the feel for it. Make sure you’re warmed up for 10 minutes before you go for the solos (both left and right hand)
Solos I can play (close to full tempo)
Most of Erotomania plus the fast solo near the end (DT)
Solo from As I am (DT)
Solo from Lie (DT)
Return to Serenity (Testament)
My Last Words (Megadeth)
Some solo parts of Hypersonic and Acid Rain (LTE)
Some solo parts of Technical Difficulties and God of the Monsters (Racer X)
And other small bits I can’t remember
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One that has been doing my head in for years is the solo to The Final Countdown. Getting those triplets to speed and clean is proving a tough cookie to crack.
You’ve picked just three of the hardest hitting and most important songs to me, my hat’s off to you, mate. Just reading your post made me feel good. I can only imagine how much practice it took, I don’t know if there’s a technique that is associated in metal music that isn’t present in those songs. People know about Petrucci but Skolnick has to be one of the most underrated guitar virtuosos around. I love Testament (and I love Dream Theater up to and concluding with Train of Thought album).
At this point, there are only four or five solos that I’m able to play almost to the note. Obviously, they are all mid-tempo ballads, so it’s nowhere near the advanced stuff you play - as the meme goes, “it ain’t much but it’s honest work”, haha:
Unforgiven and Nothing Else Matters by Metallica
Beyond the Realms of Death by Judas Priest
All This Time by Rage
Brother by Alice In Chains
When I get some spare time, I try to work on Only for the Weak and Satellites and Astronauts by In Flames, Going Down to Die by Danzig, Memory’s Garden by Trouble and The God That Failed by Metallica. I understand that Hammett isn’t the most complex guitar player around but his energetic fast runs of old are doing my head in (that descending lick in The God That Failed, for example, one he usually play a variation of in a lot of his solos).
That said, most of the time, I practice playing rhythm guitar, it helps tone down the frustration of not picking up a guitar twenty years ago and not being able to at least play what Hammett played on the first five albums. 
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It won’t help you a bit but I know how it feels!
Start with scale runs to build up you speed and don’t be afraid of going for tough solos. I love Skolnick and the solo from RtS is hauntingly beautiful. Petrucci is my current favourite.
Other players I love (can only play bits and pieces of their stuff) are Guthrie Govan, Tosin Abasi, Bumblefoot (what a player!), Nuno Bettencourt, Marty Friedman, of course Vai and Satriani, Jeff Loomis, Dimebag…Love the riffs of Carcass, Exodus, Lamb of God, Pantera
Do it for 10 mins every day without fail. You will be surprised how quickly. Trust me. I can play stuff now I couldn’t imagine playing
Jeff Loomis is my favourite guitar player of all time - maybe in terms of pure technical ability and “mad genius”, innovative approach to guitar, Guthrie is the best guitar player in the world at the moment but in my mind no one compares with Loomis in terms of ability to convey vast array of emotions through music that is quite aggressive and extremely technical. He’s also at home with everything from blues to death metal, incredible player and a great composer. I still can’t get over the fact that he’s playing in Arch Enemy (bang average band in my opinion, at least for the past ten years or so). At least his Jackson Kelly signature model is outstanding…
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I kick myself for having the opportunity to see him in Nevermore in London and not taking it. Now Warrell Dane is gone so that’s never happening
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There used to be a player called Shawn Lane…I don’t think there has ever been a guitar player with more extreme ability. Faster than anything ever before or after but incredibly clean at the same time. Sadly passed away very young from complications with psoriasis.
In terms of guitar mad genius that’s the perfect description for Allan Holdsworth. He literally wrote his own scales and modes.
Also I totally forgot to mention another mad genius (I don’t dare touch his stuff because if you play it too slowly it doesn’t “sound” right) is Ron Jarzombek. Who also has his own music theory he goes by. Check out his band Blotted Science. Blew my mind when I listened to it.
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I’m familiar with all of them actually - but I’m not at all into jazz or fusion, they never clicked for me, unfortunately. It’s been a while since I heard Shawn Lane’s name (I listened to his solo albums but that was a really, really long time ago) until a few months ago when I saw some interview with Guthrie Govan, where he said that he used to transcribe his songs for some guitar magazine as he was intent on transcribing the hardest possible song(s) in existence. I only realised at that moment just how insanely talented he is and how revered Lane was among the very best guitar players.
When it comes to Jarzombek, I remember Blotted Science being too confusing for me. I could dig Spastic Ink albums, they were made with a strong sense of humour but all of that was way too technical for my liking. As I grew older, I listened less and less to such music and guys like Tony MacAlpine (you surely know about him - in my opinion, he has to be in every discussion about the best guitar player in the world, and he’s also a great pianist) and Vinnie Moore, instead focusing on more “emotional”, often slower/less technically demanding subgenres of metal music.
I have to admit that all of these guys could and should be the reasons why someone like me never touches the guitar again! I look at them and think that they were born with it, that they don’t need to practice and instead just play whatever comes up in their mind at any particular moment. I’m kicking myself for not being able to pick up the guitar as a kid but I guess that’s it better late than never.
As for Nevermore… I have my Big Five and Nevermore are in it alongside Type O Negative, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Paradise Lost. I had the privilege to see the latter three but Nevermore and TON ships have unfortunately sailed for me, too. There has to be a great band in the sky where Warrel is the singer, Chuck Schuldiner is on guitars and Pete Steele is on bass. Fun fact: Warrel was actually the guy Chuck intended to have as the lead singer in his Control Denied project but they couldn’t arrange it due to conflicting schedules.
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Acoustic Guitar Mass Production Process. 50 Year Old Korean Musical Instrument Factory - YouTube
Fascinating…
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All I can add is that both of my guitars (albeit electric) are made in South Korea and I’m already looking at the third one that is made in the same factory. Incredible craftsmanship, certainly the best quality to price ratio I’ve come across in guitars.
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Correct me if I’m wrong but weren’t some Squires built in Korea and are some of the most sought after Squire Strats now?
Just have this vague memory of something like that. Perhaps it was another brand come to think of it?
Im loving my HSS Fender Strat. The humbucker makes it so versatile. I’ve added a Waah, fuzz and Drop pedal to my paraphernalia. The drop pedal is amazing for someone like me who plays a lot of tuned down stuff so I don’t have to re-tune my guitar every other song or take 2 guitars to practice.
Been learning a lot of songs lately. A few are:
L7- Pretend were dead
The Cult - She sell sanctuary
Alice In Chains - Bleed the Freak
Nirvana - too many to list
Bon Jovi - Living in Sin
So the people I hook up once a month want to take what do to the pubs. So we are meeting up on Good Friday to discuss starting at the local boozers open mike night, band name and songs to really nail and get down. Only need 3 and so far we have - Rockin in the Free World, Highway to Hell and Cocaine (who doesn’t!).
Its tricky being in a covers band as I don’t want to play the usual songs but we cant really throw a deep cut b-side for say, The Cult, as 99.9% of the pub wont know it and will fuck off.
Dawned on me the other day that I’ve only been playing guitar for 2 years now - started April 4th in first lockdown.
Honestly its the best thing I’ve ever done and made me regret giving up when I was 15 (and countless other times) as imagine how good Id be now at 47.
For those struggling - a few tips:
It doesn’t come over night.
Practice practice practice - that’s the main “secret” - the more you practice you’ll build up muscle memory and that makes life so much easier but also you will train your ear so you can hear when somethings not quite right.
15-30 minutes a day is all you need - although I am a bit of guitar nutter and normally do an hour a day but it varys of a weekend as it depends if I’m hung over, watching the Reds or where I am in the county taking my daughter to football!
Songs - we all want to belt out our fav song but for a first song pick a song you really like and know how it goes off by heart - also make it an easy song. You’ll be amazed how many of the greatest songs of all time are 3 chords.
Dont give yourself something impossible to do when you first start like I did when I was 15 - i thought Id have the Sweet Child o Mine solo nailed in a day. Never gonna happen.
Also unless you are thinking of joining a band (which you probably aren’t for first year) don’t get too bogged down in the song. Just learn intro, verse and chorus. That’ll do for a start. You only need to learn the entire song when you join band or do 1 man shows.
Also if you are struggling, 10 mins practice and come back the next day. You’ll be amazed how much your brain has absorbed when you are asleep. The next day will be easier.
Theres loads of good teachers on Youtube with free starter courses - Andy Guitar, Justin Guitar songs - start with these as they do 2 and 3 chord songs plus how to change chord courses.
Seriously if someone like me with no patience can learn the guitar anyone can. Am I the level I want to be yet? Nope far far far from it but if you told me Id be sorting out playing pubs 2 years ago Id never have believed you.
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