*Player Style File*
by Daz M
January 2001 - Yngwie Malmsteen
Happy new year guys, I hope you all have had a good rest period, but
frankly now is the time for work, and to accompany the new site I've
taken a new spin on my column. For the next few months, I will be
looking at actual well-known players; their approach to lead licks
and rhythm styles. This is not an encouragement for you to copy the
featured artist, it merely hopes to allow you to grapple with their
style in 4 or so examples; a quick guide almost. The aim is to
incorporate new ideas into your playing, and seeing licks in 'real
life' situations. Thus, my examples will be a selection of both pure
technical examples and real note-for-note transcriptions by me from
the featured player's music.
With winter upon us, I thought that we could do with something to keep
our hands warm. Hence this month's rather predictable focus on the
forefather of neo-classic shred - Sir Yngwie of Malmsteen. Known
primarily for his melodic but 'sometimes' over indulgent use of speed,
his use of the harmonic scale revolutionized the way guitarists saw the
guitar in the 80's. So quickly after the public had just got over Eddie
Van Halen, Yngwie came along and blew everyone away with his use of
classical flavor to a rock context. The examples give a rudimentary
feel of his style but ideally anyone interested ought to check out some
of his solo (and Alcatraz) work - my favorites are his debut
'Rising Force' and 'Eclipse'CD's. Other points of mention include his
work with classical orchestra and his latest two metal offerings
'Facing The Animal' and 'War To End All Wars' his cool new one I got
for my 19th birthday a few weeks ago. Lastly, all examples are in
Mp3 format on my website@:
www.d14andbleedingme.homestead.com/insaneguitar.html
Feel free to mail me with comments or player requests if you are dying
to see any player covered in particular... but over the next few months,
I'm going to be looking at Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Paul Gilbert, and Shawn
Lane.
Enjoy,
Daz M
daz14@metallica.com
www.mp3.com/dazmalekpour/
Example one
Firstly, it is rather important to realize what the harmonic minor
scale is. Basically, it is your average natural minor with the 7th
note raised a semitone - in E natural minor the 7th note is a D, so
in the harmonic variant, it becomes a D#... and so on. Malmsteen
usually plays in Eb minor, with his strat de-tuned, but forget about
this here, just play the tab - some of it is in Eb anyway. The other
point is his scale playing - fast and furious, he alternate picked
almost everything, so do so yourselves.
i) The two scales. Spot the difference (duh!)
ii) Perhaps his most used lick ever - believe me, I've heard enough
Malmsteen to realize not a song goes by without this baby...
it may be a little tricky at first because of the 4-note per string
bits, but persevere because it crops up everywhere.
iii) A usual route of ascent, Yngwie likes to rise one one string only,
with strict alternate picking
iv) No Yngwie song goes without a dabble in the diminished scale -
here we have a couple of licks he uses all the time - note both the
change in key from E minor to a complementing 4th higher to A
minor, as well as the wild vibrato. The vibrato is a main point in
his playing, an area well worth focusing on. No whammy bar vibratos
either! It must be your fingers only.
v) Another example of an A minor lick plays regularly.
i) E natural minor (2 octaves)
|-------------------------------------*-----*------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------13-15-17-15-13---------------------------------|
|------------------*------12-14-16--------------16-14-12-------*-----------------|
|-----------------12-14-16------------------------------16-14-12-----------------|
|---------12-14-15----------------------------------------------15-14-12---------|
|-12-14-15--------------------------------------------------------------15-14-12-|
E harmonic minor (2 octaves)
|-------------------------------------*-----*------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------13-16-17-16-13---------------------------------|
|------------------*------12-14-16--------------16-14-12-------*-----------------|
|-----------------13-14-16------------------------------16-14-13-----------------|
|---------12-14-15----------------------------------------------15-14-12---------|
|-12-14-15--------------------------------------------------------------15-14-12-|
ii) E minor
|---------17-19-20-19-17----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-17-19-20--------------20-19-17-16-17-19-17-16-----------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------16-17-16-14------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------17-16-14-13-14-16-14-13-------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------14-15-14-12--------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------15-14-12\11~--|
iii) E minor
|-----15-12-14-15-14-12-17-14-15-17-15-14-19-15-17-19-17-15-20-17-19-20-19-17-22~~-----|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
iv) E minor A minor
|----20-19-17---19-17------17-------------|----13-12-10---12-10------10----------------|
|------------20------20-19---20-19-17-----|------------13------13-12---13-12-10--------|
|------------------------------------20~~-|------------------------------------13~~----|
|-----------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
v) A minor
|---------12-13-16-13-12-13-12-10---------------------------------|
|-12-13-15-----------------------13-12-10-------------------------|
|----------------------------------------13-10-9------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------12-10-9-----------|
|------------------------------------------------------12-11~~----|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
Example two
An important element in classical music that previously stumped all but
a keyboard player was classical use of fast arpeggios - often played over
two or three octaves. Yngwie's unique style amazed all players by his
melodic, clean and fast arpeggio work - this was later described as 'sweep
picking'. Here below are a few 'arps' (for short) in increasing complexity
that may help define the neo-classical statement. In one fluid motion, the
pick is stroked across the strings, instead of alternate picking each one -
very much like a slower and controlled strum even. The key here is to avoid
the strings ringing or being muffled - removing your hand from the fret
after the note has been played helps this, or you can even muted with your
right hand, although this is a little more trickier.
i) A straight sweep, notice the direct relation to a normal barred A
minor chord.
ii) The leap from the E to the A (9-14) is a position shift from the
index finger on the E to the ring finger on the A, so don't slide.
Notice the conjunction of two chords in the same lick.
iii) Somewhat trickier, this lick uses tapping to spice things up.
Enjoy. While Yngwie strictly never tap-swept, I won't be covering
neo-classicism in a while yet, so I included some here. Used
primarily by the 'super clones' as I like to call them (Vinnie
Moore, Tony MacAlpine, Greg Howe etc...), speed licks & ideas such
as these took neo-classicism off at a tangent (in my opinion) and
'occasionally' (hmmmm...) helped create music and subsequently
albums upon albums of emotionally drained yet hyper-technical
playing. Well, make up your own minds ;o)
i) A minor ii) A minor E minor
|----------------5h8p5----------------|---------------12h15/19p15-----------------|
|--------------5-------5--------------|-------------13-----------17---------------|
|------------5-----------5------------|---------9-14---------------16-------------|
|----------7---------------7----------|------10----------------------17-----------|
|--------7-------------------7--------|----12--------------------------19---------|
|----5h8-----------------------8p5----|-------------------------------------------|
iii) E minor
|-------12h15p12---------15h19h20t24p20p19p15------------12h15h17t20p17p15p12-----|
|-----12--------12-----17--------------------17--------13--------------------13---|
|---12------------12/16------------------------16\12h14------------------------14-|
|-14------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Example three
It is an understatement to say Yngwie's rhythm playing is not focused
upon much... yet it is here that he offers some of the most beastly rhythm
playing indeed. Alright, this is probably because he uses his lead
techniques, but this is not always the case - I absolutely adore his
acoustic playing. and if anyone has ever heard 'Icarus' Dream Suite'
off Rising force, you will know what I mean. All examples in E minor.
i) Far Beyond The Sun - one of my favorite pieces ever, notice the
tonal changes as different scales are used here and there to build
a crescendo... the use of the diminished is cool too, showing the
build up in mood it can bring.
ii) Brave Heart - notice the lead breaking through. Apart from that,
its good solid metal! Arrr! etc...
iii) Bedroom Eyes (live) - funk-tastic display of a different side of
Yngwie. Very Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), but hey, its cool.
i)
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------6-7~-----------------6~-----------------4~-------------------|
|-4-4-4-3~---6-6-6-4~---7-7-7-6~---9-9-9-8~---8-9------7-7-7-6---6-7-9----6-6-6-4~--4-6-7----4-3--6-3---------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5-2-----|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4-1-|
|------------------------------------13h14p13p10------------------------------------------13h14p13p10---------|
|-----------------------------------------------14-12-10---------------------------------------------14-12-10-|
|-------------------------------------------------------13-11-10----------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------12-11-9---------------------------------------|
|-------2-4-5-4-2---------------6-7------------------------------------12-11-9------6-7-----------------------|
|-2-4-5-----------5-4-2\1/2~----7-7-------------------------------------------13~---7-7-----------------------|
|---------------------------------------10-13p10-------------13-16p13--------------16--19/21~------13h14p13p10|
|------------------------------------12----------12-------15----------15--------18----------------------------|
|-13-11-10---------------------10/13----------------13/16----------------16-/19-------------------------------|
|---------12-11-9---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------12-11-9-----------------------------------------------------------------------6-7------------|
|-----------------------13~--------------------------------------------------------------------7-7------------|
|-----------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|14-12-10---------------------------------|------------------------------7-6-7~--10-9-10~--14-13-14-14~--19-18|
|--------13-11-10-------------------------|----------------------6-5-6~---------------------------------------|
|----------------12-11-9------------------|-4-3-4~---4-7-6-7~-7-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------12-11-9------6-7~-|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------13~---7-7~-|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------17-16-17~--21-20-21~---21-19-17-16-19-17-16-14-17-16-14-13-16-14p13-----------------------------------||
|-19~---------------------------------------------------------------------15-14-12---------------------------||
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------13-11-10-------------------||
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------12-11-9------------||
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------12-11-9-----||
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------13~--||
ii)
x4 x4
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|------------------------8-9-11-9-8----------------------|
|---9-----8-----7-----10~--9-8---|-9~-10~-7~--------7-9-10----------10-9-7----------------|
|---7-----7-----7------9~--7-7---|-7~--9~-5~--7-9-10----------------------10-9-7----------|
|-----0-0---0-0---0-0------------|----------------------------------------------11-8-7~---|
iii)
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5-------------|
|--5tr7~--x\----5h7-7-------5-5-5h7-----5h7-7-----5h7-7--------5h7-7-------5-5-5h7--5tr7~----7-5---------|
|---------x\----------0-5h7---------x-x-------5h7-------3-3~---------0-5h7-----------------------7-3-3~--|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------5-----------5------------2-|
|-5h7-7-------5-5-5h7-----5h7-7-----5h7-7--------5h7-7-------5-5-5h7--5h7-7~----7-5---------7-5--------2-|
|-------0-5h7---------x-x-------5h7-------3-3~---------0-5h7-----------------------7-3-3~-------7-3-3~-0-|
Example four
I could not do injustice to Yngwie by not covering his pedal tone
technique, could I? Well, he uses it in a very subtle way, 'here
and there' poking out from everywhere, but rarely ever portraying
it full on. Here are two examples of the way he uses it.
i) Straight pedal tone on C (fret 17, E string). Use the finger
pattern provided for best results.
ii) I'll See The Light Tonight - little pedal bit. A good example of
full on pedaling without a bicycle ;o) For this one, Yngwie
has been quoted as saying he used only his first three
fingers... bit of a stretch for some, so do what you feel
comfortable with.
i) E minor x2
|----19-20-17-20-15-20-14-20-19-20-17-20-15-20-14-20----|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------|
3 4 2 4 1 4 1 4 3 4 2 4 1 4 1 4
ii) Ab minor x2
|----9-12-11-12-9-12-11-12-7-11-9-11-7-11-9-11-6-9-7-9-6-9-7-9-4-7-6-7-4-7-6-7----|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
1 3 2 3 1 3 2 3 1 3 2 3 1 3 2 3 1 3 2 3 1 3 2 3 1 3 2 3 1 3 2 3
Example five
What about melody? While some may sneer in disrespect at Mr Malmsteen's
melodies, I feel that he is as strong here as anywhere else. Here is the
melody from 'Far Beyond The Sun', off Rising Force. Make the notes quiver
a bit to make them 'sing' in an 'Yngwie' way.
i) Note the stretchy sweeps and melody note choice (very 'classical').
'HB' = half bend (a semitone)
i) HB HB
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------13--14------13--14--16~--14---16~--16--14h16p14\13-13-14~~~---13h14-13-----|
|-14h16----------16-------------------------------------------------------------14--|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------14-17p14--21p14--17p14---------|
|----14--------14-----14-----14-------|
|--14--------------------------14-----|
|16------------------------------16~--|
|-------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|
HB HB
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------13--14------13--14--16~--14---16~--16--14h16p14\13-13-14~~~---13h14-13-----|
|-14h16----------16-------------------------------------------------------------14--|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
|-------14-19-17-15-14-15-14------------|
|-----14--------------------16p14-/18~~-|
|14h16----------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------|
Example six
Often neglected in terms of recognition is Yngwie's blues\pentatonic
style. OK so its not strictly 'da blooz' but some of it is quite nice
- and yet again - this was an area of copy-cat playing - even Paul
Gilbert owes about 90% of his now much flaunted blues style to Yngwie.
This is a clip of me playing my transcribed version of the second half
of the main solo (the melodic bit) to Yngwie's live version of the
undeniably funky 'Bedroom Eyes', taken from his 'Live!!' CD. I thought
I'd take the live version mainly because it is a little bit more
technique intense... so practice slowly! Try to catch the groove - if
you can, compare the live and studio versions together for a bigger view
on this area. It's in Eb minor but do not detune guitar, the tab
accomodates for this.
i) BU BU LD BU BU LD BU BU pick etc...
|-----------------------------------------------------------16(18)-14-16p14-18p14-19-19~--21(22)21(22)21(22)~|
|------------------------------14(16)-14(16)14p11------------------------------------------------------------|
|13(15)-13(15)13-11~~-------11-------------------13-11~~-13~\------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------11h13----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|18-18-19-18-16-18-14-16-18-16-14-16-13-14-16-14-13-11-13-14-13-11---------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------14-13-11-13-14-13-11------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------13-11~~~~~-|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
MB MB
|-------------------------------------------------------11-14-16-14-11-----------------------------|
|----11h14p11----11h14p11-------------11-13----11-13-14----------------16-11-14-16-14-11-----------|
|-13~---------13~---------13-11-13-14-------14-------------------------------------------14p13p11~-|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
BU
|-14p11------11-14p11------11-16p13------13-16~~~--21(23)~~~--14-14-14-14-13-14-13-11----11-13-14-13-11---|
|------12--12--------12--12--------14--14---------------------------------------------14---------------14-|
|--------11------------11------------13-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|11----------------------------------------------------------------------11-13----11-13-14-13-11----11-13-14-|
|---14-13-11-13-14-13-11----11-13-14-13-11----11-13-14-13-11----11-13-14-------14----------------14----------|
|------------------------14----------------14----------------14----------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
HB
|13-11-------------------------------------------11-13-14-13-11----------------11-13-14-13-11----------------------------|
|------14-11-13-14-13-11----11-13-14-13-11-13-14----------------14-13-11-13-14----------------14~-11---------------------|
|------------------------14--------------------------------------------------------------------------13-13-11------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------13-11-13~~\|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
www.d14andbleedingme.homestead.com/insaneguitar.html
www.mp3.com/dazmalekpour
daz14@metalllica.com
|