It’s Rocktober, so let’s celebrate the infamous six string. The axe for which people are said to sell their souls just to master it. The instrument that stands for genres like rock and metal, but at the same time can melt a heart. Check out our Rocktober Channel for some spicy tracks. Having said that, here are some awesome virtuosos who take the art of shredding to the next level. Chords will get you so far… Get inspired by some Eddie van Halen guitar skills, and Nikki Stringfield shreds!
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Eddie van Halen will inspire you!
Today is the day on which you can go full rockstar. Refresh the strings on your axe, brush that six string, and start kicking out those shreds. While you’re at it, let some of the greatest players in the world be your muse. From the grandfather of guitar shredding Robert Johnson to metal queens like Nikki Stringfield, and Sophie Lloyd. Below, you’ll find some awesome tracks that will challenge your skills. Don’t be afraid to accept this challenge
Robert Johnson – Cross Road Blues
“Cross Road Blues” by Robert Johnson, also simply known as “Crossroad”, is the classic blues song in which one of the best blues players admits he sold his soul for rock ’n’ roll. Well, kind of. The story goes that Robert Johnson just started playing guitar and very quickly became one of the best.
Something that couldn’t be accomplished in a few months, but he had the mad skills. So the rumor was that he met the devil at midnight on a crossroad. He traded the one thing he had to trade …his soul. In return, the Dark Lord awarded him with the gift of shredding.
Nikki Stringfield – Take Me
“Take Me” by Nikki Stringfield is a song on Nikki’s solo debut album Harmonies For The Haunted. On this record we can hear one of the most brutal shred queens do her magic on her six string. Stringfield also sings, which makes her music even cooler. If you’ve never heard of Nikki Stringfield, maybe it’s time to check her out.
She’s the lead guitarist of The Iron Maidens and the band Femme Fatale. Yeah, that’s some metal virtuoso guitar playing alright. As you can see, the track is written in the key of Dm, and all the accompanying chords are pretty basic. Try to play along, and use the notes in the chords to improvise a melody. Even as a beginner, this is useful.
Sophie Lloyd – Bulletproof Revolver
So, you’re an intermediate guitarist, and you’re looking for a challenge? Why don’t you try to play along with “Bulletproof Revolver” by Sophie Lloyd. Sophie is one of the greatest players of the new generation. Her shreds are wild, and the chord progression to this particular song isn’t that difficult. It covers almost all basic triads, so by jamming to it you not only strengthen your fundamentals, but you also learn how to apply them when it comes to shredding.
Eddie van Halen – Eruption
As a pro player, there’s always a challenge to crush, a new star on the horizon to chase. If the songs above are pretty easy, this one will definitely keep you awake at night. “Eruption” by Eddie van Halen will eat you up and spit you out leaving you with painful fingers, and a heart aching for more. Yeah we have the chords inlined for you, but the solo part you’ll have to figure out for yourself.
Rocktober Badge
Found enough inspiration? That’s it! Time to put your skills to work. Of course we want to reward you for all that hard rocking. That’s why we’ll give you the “Rocktober 2022” badge. This consists of three levels and you can earn it by shredding along with the tracks in the Rocktober channel throughout the month October. Enjoy, and happy jamming!
