12 Weeks
Level 2
3-Credit Tuition
$1,545Non-Credit Tuition
$1,290Master both improvised and composed solos and rhythm parts in the Metal/Progressive Rock style through shapes, scales, and theory on the guitar fretboard. Explore an intensive breakdown of scales, shapes, arpeggios, and analysis of use in Metal/Progressive Rock style. Upon completion, you will not only have expanded your writing and improvisational skills, but you will also have tools to to grow your individual playing style.
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
- Identify every note on the fretboard
- Identify major scales/modes, melodic minor scales/modes, harmonic minor scales/modes, and harmonic major scales/modes
- Play with the understanding of the connection of harmony and chord scales
- Compose and improvise both rhythm and lead in tonalities used in the Metal/Prog idioms
- Explain the connection of all triad and 7th arpeggios to the modes
- Develop a never-ending pool of new material for years to come
Syllabus
Lesson 1: Major Scales/Modes
- Hexatonic Octave Scales
- The Never-Ending Scale in C Major
- Real-World Example: Dream Theater
- Assignment 1: Record a Solo of Your Own
Lesson 2: Five-Note Grouping (Pentatonic Scales)
- Pentatonic Scales
- Breaking up the Major Scale
- The Chords
- The Never-Ending Scale in G Major
- Real-World Examples: Paul Gilbert, Eric Johnson, and Zakk Wylde
- Assignment 2: Record a Solo with the Modal Pentatonic Scales
Lesson 3: Connecting the Major Scales to Other Modes
- How Any Major Scale Is Also Six Other Modes
- The Dorian Mode
- The Phrygian Mode
- The Never-Ending Scale in D Major
- Real-World Examples: Kiko Loureiro, Metallica, Judas Priest, and Ozzy/Randy Rhoads
- Assignment 3: Record a Solo in Dorian or Phrygian Mode
Lesson 4: The Mixolydian and Lydian Modes
- The Lydian Mode
- The Mixolydian Mode
- The Never-Ending Scale in A Major
- Real-World Examples: Joe Satriani, Iron Maiden, Dream Theater, and Steve Vai
- Assignment 4: Record a Solo in Mixolydian or Lydian Mode
Lesson 5: Time
- Meter and Metric Modulation in Riffs
- Timing in Solos
- The Never-Ending Scale in E Major
- Real-World Examples: Dream Theater, Meshuggah, Fredrik Thordendal, and Polyphia
- Assignment 5: Record a Solo Manipulating Metric and Timing
Lesson 6: Seventh Chord Arpeggios
- 7th Chord Arpeggios: Third Inversion
- 7th Chord Arpeggios: Second Inversion
- 7th Chord Arpeggios: First Inversion
- Real-World Examples: Guthrie Govan and Marty Friedman
- Assignment 6: Midterm Solo
Lesson 7: Modal Pentatonic Revisited
- Build off an Old Standard
- Dissecting the Old Standard
- The G and B Strings
- The Never-Ending Scale in F Major
- Real-World Examples: Dream Theater, Zakk Wylde, and Metallica
- Assignment 7: Record a Solo with Two Notes per String Patterns
Lesson 8: Triad Arpeggios
- Two-String Triad Arpeggios
- Three-String Triad Shapes
- Triad Sweep Arpeggios
- Triad String Skipping Arpeggios
- The Never-Ending Scale in Bb Major
- Real-World Examples: Extreme, Dream Theater, and Jason Becker
- Assignment 8: Record a Solo Using Triads
Lesson 9: The Harmonic Minor Scale
- Six-Note Shapes of Harmonic Minor
- Chords of the Harmonic Minor
- The Modes of Harmonic Minor
- The Never-Ending Scale in C Harmonic Minor
- Harmonic Minor Pentatonic Modes
- Real-World Examples: Yngwie Malmsteen, Michael Romeo, Metallica, and Judas Priest
- Assignment 9: Record a Solo with the Harmonic Minor Scale
Lesson 10: String Skipping Seventh Arpeggio Patterns
- 7th String Skipping Arpeggios: Root
- 7th String Skipping Arpeggios: Third Inversion
- 7th String Skipping Arpeggios: Second Inversion
- 7th String Skipping Arpeggios: First Inversion
- Real-World Examples: Jeff Loomis, Dimebag Darrell, and Iron Maiden
- Assignment 10: Record a Solo Using String Skipping 7th Arpeggio Patterns
Lesson 11: Octave Displacement
- 7ths, the Other Second
- Open Triads Arpeggios
- Apply it to Harmonic Minor
- Real-World Examples: Jason Richardson, Dream Theater, and Judas Priest
- Assignment 11: Record a Solo Using Octave Displacement
Lesson 12: Other Scales
- Melodic Minor and Modes
- Harmonic Major and Modes
- Real-World Examples: Dream Theater, and Polyphia
- Assignment 12: Record a Solo Utilizing Several Techniques
Requirements
Prerequisites and Course-Specific Requirements
Prerequisite Courses, Knowledge, and/or Skills
Completion of Guitar Chords 101 and Guitar Scales 101 or equivalent knowledge and experience is required.
Textbook(s)
- No textbooks required
Recording
- Students are required to record video while performing with a backing track for their assignments. Options for recording video include:
- Smartphone
- Digital camera
- Webcam (using either video recording software, or the video recording tool that is built into the learning environment)
Software
- Recommended: Amp simulator software such as AmpliTube, Native Instruments Guitar Rig, Positive Grid Bias, etc.
- Note: Audio interface required if using amp simulator software
Instrument
- Electric guitar
Hardware
- Students are required to capture their instrumental performance, as well as monitor audio output. Options include:
- Input (one required):
- Instrument connected directly to audio interface (recommended option; alternatively, the microphone options below can be used with amplified instruments)
- XLR microphone and audio interface
- USB microphone
- Built-in computer/mobile device microphone
- Output (one required):
- Headphones (recommended option; required if multitracking and/or input monitoring a microphone)
- Studio monitors and audio interface
- Built-in or external speakers
- Input (one required):
- Instrument cable
- Note: Depending on your setup, you may also need additional instrument or XLR cables and a microphone stand.
Student Deals
After enrolling, be sure to check out our Student Deals page for various offers on software, hardware, and more. Please contact support@online.berklee.edu with any questions.
General Course Requirements
Below are the minimum requirements to access the course environment and participate in Live Chats. Please make sure to also check the Prerequisites and Course-Specific Requirements section above, and ensure your computer meets or exceeds the minimum system requirements for all software needed for your course.
Mac Users
PC Users
All Users
- Latest version of Google Chrome
- Zoom meeting software
- Webcam
- Speakers or headphones
- External or internal microphone
- Broadband Internet connection
Instructors
Author
Shaun Michaud is a Berklee grad who has been teaching at the school for more than 16 years. The music he has written has appeared on TV on The History Channel, and in films such as Movie 43, and November Criminals. He has written, recorded, and produced five albums, two of which were released on the Inside Out label. Working as a recording engineer for more than a decade, he has hundreds of recording and mastering credits in the classical music genre for Parma Recordings.
What's Next?
When taken for credit, Metal Guitar can be applied towards the completion of these related programs:
Questions?
Contact our Academic Advisors by phone at 1-866-BERKLEE (U.S.), 1-617-747-2146 (INT'L), or by email at advisors@online.berklee.edu.
