lordphobos

Pets (Bridge Lead)

Yo! Here's this week's lesson. It bounces between scales a little bit, but primarily happens in this C harmonic minor (tabbed below). The galloping rhythm of the melody really contributes to the regal character, it's a rhythm I love to use a ton. This is a good one to practice vibrato as well.

There's a TAB for both parts of the guitarmony (guitar harmony), low and high. However, in the video lesson I focus on the lower of the two.

--------------------------------3-4-7--
------...

Pale Blue Dot (Chorus)

So I basically had to relearn this for the lesson, turns out I've been playing it wrong live the last few years! But today I can assure you that you'll be learning the most accurate rendition as played on the studio recording!

Here's the blues scale that gave birth to this part:

-------------------------------3-6---
----------------------4-6-7---------
---------------3-5-------------------
-------3-4-5------------------------
-3-6--------------------------------
---...

Only the Best (Bridge)

Here's the bridge from Only the Best. This part doesn't have any repetition, but instead plays some complex riffage underneath a groovy and rhythmic piano part.

You can think of it in 2 parts. The first is measures 1-6 which play a repetitive 3 note single note melody in between big power chord shots. The latter starts at measure 7 and are 4 note chromatic runs walking down to the root note of each chord.

The key here is to pick hard and play with a bit of attitude. Having a (posi...

Grand Prix (Bridge)

Here's a part from the bridge in Grand Prix. The band plays this driving groove behind a large epic orchestration. I think this section would be perfect if played at a large sporting event.

This gives you a good opportunity to work on palm muting as well as reaching for triads on strings 2-4, which is a pretty classic 80s guitar thing to do.

TAB is attached!

Grand Prix (Rhythm)

Today we will be looking at the rhythm guitar in Grand Prix. It's one of the many rhythmic elements that gives the song its momentum.

One thing I forgot to mention in the video is that I'm using a common trick where you take open strings in the key and use them to add some glam to your chords. This song is in A major, so the E and B strings can both be used to spice things up. It gives you a very chimey sound that's pretty great when used sparingly. This lesson also truly falls off the ...

Black Swan (Chorus)

Today we'll be continuing last week's discussion of Black Swan. After the verse covered in the last lesson we will learn the chorus, or at least what I believe is the chorus.

This part is designed to play around the vocals. This is a useful approach to take when writing a part. When the vocals take a rest, the guitar steps in and plays a melodic fill. This creates a call and response effect. Towards the end, it switches to playing long ambient chords.

On the actual recording I s...

Black Swan (Verse)

I've got an EZ one for you this week. This could be the very first riff you ever learn, it's that simple!

But, if you're jonesing for a challenge, there is a second verse which ups the ante somewhat. Get ready to down hold some shapes and strum your heart out.

TAB is attached. Drop your questions or comments down below!

Pale Blue Dot (Verse)

This week, one of my several thousand snake plants and I would like to teach you a timeless funky TWRP verse.

I teach the lower part in the video, but there's also a higher guitarmony in the TAB. Lines 1-2 are the low part, and lines 3-4 are the high part. The low part is the main one, and the one I play live. 

The riff is in C minor, and focuses on providing some percussion to the part, while the synths provide the harmony underneath. You can think of it as coming out of thi...

Judge Bitch - Eternal Champion (Main Riff)

One more Judge Bitch riff before going back into more TWRP/Phobos stuff starting next week!

This riff sounds like this:   
\m/ 👹\m/

If you can play power chords, you can play this riff. The only technique aside from that is sliding. I'd classify it as a 'beginner' riff.

TAB is attached! Drop any questions down below.

Judge Bitch - Trash Pandas (Main Riff)

Here's something I've received a few requests for, so I figured this would be a fun to add to the archives!

Rip your sleeves off. Drop any questions down below. 

TAB is attached.

Maximum Thrust (Outro)

Yo! This part is one of my favs. It's a longer part so this lesson is a bit on the longer end.  There's 2 parts here that create a harmony (I like to call it a guitarmony) - I'll describe the main one, but the other one is also in the attached TAB. Much of the mechanics I describe in this video apply to both parts, the only difference is the actual notes being played.

As per tradition, this part will be ranked INTERMEDIATE in difficulty.

Drop any questions or comments down be...

Wherever, Whenever, Forever (B Section)

Here's part 2 of this tune which we began a few weeks ago. Go listen to PHOBOS IV if you haven't already heard this mystical tune!

The right hand pattern is outlined in the previous lesson on this song. I play though the part at 0:00, and isolate the left hand chords at 0:28.

As mentioned in the previous lesson, the soft acoustic tones bring out a gentler more silent nature within me, so there is no speaking in this video (and maybe the audio setup is a little janky when playing...

Maximum Thrust (Chorus)

Hey!

This is a part that provides a counter melody to the vocals. It also doubles as a good exercise for unison bends. This is a common rock n roll technique. Description on how to pull off these maneuvers is in the video.

Once you know the techique, the part isn't too hard in theory. But it's also super tiring since you have to keep bending over and over again, which can be challenging the closer to the nut you're playing. With these factors taken into consideration, like most ...

Wherever, Forever, Whenever (A Section)

Have you listened to PHOBOS IV? If you have, grab an acoustic guitar (or any guitar really) and check this lesson out. If you haven't, drop what you're doing immediately and go listen to it right now!

I do not speak in this lesson. Something about the acoustic guitar brings out a more gentle nature within me, and I felt that even to utter a single word in the same room as such a delicate instrument would be really rude.

---

This part uses a very common right hand fingerpic...

Somewhere Out There (Prechorus)

Today we explore the pre-chorus to this smooth jam.

I like to call these kinds of parts Stangs, due to their influence from the guitarist Andy Summers and his association with the musician Stang. 

Do you hear the dotted 8th note delay on my guitar? This tone is CLASSIC!

Any shredders out there should loop the final alternate picking fill. It's very useful, because that pattern can be applied to tons of different 3-note-per-string scales.

TAB is attached.

-...

The No Pants Dance (Bridge)

Yo,

Swap those pants out for an electric guitar today, we have a lot of work to do. 

This riff is a favorite of mine, because when we play it live my best pal Meouch and I get to do a fun coordinated dance. And it sounds cool too, I suppose.

TAB is attached. Drop those burning questions down below!

- Phibbis

Top Secret (Funk Section)

Time for a secret riff this week. (shh, don't tell anyone)

There's a base repetitive riff here, which occasionally has a funky fill thrown in the middle. I'll break these down in the video, as well as the key changes that happen partway through. Also pay attention to the ghost notes that I play, they are absolutely vital into getting a funky sound.

TAB is attached, drop any questions or comments down below!

Also, if you have any Phobos IV riffs you'd like to see transcribed ...

Only the Best (Prechorus)

Hey! 

This week we'll be exploring more of the certified TWRP hit, Only the Best. (look back a few weeks for a lesson on the chorus)

This part is a massive joy to play. It lightly palm mutes the individual notes of the underlying chord progression. That progression is:

G - D - A - Bm
G - D - A - D
G - D - F#/A# - Bm
Em - G/A

_____________

Also, the second chorus does a different fill on the way in which I didn't put in the lesson/TAB, so I'll put...

Wherever, Forever, Whenever

PHOBOS IV comes out tomorrow so I thought that rather than doing a lesson this week, I would share another track one day early - exclusively for all you patrons!

Really, this is a token of appreciation. Thanks for following this page and tuning in my goofy and chaotic music lessons. I hope they're helpful to you as a guitarist, musician, or as someone who's generally curious.

PS - Obviously this goes without saying, but this is intended for only patrons to hear, so do not share be...

Only the Best (Chorus)

Here's a catchy riff played up on the higher strings. It uses 2 note chords - sometimes called 'double stops'. During each chord in the underlying arrangement, the guitar alternates between a pair of these. 

The part itself is somewhat Van Halen-y. The combo of these high figures played with lots of gain gives it this sound.

Also, the underlying chords to this section are: Dmaj - Amaj - A#dim - Bmin - Gmaj - Emin - Amaj

Enjoy!

Destination (Vocal Break)

This week we'll be looking at the vocal break section of Destination. 

I love writing these kinds of parts where the guitar plays a repetitive figure. Underneath, the other instruments change chords, each time re-contextualizing the guitar and adding a new layer of depth to the arrangement.

There's a few techniques included here, like vibrato and palm mutes. Oh and there's a bend too. But otherwise, the riff is pretty easy and I think you'll have a relatively smooth time lear...

Atomic Karate (Verse)

Here's a short and spanky part which I am thrilled to share with you today.

Regarding the feel here, the key is to get a nice clean tone and play the notes quick and choppy. It comes from an extended C minor pentatonic scale which looks like:

--------------------
--------------------
-------------3-5---
------1-3/5-------
-1-3--------------
-------------------

TAB is attached.

Have fun!

Body Image (Prechorus)

This week we will be continuing our discussion of Body Image. The part uses double stops in 3rds - a very melodic sound with lots of movement. Explanation is in the video, and the TAB is attached.

I take a little stumble at the end here. It's just a demonstration of the extreme lengths we at Lord Phobos Patreon will go to ensure you receive the best lesson quality possible.

- Phibbis

Body Image (Chorus)

This funky lesson is a multidisciplinary one, so put some time aside and enter the classroom.

The guitar lesson starts around 2:10. Drop any of those thoughtful questions or comments down below.

Enjoy!

Synthesize Her (Bridge)

Here's a very easy one. It all takes place on 1 string and uses only 3 notes. Anyone and maybe even their grandma can play this hard rocker.

Drop any questions or comments down below! TAB is attached.

Starlight Brigade (Outro)

This week on the zone of infinite tone we will be studying my contribution to the outro of Starlight Brigade.

One thing I'd like to add is that it more or less happens in two little pockets/collections of C minor notes. The first one in particular has a very lyrical flow to it. Here they are:

#1
---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
-------------------------7-8-10/12--
------------------8-10----------------
------ 5 6-8/10--...

Atomic Karate (Chorus - 2nd Guitar)

Revisiting the chorus to Atomic Karate, since there are 2 guitar parts in the section. We did the funky clean part over a year ago, and today we'll be covering the distorted lead part.

What's your favorite of the 2?

Drop any questions down below!

On This Rock (Prechorus)

Do you like chords? I have lots of chords for you today. This part is a sparse textural part, so if you have any chorus, delay, or reverb, they can all go a long way to enhancing this part and turning it into more of a vibe.

TAB is attached. Drop any questions or comments down below!

Starlight Brigade (Bridge)

Arr. Here's a little sea shanty for you all.

I became a little mixed up near the end of the video and said I was going to play it slow and then played it fast. Don't worry, that's not what slow sounds like!

This is a pretty long one. There's lots of variations throughout the different repetitions and figures that just happen once, to keep things interesting and spicy.

TAB is attached.

Enjoy!

On This Rock (Bridge)

Hey everybody! Here's a heavy riff for the rockers. 

I definitely dropped some swear words in this lesson and for that I apologize. This one is an absolutely joy to play. It's not too difficult as it's quite repetitive and short.

Bonus points for anyone who can tell me more about the rock in question!

Phobos