Slayer riffs

[CW14]

Just wondering how they get that really twisted and spooky sound in all of their riffs. Is it the scales they use?

[Superhuman]

I don't think Slayer bother with scales and other musical theory (their leads are atrocious). One thing they do have are some nice eerie melodies, I think they just figure them out by ear, or maybe stick with A minor and E minor. If you listen to tracks like Dead Skin Mask, South Of Heaven, Seasons In The Abyss and Reign In Blood you will see that they are yusing the same group of notes... just arranged differently. I think their old stuff was pretty cool but they went down hill in a big way after Seasons In The Abyss.

[R. Shackleferd]

They have a pact with the devil. That helps.

[CW14]

Yeah, come to think of it, I don't think their songs even have a key. Mabe that clashing, out-of-key-ness gives it hat sort of sound...

[Jolly McJollyson]

Yeah, come to think of it, I don't think their songs even have a key. Mabe that clashing, out-of-key-ness gives it hat sort of sound...
Kind of...

In a lot of metal you get flat fifths in the chords instead of the normal 5th. That will give you a diminished sound.

Try rockin' some fast chord progression on Em. Ascend on the E string with the proper chords, but play a Bb instead of a B. You could also flat the 2nd and play Fnatural, but try not to do this without sounding like a dipstick, haha :D :p

[CW14]

Yeah, that kinda gives me the sound. I guess those guys are just the masters at evil sounding riffs :rolleyes: