Opeth never plays a boring riff! Here are some of my favorite riffs. Playing through a Revv G4 into Torpedo Live, ML Sound Lab IR. 0:26 Ghost of Perdition 3:36 Blackwater Park 5:58 Hessian Peel 9:18 Slither 11:56 Sorceress
The only way to truly prove this is to show us how to play every Opeth riff in existence. Ill be waiting, sir. :D Keep up the great work! ETA: That autofocus tho...
Black Rose immortal - 13:38 is probably still my favorite. Deliverance - 4:42 is also sweet and Leper Affinity has a bunch of them too. Used to worship the band...unfortunately can't really get into new Era Opeth.
I've noticed that Opeth's riffs are a lot longer than most band's riffs - as in they physically span over more bars of music so they have more space to develop
That’s Mikael’s genius. He tells the story through his playing before he does with lyrics. His riffs are so unbelievably well developed. Everyone overlooks him being a technical guitarist but his ability to develop riffs is so ridiculously technical and requires a deep knowledge of music to be able to pull that off.
If Opeth wished so, they could have written a whole album solely relying on the song Blackwater Park's riffs.I love what they manage to achieve with Drop-D. Sounds completely unique, Opetish.
Blackwater Park is definitely my favorite riffage but there are A LOT more to choose from: Harlequin Forest, Demon Of The Fall, The Amen Corner, Forest Of October, Black Rose Immortal, The Moor and so on...
I personally think Still Life as a whole has an equal quality of riffage as Blackwater Park. Although they hardly have anything that isn't amazing, even when it is simple.
Thanks for making this video, Opeth have some of the most unique and interesting riffs in metal. Always an enigma trying to understand how they think this stuff up.
Once I played bass for an Opeth cover band, damn, took me some 2 weeks to learn and memorize just 5 songs lol. One of it was The Baying of the Hounds. 😂
I met Mike at a meet and greet back around the time Ghost Reveries released. I asked him what tuning he used on the album and he said it is Open D (D/A/D/F#/A/D).
@@StonyBlazestation Thanks bud for the help! 🤘 Also, funny how this tuning is kind of halfway between Drop D and Standard D. 😂 First two strings are Standard D, bottom three are Drop D, and the third string is just straight in between. Anyways, Mikael and Opeth are the best! Cheers from France mate! 🍻 *Edit* What other songs/albums do you think use this particular tuning?
Please please do a few Opeth lessons. I used to think that Tool was for the gods and way beyond my playing but the way you take us through each section just makes it seem achievable.
I want to clarify first off. I, like you, am a huge Opeth fan and feel a bond with anyone else who feels the same, so I'm with you. This criticism is meant to be constructive and respectful, so please forgive me if I sound a bit harsh. I don't mean it that way and I don't think I "know-it-all" by any means. So, again, not trying to be a jerk, but you have some major timing problems when playing some of these. 1: "Ghost of Perdition" -At the end of measure 4, you're playing a triplet trill, but it's not supposed to be a triplet. As a result, the measure is losing an 8th note of "time" and so you're jumping into the next measure early. Your sheet music/tablature is correct, you're just playing it wrong. It is right at around 3:22-3:23, (maybe back it up a few seconds from there for a headstart) tap along with it and watch the tab and you'll see. The timing should be 4 straight 16th notes with no triplet. The tab notes are 3-4-3-0 (as straight 16th notes), but you're playing a quick 3-4-3 triplet over the space of one 8th note, and leaving out the open D altogether. You seem really comfortable with your playing of these riffs, so if you take note of the extra note on the tab and listen to the original and play along you'll probably pick up on it immediately. Hessian Peel is one of my favorites as well and you kicked its ass. Very nicely done! 2: "Sorceress" You're right. It is straightforward and cool as hell. Which is why I was surprised at this blatant error. The D chord. You're holding it for far too long. It shouldn't go into the 2nd half of the 2nd measure. It's just a dotted 8th note and a 16th note. Then back to the "jugs" (3-&-a 4). Here as well, you are therefore jumping into the next measure early. Again, see your notation/tablature. It is correct. Also, isn't Mikael pronounced like MY-kul, not mee-KELL? Ok, sorry. Now I'm being a jerk. (And maybe I'm wrong anyway, but I've heard plenty of people address him. Pretty sure I'm right.)
Mikael is indeed pronounced with a “mee” and not a “my”. Swedish and Norwegian pronounce “i” almost invariably like “ee”. ,most interviewers say “my-kul ack-er-felt” instead of the correct and difficult-for-English-speakers-to-pronounce “mee-kul åk-er feldt”. Swedish and Norwegian words are, generally speaking, usually written phonetically.
@@joeyuzwa891 Thanks for that. I know "i" commonly sounds as "ee" in many languages, I just wasn't sure if it was as prevalent in those of Nordic countries. I have heard Mikael himself pronounce his own name as MY-kull also, which is why I felt pretty sure of it, but as you suggest, HE may often do that in primarily English-speaking countries to make it sound more familiar to those audiences. Makes sense. Love learning new things!
Swede here, it’s MEE-kuh-ell, often shortened to two syllables (MEE-cull with just a hint of the e-sound after the u in cull, then of course the L sound is different than the English one as well, and a slight pitch accent which also depends on context)
In Australia we just call him 'Aker's'! ... or... 'his Holiness' I was fortunate enough to meet Aker's (and the whole band) in Adelaide 2 hours before their concert at the Thebarton Theatre (10 Dec 19) at a pizza restaurant, I couldn't believe it, he was so cool to talk to! Agreed, Watershed is an amazing record in which I was fortunate enough to tell Aker's. 🤘🏻👹🤘🏻
I can say this. As far as riffs are concerned the Deftones and Opeth have some of my favorites to play. I still favor the intro to Bleak because its such a cool lick.
Ghost Reveries is my favourite album, it's chock full of great riffs and direction changes. Sorceress was probably the straightest album in terms of direction changes but I love that too and all the others. Any riffs or progressions you choose will be pure win. Maybe dissect an entire song like harlequin forest or baying of the hounds or something like that.
I follow you for years, you taught me so much dude I lovee your content so much, the first opeth riff you did though I feel like you got some timings a little bit wrong which made it sound a little awkward imo, I always wanted to learn to play that riff of ghost of perdition though so you definitely helped me a lot thank you!
Fantastic riffs and analysis. Just noticed one thing about your video - the autofocus on your camera keeps hunting at times. Try giving manual focus a go when you're stationary
What’s the chances you would consider doing a full Ghost of Perdition lesson? I’ve found some good videos and tabs online but I can’t quite figure out the rhythm and you’re very good at explaining it
Love the content, been subscribed for literally years. Opeth riffs are indeed amazing. What's going on with your camera focus though? It's been a problem in your last couple uploads. Check your focus settings or lighting. Have you changed your set up recently?
Stop with the exaggerations ffs. Åkerfeldt is sure a very talented and creative songwriter but comparing that to the massive architectural designs of a symphonic genius like Beethoven or other great orchestral composers, is absurd. I get it you like metal and I love it too, but stop over-gloryfing it.
0:26 is not in Drop D. It's in DADFAE, and that's important for getting the weird Opeth sound. In fact, that entire album is in that tuning if I remember correctly. And yes, it IS needed because the riff sounds like ass on your end
You missed out some important notes in the first riff - the whole thing is in Open D - so you just play almost every string in the beginning of Ghost of Perdition which sounds much more epic.
If there is something you can criticize early Opeth for its how their riffs often doesn't resolve. Many times its like if you take the first part of a melodic theme. And then repeats it atleast 5 times. Which is often one too many times. Its hard to explain but imagine the Star Wars theme having each figure repeat without variation like its copypasted 5 times before going to the next part of the theme. Imagine how frustrating that would be to listen too. That's the flaw with early Opeth to me. But the riffs are still impressively harmonized.
Yeah so ghost of perdition is played in DADFAE not DADGBE as is the whole ghost reveries album. The riff is slightly off. I suspect he's just loading the first riff off ultimate guitar and doing this really does injustice to opeths compositional skills, as its so much more than he explains here. Blackwater park is the album played in this tuning, the only one to my knowledge. Recommend digging a little deeper if you really want the opeth experuence watch their live videos
E Munzio absolutely love opeth one of my fav bands ever I have like 9 or ten of there cds but I just can’t get into sorceress I’ve tried but it doesn’t catch my ear and not cause it’s clean vocals only damnation is one of my favs
Opeth never plays a boring riff! Here are some of my favorite riffs. Playing through a Revv G4 into Torpedo Live, ML Sound Lab IR.
0:26 Ghost of Perdition
3:36 Blackwater Park
5:58 Hessian Peel
9:18 Slither
11:56 Sorceress
The only way to truly prove this is to show us how to play every Opeth riff in existence.
Ill be waiting, sir.
:D
Keep up the great work! ETA: That autofocus tho...
You should do a lesson about the riff that at 8:20-Ghost of Perdition. One of the greatest riffs in the history of all humanity
This is missing all the great stuff on Morningrise.
Out of curiosity, have you tried the G4?
Black Rose immortal - 13:38 is probably still my favorite. Deliverance - 4:42 is also sweet and Leper Affinity has a bunch of them too. Used to worship the band...unfortunately can't really get into new Era Opeth.
-"What's your favorite band?"
-"Opeth"
-"What genre are they?"
-"Opeth"
most of local music stores near me have stickers on them that say "swedish progressive death metal"
Opeth genre has many subgenres, might I add
I've always introduced Opeth's genre as Opeth, i see ur of a similar mind my friend 😂👌
Opeth is one of those bands like tool that are complete originators of their own style that becomes noticeable when other bands try to copy them.
Progressive Death Metal
I've noticed that Opeth's riffs are a lot longer than most band's riffs - as in they physically span over more bars of music so they have more space to develop
same. I don't even play any instrument. I noticed that during Ghost of Perdition, Godhead's Lament, etc. Long, intricate & catchy riffs.
That’s Mikael’s genius. He tells the story through his playing before he does with lyrics. His riffs are so unbelievably well developed. Everyone overlooks him being a technical guitarist but his ability to develop riffs is so ridiculously technical and requires a deep knowledge of music to be able to pull that off.
This is a fantastic 1 minute short horror film that I made
ruclips.net/video/i75mZYGbsak/видео.html
I don't think that statement even requires proof tbh
Ghost of perdition is actually in D-A-D-F-A-E tuning
If Opeth wished so, they could have written a whole album solely relying on the song Blackwater Park's riffs.I love what they manage to achieve with Drop-D. Sounds completely unique, Opetish.
Blackwater Park is definitely my favorite riffage but there are A LOT more to choose from: Harlequin Forest, Demon Of The Fall, The Amen Corner, Forest Of October, Black Rose Immortal, The Moor and so on...
Intro of in the mist she was standing
MarcinBBlack that song was what got me into opeth. One of my favorite songs of theirs.
I personally think Still Life as a whole has an equal quality of riffage as Blackwater Park. Although they hardly have anything that isn't amazing, even when it is simple.
MarcinBBlack my favorite riff is the second one in white cluster
This is such a tease because each one of these songs deserves an entire lesson 😋
GHOST OF
MOTHER
LINGERING DEATH!
no, I totally didn't shout this along to you playing the riff... Maybe a little..
Thanks for making this video, Opeth have some of the most unique and interesting riffs in metal. Always an enigma trying to understand how they think this stuff up.
Their ability to sit on the same for like a full minute and it not get boring is just simply amazing
Mikael is a pro at creating $100 riffs
I want your soul
Once I played bass for an Opeth cover band, damn, took me some 2 weeks to learn and memorize just 5 songs lol. One of it was The Baying of the Hounds. 😂
At least that's three shows worth of songs.
You are the perfect channel for me. Tool, APC, and Opeth. Jackpot! Keep up the good work :)
Loving this Opeth series!
The Leper Affinity has some killer riffs in it. That was my intro to them so its probably why i always praise that song
9:15 “very fun, very very fun, very fun riff”
Indeed
This is why they are my favorite band
Well one of the reasons
Take a shot every time Gregory says "reallllllly fun riff'
To add to that and then when it's played it's not a fun riff :/
Thanks, now im pissed drunk!
Im having water and yet im still drunk
I swear this dude is drunk or really fucked up on opiods when he records/everyday
I met Mike at a meet and greet back around the time Ghost Reveries released. I asked him what tuning he used on the album and he said it is Open D (D/A/D/F#/A/D).
Think it is actually open D minor DADFAD
@@boilingpoint3 You're probably right. Why would Mikael Åkerfeldt know what tuning his song is in?
@@StonyBlazestation Thanks bud for the help! 🤘
Also, funny how this tuning is kind of halfway between Drop D and Standard D. 😂
First two strings are Standard D, bottom three are Drop D, and the third string is just straight in between.
Anyways, Mikael and Opeth are the best!
Cheers from France mate! 🍻
*Edit*
What other songs/albums do you think use this particular tuning?
It' confirmed it's in DADFAE so a Dadd 9
Opeth are beyond the subjectivity of music or art in general.
Opeth is art.
All I know is a that they always fill that void in my heart
Accidentally plays Black Sabbath at 5:18👍
What is this that stands before me?
😂..good catch
😁
Could you please do a full tutorial on Hessian Peel? It's an amazing song with lots of beautiful and cool riffs
Wonder who finds Opeth boring. Opeth is a genre itself. Those jazz and classical influences in songs are simply amazing.
Please please do a few Opeth lessons. I used to think that Tool was for the gods and way beyond my playing but the way you take us through each section just makes it seem achievable.
I want to clarify first off. I, like you, am a huge Opeth fan and feel a bond with anyone else who feels the same, so I'm with you. This criticism is meant to be constructive and respectful, so please forgive me if I sound a bit harsh. I don't mean it that way and I don't think I "know-it-all" by any means.
So, again, not trying to be a jerk, but you have some major timing problems when playing some of these.
1: "Ghost of Perdition" -At the end of measure 4, you're playing a triplet trill, but it's not supposed to be a triplet. As a result, the measure is losing an 8th note of "time" and so you're jumping into the next measure early. Your sheet music/tablature is correct, you're just playing it wrong. It is right at around 3:22-3:23, (maybe back it up a few seconds from there for a headstart) tap along with it and watch the tab and you'll see. The timing should be 4 straight 16th notes with no triplet. The tab notes are 3-4-3-0 (as straight 16th notes), but you're playing a quick 3-4-3 triplet over the space of one 8th note, and leaving out the open D altogether. You seem really comfortable with your playing of these riffs, so if you take note of the extra note on the tab and listen to the original and play along you'll probably pick up on it immediately.
Hessian Peel is one of my favorites as well and you kicked its ass. Very nicely done!
2: "Sorceress" You're right. It is straightforward and cool as hell. Which is why I was surprised at this blatant error. The D chord. You're holding it for far too long. It shouldn't go into the 2nd half of the 2nd measure. It's just a dotted 8th note and a 16th note. Then back to the "jugs" (3-&-a 4). Here as well, you are therefore jumping into the next measure early. Again, see your notation/tablature. It is correct.
Also, isn't Mikael pronounced like MY-kul, not mee-KELL? Ok, sorry. Now I'm being a jerk. (And maybe I'm wrong anyway, but I've heard plenty of people address him. Pretty sure I'm right.)
Mikael is indeed pronounced with a “mee” and not a “my”. Swedish and Norwegian pronounce “i” almost invariably like “ee”. ,most interviewers say “my-kul ack-er-felt” instead of the correct and difficult-for-English-speakers-to-pronounce “mee-kul åk-er feldt”. Swedish and Norwegian words are, generally speaking, usually written phonetically.
@@joeyuzwa891 Thanks for that. I know "i" commonly sounds as "ee" in many languages, I just wasn't sure if it was as prevalent in those of Nordic countries. I have heard Mikael himself pronounce his own name as MY-kull also, which is why I felt pretty sure of it, but as you suggest, HE may often do that in primarily English-speaking countries to make it sound more familiar to those audiences. Makes sense. Love learning new things!
Swede here, it’s MEE-kuh-ell, often shortened to two syllables (MEE-cull with just a hint of the e-sound after the u in cull, then of course the L sound is different than the English one as well, and a slight pitch accent which also depends on context)
ok boomer
In Australia we just call him 'Aker's'! ... or... 'his Holiness'
I was fortunate enough to meet Aker's (and the whole band) in Adelaide 2 hours before their concert at the Thebarton Theatre (10 Dec 19) at a pizza restaurant, I couldn't believe it, he was so cool to talk to!
Agreed, Watershed is an amazing record in which I was fortunate enough to tell Aker's. 🤘🏻👹🤘🏻
I can say this. As far as riffs are concerned the Deftones and Opeth have some of my favorites to play. I still favor the intro to Bleak because its such a cool lick.
2:18 it reminds me of Jinjer's song Pisces
Ghost of Perdition is in DADFAE, very important for the barring later
I know Gorguts isn't really considered pro g but I'd love to see your analysis of their l water work such as Colored Sands.
That tone, dude, holy fuck! Great video as always
I'm so glad that you're making these pro g lessons.
God damn that ghost of perdition riff is insane. That’s what makes opeth great though! Cheers mate
Ghost Reveries is my favourite album, it's chock full of great riffs and direction changes. Sorceress was probably the straightest album in terms of direction changes but I love that too and all the others. Any riffs or progressions you choose will be pure win. Maybe dissect an entire song like harlequin forest or baying of the hounds or something like that.
Man you always share videos about the bands I love
The Riff of Ghost of perdition is missing one note :D Sorry but I couldn't help it !
Awesome showcase I love Opeth!
Opeth's finally coming to India! Completely pumped up
I follow you for years, you taught me so much dude I lovee your content so much, the first opeth riff you did though I feel like you got some timings a little bit wrong which made it sound a little awkward imo, I always wanted to learn to play that riff of ghost of perdition though so you definitely helped me a lot thank you!
Opeth are such an elite band, they saved me from doing some really stupid stuff to myself
Fantastic riffs and analysis. Just noticed one thing about your video - the autofocus on your camera keeps hunting at times. Try giving manual focus a go when you're stationary
Love how your guitar sounds !
Excellent video! Thanks!
06:03 Watershit 😂
Isn't Ghost of Perdition in DADFAe? Edit: Also finally people can recognize the amazingness that it is Opeth through you?
Did you even watch the video? One of the first things he says is that normally youd drop the g to an f but not needed for G o P
I believe so. I might have only mentioned the G string.
@@axeofcreation yeah I just got confused and was like "was I needlessly down tuning my guitar?"
@@eas26 he only mentioned one other string though when in fact their see 2 more... Btw I watch all of his videos
@@eas26 all the way through
Just for giving the links to the tabs, you've got one more subscriber
I'm thinking it's more like "No boring video lessons" keep it going Brother! ( and my Wife is a tad taken in by the beard lol )
I was playing blackwater park when notification came lol
What’s the chances you would consider doing a full Ghost of Perdition lesson? I’ve found some good videos and tabs online but I can’t quite figure out the rhythm and you’re very good at explaining it
Love the content, been subscribed for literally years. Opeth riffs are indeed amazing. What's going on with your camera focus though? It's been a problem in your last couple uploads. Check your focus settings or lighting. Have you changed your set up recently?
Yes. Just grabbed a new lens and the autofocus just won't settle down. I'm on it!
What effects do you have on the tone? I hear something subtle in Blackwater Park but it sounds soooo nice
My bday is tomorrow, perfect early present!!!
Happy birthday bud!
Mine too!
@@axeofcreation wow! Happy birthday to you too mister!
This video was very fun to play
When they released Sorceress as a single i was fucking stoked thinking they were gonna use the low A in the whole record haha
Cool video, thanks!
Opeths riffs are the best 🔥🔥🔥
Mikael Akerfeldt is the Beethoven of our lifetime. Pure genius musician.
You went way overboard here, son. Beethoven of our lifetime. So funny.
@@stephanea5364 I think he went way too far! I mean Beethoven was good and all, but he was no Åkerfeldt
Stop with the exaggerations ffs. Åkerfeldt is sure a very talented and creative songwriter but comparing that to the massive architectural designs of a symphonic genius like Beethoven or other great orchestral composers, is absurd. I get it you like metal and I love it too, but stop over-gloryfing it.
@John Filippakopoulos Who else is the beethoven of pur lifetime?
@@DarthYannious who would you think is beethoven of this generation????
Nice tone, could you please tell me your settings?
Greetings!
This guitar sounds awesome
Nice guitar man, what is that model called ? I have a 7 string Vader, but want a 6 string Kiesel
i think is called CS6, the Kiesel Les Paul type. By far the best Les Paul ever, that including Gibson
You're damn right
Loved this! And I’m not even a guitarist. You might want to try manual focus on your camera to stop that focus hunting. Thanks again!
Opeth riffs are the best thing ever.
I hope Mikael never stops writing music.
I distinctly remember a riff that gets repeated EIGHT times in either Ghost Reveries or Blackwater part that I absolutely can't stand.
Hey man, great choice of songs. Can you please share the settings on the G4? Running a similar rig and was kinda curious
Very fun.
That TONE!
KEEP PUMPIN' THAT OPETH!
Awesome tone! What are you playing through?
Good video
You played the ghost of perdition riff wrong in the beginning
Cool video...but that delay and distortion is a bit much. To each his own I suppose
0:26 is not in Drop D. It's in DADFAE, and that's important for getting the weird Opeth sound. In fact, that entire album is in that tuning if I remember correctly. And yes, it IS needed because the riff sounds like ass on your end
Would you guys say learning to read sheet music or tabs is better?
where can i find your detailed gear info? it sounds so close to opeth
You kinda didn't play ghost of perdition right tho
Fredrik from the band says that the entire guitar is in A in Sorceress.
What amp are you using? It sounds tight!
Slither is just a bit Ritchie Blackmore?
Why did you skip a beat in the Ghost of Perdition riff? You did it twice actually.
Not twice, every time you played it.
Ghost of Perdition is really cool because it actually in a DADFAE tuning
Right out of the gate... Ghost of Perdition is in DADFAE tuning.
You missed out some important notes in the first riff - the whole thing is in Open D - so you just play almost every string in the beginning of Ghost of Perdition which sounds much more epic.
It's actually DADFAD but you can easily transpose the opening riff to DADGBE
Most songs (if not all) on Ghost Reveries, are in Dm(add9) tuning: D A D F a e
More opeth!
Nice, you should add some skip-to points for the start of each riff
Lol right at 4:20 the goofy set in
You havent heard the new album dude
i love your channel i wish you could be my private sensei
Id love to see some annihilator riffs
If there is something you can criticize early Opeth for its how their riffs often doesn't resolve. Many times its like if you take the first part of a melodic theme. And then repeats it atleast 5 times. Which is often one too many times. Its hard to explain but imagine the Star Wars theme having each figure repeat without variation like its copypasted 5 times before going to the next part of the theme. Imagine how frustrating that would be to listen too. That's the flaw with early Opeth to me. But the riffs are still impressively harmonized.
Last song you played even sounded like djenty Opeth. A little bit, at least.
wow do u like kiesel?
Well, I'm a Kiesel artist so...
How much would someone like me have to pay someone like you for a full ghost of perdition lesson?
Damn dude i love your guitar. Ive been dreaming of a Kiesel CS6 for some time now. What setup are you using? sick tone!
fuck yeah
Yeah so ghost of perdition is played in DADFAE not DADGBE as is the whole ghost reveries album. The riff is slightly off. I suspect he's just loading the first riff off ultimate guitar and doing this really does injustice to opeths compositional skills, as its so much more than he explains here. Blackwater park is the album played in this tuning, the only one to my knowledge.
Recommend digging a little deeper if you really want the opeth experuence watch their live videos
I confirm. Nothing boring with Opeth
Blackwater Park was played WAY too fast.
I'm sorry but you played the ghost of perdition riff wrong.
All opeth discogrphy has godlike riffs.. tell me a song that don't like you
E Munzio absolutely love opeth one of my fav bands ever I have like 9 or ten of there cds but I just can’t get into sorceress I’ve tried but it doesn’t catch my ear and not cause it’s clean vocals only damnation is one of my favs