10 INCREDIBLE Guitar Secrets In Rock Songs You Totally Missed

Six string mysteries behind some incredible rock songs...

Steve vai joint shifting
Favored Nations/SteveVaiHimself

When it comes to rock music, the guitar is what normally what makes or breaks a song. The other instruments may have their time in the spotlight, but in terms of personifying rock and roll, it doesn't get any better than someone tearing through a solo on a six-string. Countless people have bent the rules of guitar playing, but we have only begun to scratch the surface of the guitar's potential.

Ever since an electric current flowed through the body of a guitar, musicians around the world have always tried to stretch the boundaries of the instrument, whether it be to fit their individual style or by utilizing the guitar to suit their current predicament. Even if the actual result ends up being a bit underwhelming for these guitarists, they have gone on to inspire legions of guitarists to take the instrument one step further.

These little secrets can come together organically over time or just by accident, but once you hear them in practice, it's nearly impossible to ignore them again. Here is just a taste of the guitar wizards who moved the stars in order to get the sound in their head. After these performances, the entire concept of guitar had been turned inside out.

10. Tom Morello As DJ - Bulls On Parade

It was impossible for any hard rocker in the 90's to ignore the nu metal boom. Instead of the typical mix of heavy riffs and shouting vocals, metal had congealed with hip hop to create a visceral electronic landscape. Though many bands have utilized turntables to create their ethereal tones, Rage Against the Machine had their resident DJ in guitarist Tom Morello.

Across the band's records, Morello would document every single weird sound that he could emit from his guitar and end up incorporating it into his music and solos. While the man could certainly shred on songs like "Take the Power Back," some of his best work came when he used his effects and pedals to their fullest extent.

During the break of the song "Bulls On Parade," most of the DJ scratches are actually employed by Morello using a mix of the toggle switch and scraping the strings against his guitar neck to get that alien-like sound.

The effects that Morello created ended up sounding so off-the-wall that many pressings of the album would come equipped with notifications that every strange noise was being produced by drums, guitar, and bass. Rage's riffs may have hit like a sledgehammer, but it was with Tom Morello's weird sounds that the band got their real soul.

Contributor
Contributor

I'm just a junkie for all things media. Whether it's music, movies, TV, or just other reviews, I absolutely adore this stuff. But music was my first love, and I love having the opportunity to share it with you good people. Follow Me On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/timcoffman97