Metal solos in A Minor pentatonic?

December 16, 2010 5:18 PM

I've been learning to play metal guitar for the last couple months, and my guitar teacher asked me to bring some tabs with (preferably relatively easy) lead parts in A minor pentatonic scale. Any recommendations?

Note: I like death/black/thrash/heavy/doom metal, not Sevenfold Fingers of Death For My Valentine or whatever the kids are listening to these days (on my lawn, no less). Old hard rock/proto-metal is welcome, though, as long as it's heavy. Triple points if you can come up with something from Bolt Thrower. Thanks!

posted by vorfeed to media & arts (10 answers total)

Cenotaph, by Bolt Thrower. Don't know if this is a good song or what. But all you have to do is Google "Band Name" and "tabs." This is a halfway decent tab site.
posted by Buffaload at 5:52 PM on December 16, 2010

IIRC Bringing on the Heartache by Def Leppard is in a-minor. I learned it early on when I was teaching myself guitar (eep!) 26 years ago. It's not overly complicated but has enough to keep your interest.
posted by plinth at 5:56 PM on December 16, 2010

Ack. Did I misunderstand the question? So...you're looking for death/black/etc. metal that is also in A minor. Got it. Sorry. If I were to guess I'd bet a huge number of songs you pick randomly are in A or E minor. If you found 5 good songs I would almost guarantee 2 of them at least would be in A minor.
posted by Buffaload at 5:59 PM on December 16, 2010

Just off the top of my head, Two Minutes to Midnight by Iron Maiden is in A minor (the solo starts in A minor and then modulates). So is Suicide Solution by Ozzy (but it doesn't have much of a solo). The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner by Iron Maiden is also in A minor.
posted by The World Famous at 6:55 PM on December 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

Fade to Black's second solo is in A minor and not that fast.
posted by ignignokt at 8:28 PM on December 16, 2010

Oh, A minor pentatonic. The Fade to Black solo is in "regular" A minor. Sorry.

Yeah, I think classic heavy metal is where you're going to have to look. There's a ton of Iron Maiden solos in A minor pentatonic, but unfortunately, death and thrash leads are often either not in any key. And if they are, they modulate a lot, and if they do stick to one key, they're in E minor or E minor pentatonic. And they're often fast and frustrating for a beginner.
posted by ignignokt at 8:52 PM on December 16, 2010

unfortunately, death and thrash leads are [...] often fast and frustrating for a beginner.

This is an understatement, that's for sure! Classic heavy metal is just fine.
posted by vorfeed at 9:18 PM on December 16, 2010

the Stairway to heaven solo is a great exploration of A minor greatness.
posted by toastchee at 4:55 AM on December 17, 2010

The Wizard by Black Sabbath has a short solo in Am pentatonic, but it might be a little on the fast side for "easy". Bonus points if you can find a friend with a harmonica!
posted by doctord at 6:59 AM on December 17, 2010

Thanks, guys! That Fade to Black solo was ideal. I'll work on the rest of these, too.
posted by vorfeed at 12:37 PM on January 16, 2011