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Animals

1 guitar song · Tabs, Lessons & Tone Guide

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Band Overview

Animals is the project of Israeli guitar virtuoso Kfir Ochaion, a modern Instrumental Rock and metal guitarist who has built a massive following through jaw-dropping YouTube covers and original compositions. Known for his incredibly polished technique and pristine tone, Kfir's work under the Animals banner showcases a blend of Progressive Metal, melodic rock, and cinematic instrumental music that has captivated millions of viewers worldwide. His playing sits at the intersection of technical precision and emotional expression, making him a fascinating artist to study for electric guitarists at any level. From a guitarist's perspective, Kfir Ochaion is essential listening and studying material because of his command over a wide range of techniques. His playing features silky legato runs, precise alternate picking, expressive vibrato, tasteful use of two-handed tapping, and an almost vocal quality to his phrasing that sets him apart from purely shred-oriented players. He demonstrates that speed and feel are not mutually exclusive. His compositions often build from atmospheric clean sections into high-gain lead passages, giving students a masterclass in dynamics, tone shaping, and song structure within instrumental guitar music. Kfir's gear choices reflect a modern, high-gain approach to tone. He is closely associated with premium instruments and digital modeling technology, achieving studio-quality sounds both live and in recordings. His clean tones shimmer with chorus and delay, while his driven sounds are tight, saturated, and articulate, perfect for fast legato passages without muddiness. For guitarists looking to nail that polished, modern instrumental rock tone, studying his signal chain is incredibly rewarding. In terms of difficulty, Animals material sits firmly in the advanced category. Tracks like "Band" require fluid legato technique, confident string skipping, and the ability to navigate complex melodic lines at tempo while maintaining musical expression. That said, intermediate players can learn a great deal by slowing down his passages and focusing on the phrasing and note choices, which are always melodic and memorable rather than purely gymnastic.

What Makes Animals Essential for Guitar Players

  • Kfir's legato technique is world-class. His hammer-ons and pull-offs are incredibly even in volume and timing, producing fluid lines that sound almost like a singing voice. Practicing his runs will dramatically improve your left-hand strength and coordination.
  • His vibrato is wide, controlled, and always musical. Unlike many modern shredders who rely on whammy bar vibrato, Kfir frequently uses classical-style finger vibrato to add emotion to sustained notes, making each melody line feel alive.
  • Two-handed tapping sections appear in many of his compositions, but they are always used melodically rather than as pure showmanship. This makes his tapping passages excellent study material for learning how to integrate the technique into real musical contexts.
  • Dynamic control is a hallmark of Kfir's style. He moves seamlessly between soft, clean arpeggiated passages and full-gain lead sections, often within the same song. Learning his material teaches you how to use volume knob manipulation and picking dynamics to shape your sound.
  • His alternate picking is razor-sharp when deployed, particularly during faster scalar passages and string-crossing runs. He blends picking and legato fluidly, a hybrid approach that intermediate and advanced players should study closely to develop versatility in their own playing.

Did You Know?

Kfir Ochaion's YouTube channel has accumulated hundreds of millions of views, with many of his cover videos going viral. His one-take performance style means what you hear is essentially what he plays live, with minimal studio trickery.

Despite being known for high-gain lead work, Kfir has repeatedly stated that his clean tone is just as important to him as his distorted sound, and he spends significant time dialing in shimmer and clarity for ambient passages.

Kfir is endorsed by several major gear companies, and his signature tones have been turned into downloadable presets for various amp modelers, letting fans get surprisingly close to his recorded sound at home.

He often records his guitar parts using digital amp modeling and profiling technology rather than traditional tube amps, proving that modern digital rigs can produce tones indistinguishable from classic analog setups in a studio mix.

Many of his original compositions, including tracks released under the Animals name, are written in a cinematic style influenced by film scores, which explains the dramatic builds, emotional melodies, and orchestral layering in his arrangements.

Kfir developed much of his technique by meticulously learning songs by artists like Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and Guthrie Govan, and you can hear traces of all three influences woven into his phrasing and compositional approach.

Essential Albums for Guitarists

Animals (Singles Collection) 2020

Kfir's original singles and tracks, including 'Band,' are the best entry point for guitarists wanting to learn his style. 'Band' in particular is a showcase of legato technique, expressive vibrato, and dynamic control. Working through these tracks teaches you how to build an instrumental guitar song from atmospheric intro to soaring climax.

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Tone & Gear

Guitar

Kfir Ochaion is closely associated with modern superstrat-style guitars featuring extended upper-fret access, thin neck profiles, and locking tremolo systems. He has been seen playing high-end instruments from brands like Suhr and similar boutique builders, typically with a 24-fret neck, a contoured heel joint for easy access to the highest frets, and a floating tremolo for subtle vibrato effects during melodic passages.

Amp

Kfir primarily relies on digital amp modeling and profiling units such as the Kemper Profiler and similar high-end modelers. His clean channel tones are set for pristine headroom with a slight sparkle, while his high-gain profiles deliver tight, saturated distortion with a scooped midrange that keeps legato lines articulate. He dials in just enough gain for fluid sustain without losing note definition on fast passages.

Pickups

His guitars are typically loaded with modern, medium-to-high output humbuckers that balance clarity with saturation. Think along the lines of Seymour Duncan or Fishman Fluence Modern pickups in the 10-14k output range. The hotter bridge pickup handles high-gain lead tones with tight low-end response, while the neck pickup delivers warm, round tones ideal for his singing legato melodies.

Effects & Chain

Kfir's effects are mostly handled within his digital modeling rig. Key effects include lush stereo delay (often a dual-tap pattern), studio-quality reverb (hall and plate varieties for ambient depth), subtle chorus on clean tones, and occasional compression to even out dynamics during tapping sections. He keeps his chain relatively simple and transparent, letting the guitar tone and his fingers do the heavy lifting rather than relying on heavy modulation or fuzz.

How to Practice Animals on GuitarZone

Every Animals song page on GuitarZone includes a built-in Practice Toolbar. No app to download, no account needed. Open any song, then use the toolbar to slow the video to 0.5× speed, set an A/B loop around the exact riff you're working on, and jump between song sections instantly.

The toolbar appears automatically on every guitar tab, lesson, and cover page. Pick a song below, hit play, and start practicing at your own pace.

Practice Band - Kfir Ochaion - Guitar Cover