Guitar Songs, Tabs & Lessons

Cacophony

1 guitar song · Tabs, Lessons & Tone Guide Heavy Metal

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Band Overview

Cacophony was a neoclassical shred metal band formed in 1986 in San Francisco, featuring two of the most technically gifted guitarists to ever emerge from the 1980s shred era: Marty Friedman and Jason Becker. The band existed for only a brief window, releasing two studio albums before disbanding in 1989, but their impact on guitar-driven music is enormous. If you want to understand the absolute peak of dual-lead guitar interplay in Heavy Metal, Cacophony is where you start. Their music blends neoclassical phrasing, exotic scales, blistering sweep arpeggios, and a level of harmonic sophistication that still challenges advanced players decades later. What makes Cacophony essential for guitarists is the contrast between its two lead players. Marty Friedman is known for his unorthodox picking approach, heavy use of exotic and Japanese-influenced scales, and a vibrato that is instantly recognizable for its wide, almost vocal quality. Jason Becker, on the other hand, brought a more classically rooted technique with jaw-dropping sweep picking, precise alternate picking, and a compositional maturity that was staggering for a teenager. Together, they created harmonized runs, trading solos, and unison passages that pushed the boundaries of what two electric guitars could do simultaneously. The difficulty level of Cacophony's material is, to put it plainly, extreme. This is not beginner or even intermediate territory. Songs regularly feature alternate-picked passages at 200+ BPM, multi-string sweep arpeggios, string-skipping sequences, and diminished and exotic scale runs that demand total command of the fretboard. Even experienced shredders will find Cacophony's catalog humbling. If you are working through their songs on GuitarZone, be prepared to slow things down dramatically and build speed gradually. The payoff, however, is immense: mastering even a portion of these songs will elevate your technique, fretboard knowledge, and musical vocabulary in ways few other bands can.

What Makes Cacophony Essential for Guitar Players

Cacophony's dual-guitar harmonies are a masterclass in thirds, sixths, and octave harmonization. Friedman and Becker frequently play harmonized lines at breakneck speed, requiring both guitarists to have impeccable timing and intonation. Learning these parts will sharpen your ear for intervals and your ability to lock in with another player.
Jason Becker's sweep picking in Cacophony is among the most advanced ever recorded. He uses five and six-string sweep arpeggios that incorporate tapped notes at the top, creating extended arpeggio shapes that span the entire fretboard. If you want to level up your sweep technique, his parts are the ultimate benchmark.
Marty Friedman's picking style is famously unconventional. He holds the pick at an unusual angle and relies heavily on economy picking and upstroke-heavy phrasing, which contributes to his distinctly fluid, almost melting sound. Studying his approach can free you from rigid alternate picking patterns and open up new melodic possibilities.
Exotic scales are a defining feature of the band's sound. Friedman draws heavily from the Phrygian dominant, Hungarian minor, and Japanese Hirajoshi scales, while Becker integrates diminished and whole-tone patterns into his neoclassical lines. Learning these scales in context through Cacophony songs will expand your soloing vocabulary far beyond standard pentatonic and natural minor shapes.
Legato technique is used extensively throughout their catalog, particularly in Becker's playing. Long hammer-on and pull-off sequences across multiple strings create a smooth, violin-like sustain that contrasts with the more aggressive picked passages. Developing this legato fluency is critical for nailing the Cacophony sound.

Did You Know?

Jason Becker was only 16 years old when Cacophony's debut album 'Speed Metal Symphony' was recorded. His technical ability at that age remains one of the most remarkable feats in electric guitar history.

Marty Friedman went on to join Megadeth after Cacophony disbanded, bringing his exotic phrasing and unconventional picking to thrash metal. His work on 'Rust in Peace' is a direct evolution of what he developed in Cacophony.

Jason Becker was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) shortly after Cacophony ended and eventually lost the ability to play guitar. Despite this, he continues to compose music using eye-movement technology, and the guitar community still regards him as one of the greatest players to ever live.

Cacophony's recordings were done with relatively modest gear by modern standards. Both guitarists relied on high-gain amplifiers and Carvin guitars for much of their recorded output, proving that technique and musicality matter more than expensive rigs.

The song 'Speed Metal Symphony' was partially inspired by classical compositions from Paganini and Bach. Becker in particular studied classical violin repertoire and adapted those ideas to the guitar fretboard, incorporating arpeggiated sequences that mirror baroque compositional techniques.

Friedman and Becker had a friendly but intense competitive dynamic. In interviews, both players have spoken about how playing alongside someone of equal or greater ability pushed them to practice harder and write more challenging material than they would have alone.

Jason Becker developed a technique sometimes called 'sweep-tap arpeggios' where he would sweep through a standard arpeggio shape and add a tapped extension at the top of the sweep. This technique has since been adopted by countless modern shredders and remains a staple in advanced guitar pedagogy.

Essential Albums for Guitarists

Speed Metal Symphony 1987

This debut album is the best starting point for guitarists tackling Cacophony. The title track 'Speed Metal Symphony' is a tour de force of sweep arpeggios, alternate picking, and harmonized dual-guitar runs that will test every aspect of your lead playing. 'The Ninja' features Friedman's exotic scale work prominently and is a great study piece for breaking out of Western scale patterns.

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Go Off! 1988

The second and final Cacophony album is even more ambitious than the first. 'Images' showcases some of the most emotionally expressive playing from both guitarists, blending melodic phrasing with technical fireworks. 'Savage' and 'Go Off!' push the speed and precision demands even higher. This album demonstrates how shred technique can serve musical composition rather than just being an exercise in velocity.

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Tone & Gear

Guitar

Both Friedman and Becker were closely associated with Carvin guitars during the Cacophony era. Jason Becker played a Carvin DC200 (later evolving into his signature Hurricane model with a distinctive swirl finish painted by his father). Marty Friedman also used Carvin instruments before later switching to Jackson and Ibanez. These guitars featured thin, fast necks, Floyd Rose tremolo systems, and a superstrat body design optimized for high-speed lead playing and dive-bomb effects.

Amp

During the Cacophony years, both players primarily used high-gain tube amplifiers. Marshall JCM800 heads were a staple, often pushed into heavy saturation for the thick distortion needed for neoclassical shred. Becker was also known to use Mesa/Boogie Mark series amps for their tighter low-end response and more sculpted midrange. The gain was set high but not so much as to lose note clarity during fast passages. A tight, articulate distortion was essential for the sweep arpeggios and rapid alternate picking to remain defined.

Pickups

Both guitarists favored high-output humbuckers to drive the front end of their tube amps into saturation. Becker used Carvin's stock humbuckers early on, eventually gravitating toward pickups with a hot output (around 12-16k ohms) that provided the sustain and compression needed for legato runs and sweep arpeggios. The bridge humbucker was the primary pickup for lead work, delivering a focused, cutting tone that could slice through the mix during dual-guitar harmonies. Friedman similarly preferred bridge humbuckers for their bite and clarity at high gain.

Effects & Chain

Cacophony's setup was relatively straightforward for the era. Both players used Floyd Rose-equipped guitars, so the tremolo bar itself was a key 'effect' for dive bombs, flutter effects, and subtle pitch bending. Delay was used sparingly for solos to add depth without washing out fast passages. A noise gate was essential given the high-gain settings. Neither player was pedal-heavy; the tone came primarily from the guitar's humbuckers driving the tube amp's preamp stage hard. The focus was always on fingers and technique over effects processing.

Recommended Gear

Amp

Marshall JCM800

The Marshall JCM800 delivered the thick, saturated distortion that defined Cacophony's neoclassical shred sound, pushing both Friedman and Becker's high-output humbuckers into articulate, cutting tones perfect for dual-guitar harmonies and sweep arpeggios.

Pedal

ISP Decimator Noise Gate

With gain maxed out on tube amps, the ISP Decimator noise gate was essential for keeping Cacophony's high-speed lead passages clean, silencing feedback between rapid alternate picking and legato runs without compromising tone during active playing.

How to Practice Cacophony on GuitarZone

Every Cacophony 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.

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