Alternative Metal Guitar

19 songs · 7 artists

Alternative metal blends the heaviness of metal with the experimental spirit of alternative rock. Down-tuned guitars, unconventional song structures and genre-blending are the hallmarks. It rose to prominence in the late 90s and early 2000s.

Deftones, Faith No More and Evanescence showcase different sides of the genre in our catalog.

Alternative Metal Guitar

Alt-metal guitar is about atmosphere and weight. Deftones layer shimmering clean tones with crushing distortion, creating a wall of sound that's both beautiful and heavy. The tunings tend to be low (Drop C, Drop D or lower), and effects like chorus, delay and reverb play a bigger role than in traditional metal.

These songs teach you dynamics, textural playing and how to use the guitar as a sonic paintbrush rather than just a riff machine.

Related: Grunge, Alternative Rock, Nu Metal.