RIP Dick Dale - Misirlou - Guitar Cover

About Misirlou

Few guitar pieces announce themselves as forcefully as "Misirlou." The signature single-string melody tears down the low E string at a relentless 125 BPM, and keeping that rapid-fire picking clean and even is the real challenge here. RIP Dick Dale played with a stiff, heavy pick and attacked the string with a reverse picking style that gave the line its percussive snap, so experiment with your pick angle and grip if the tone sounds too soft. The piece sits in E minor and stays rooted around the open low E, which means left-hand fretting is relatively sparse, but right-hand stamina and precision are constantly tested. Working in Hard Rock and surf contexts alike, this track rewards anyone who puts in the time on picking mechanics. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the opening melodic run slowed down until every note speaks clearly before you bring it back up to tempo.

• The signature melody is played almost entirely on a single string, making right-hand picking consistency the central technical demand.
• Dick Dale used a heavy, stiff pick and an aggressive downstroke-heavy technique to produce the melody's sharp, percussive attack.
• At 125 BPM the picking line moves fast, so looping it slowed down is the most effective way to build clean speed.