Drowning Pool - Bodies - Guitar Lesson

Sinner

2001 3:22

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About Bodies

Drop D tuning is the whole reason "Bodies" works the way it does. That lowered sixth string lets Drowning Pool hammer the open D as a percussive pedal tone, and the main riff is built almost entirely around that one-finger power chord shape that Drop D makes possible. In E minor at 128 BPM, the song sits at a pace where the chugging feels punishing rather than blindingly fast, which actually makes precision more important than speed. The challenge is keeping every chug tight and muted, because sloppy palm muting at this tempo turns the riff into mud. Pay close attention to where the muting releases and the open string rings, since that contrast is where the riff gets its aggression. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the verse riff slowed down until your picking hand muting is completely consistent, then bring it back up to full tempo. This is a great entry point into Heavy Metal rhythm technique.

• The entire riff relies on Drop D tuning, which allows one-finger power chords on the lowest two strings and a heavy open-D pedal tone.
• Palm muting consistency is the core challenge: the contrast between muted chugs and open string hits defines the riff's aggressive feel.
• At 128 BPM in E minor, the tempo is moderate enough that right-hand accuracy and groove matter more than raw picking speed.