Gojira - Flying Whales - Guitar Lesson

From Mars to Sirius

2005 7:44

Listen on Spotify

About Flying Whales

Drop D tuning is central to "Flying Whales," and Gojira use it to generate the kind of low-end heaviness that defines the track. The opening riff rides the open D string hard, alternating between palm-muted chugs and ringing power chords in a way that sounds simple but demands very precise right-hand control. Letting any note ring when it should be muted, or muting when it should open up, immediately exposes sloppy technique. The track sits at 80 BPM, which feels slow until you realise how much rhythmic tension the riff carries at that pace. The mid-section shifts into longer, sustained chords in D minor that require you to hold your picking hand steady and let the note decay naturally rather than rushing to the next hit. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the main riff slowed down and focus entirely on palm-mute pressure before bringing it back up to tempo. Progressive Rock players unfamiliar with this kind of modern heaviness will find the song a solid entry point into tight, groove-centred riffing.

• The entire song is played in Drop D tuning, making the low D string the anchor of every main riff and power chord.
• Right-hand palm muting precision is the core technical challenge: the muted and open notes must be clearly distinct at 80 BPM.
• Practise the opening riff at half speed with the Practice Toolbar to lock in mute placement before adding full picking attack.