Avenged Sevenfold - Hail To The King - Famous Riffs - Guitar Lesson

About Hail To The King - Famous Riffs

The title track from Avenged Sevenfold's 2013 record sits in Eb Standard tuning, so drop everything down a half step before you play a single note. At 120 BPM in E minor, the famous riff has a mid-paced, stomping feel that rewards a firm, deliberate pick attack rather than speed. The signature phrase leans heavily on power chords and a repeating single-note motif that sounds deceptively simple but loses its punch quickly if your timing drifts. Getting that locked-in, mechanical groove is the real challenge here, and the Practice Toolbar is exactly where you want to spend time: loop the main riff slowed down until every chord change lands exactly on the beat without rushing. The Heavy Metal context also means your muting needs to be tight. Sloppy palm muting will muddy the riff considerably, so treat each rest as deliberately as each note.

• The song uses Eb Standard tuning, meaning every string is tuned a half step down from standard, which slightly thickens the overall tone.
• At 120 BPM the main riff is mid-paced, making tight palm muting and consistent pick attack more critical than raw speed.
• The signature riff combines power chords with a repeating single-note motif in E minor, a good exercise in rhythmic precision and clean muting.