Avenged Sevenfold - Nightmare - Guitar Lesson

Nightmare

2010 6:14

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About Nightmare

Tuned down to Eb Standard, "Nightmare" sits in C# minor and opens with one of the more recognizable clean arpeggiated intro figures in modern Heavy Metal. That intro demands precise pick control and smooth finger placement across spread voicings, so if the chord changes feel rushed at 120 BPM, use the Practice Toolbar to loop it slowed down until each note rings cleanly. Once the song kicks in, the rhythm guitar work requires tight, palm-muted chugging with fast transitions into full chord hits, and keeping that muted articulation consistent is where most players slip. Avenged Sevenfold also layer lead lines throughout that combine legato runs with picked phrases, so your picking-hand discipline really gets tested. Pay close attention to the dynamic contrast between the soft clean passages and the heavy distorted sections, because nailing those volume and tone shifts is just as important as the individual techniques.

• The song is played in Eb Standard tuning, dropping all strings a half-step and placing the riffs comfortably in C# minor.
• The clean arpeggiated intro is a priority section to isolate with the Practice Toolbar, as the chord voicings are wide and the timing must stay even.
• Rhythm guitar sections rely on tight palm-muted chugging patterns that require consistent right-hand pressure to keep the tone defined under distortion.