Megadeth - Peace Sells But Who’s Buying? - Guitar Tab

About Peace Sells But Who’s Buying?

Few bass-led intros in thrash metal are as immediately recognizable as the one that opens this track, but the guitar parts that follow demand just as much attention. Megadeth built the song around a relentless E minor groove, and the riffing throughout sits in that low-register, palm-muted pocket that defines the genre's rhythm work. Getting the muted chug to feel tight rather than muddy takes real right-hand control, so spend time with the Practice Toolbar looping the verse riff slowed down until each note speaks cleanly before you bring it back up to speed. The lead sections ask for confident picking accuracy and some quick positional shifts up the neck, which can catch players off guard if they have only practiced the rhythm parts. Pay attention to the dynamics too: the contrast between the punchy muted passages and the more open chord hits is what gives the arrangement its punch, and smoothing that out is where most players will do their real work.

• The main guitar riff centers on low E minor palm-muted patterns, requiring precise right-hand muting to keep the heavy groove clean and defined.
• Lead sections involve fast positional shifts on the neck, so isolating those transitions with a slowed-down loop is the most effective way to build accuracy.
• Getting a convincing tone for this song typically calls for a high-gain amp setting with the low mids dialed in to match that tight, aggressive thrash rhythm sound.