Practice Studio

Megadeth - Sweating Bullets - Guitar Tab

Sections · Loop · Speed · Metronome

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SECTIONS

Select a Loop

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End of your loop

Speed Control

Speed
100%

Tools

BPM
Key E minor
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Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
AI tone preset

AI-selected preset based on genre and era — adjust the knobs to taste.

Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.

Megadeth Thrash Metal E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Sweating Bullets


"Sweating Bullets" is one of the more unusual entries in the Megadeth catalog, built around a brooding, mid-paced riff that sits squarely in E minor and relies more on menace and groove than on speed. The main riff is a slow-burn, palm-muted figure that demands tight right-hand control: every note needs to land cleanly and with consistent pressure, or the whole feel goes slack. The challenge is not the tempo but the precision, especially keeping that palm mute even and controlled through the repetitive, hypnotic pattern. The verse sections require you to stay locked in and resist rushing, which is harder than it sounds at this kind of grinding pace. If the main riff is giving you trouble, set the Practice Toolbar to loop it slowed down so you can focus on synchronising both hands before bringing it back up to speed. The lead work over the top rewards players who have their vibrato and string bending dialled in within a minor tonality.

  • The signature riff is built on a slow, heavy palm-muted pattern in E minor, making consistent right-hand muting pressure the main technical focus.
  • Despite being slower than much of Megadeth's output, the riff demands precise two-hand synchronisation, which can catch players off guard at full tempo.
  • The lead guitar sections call for controlled vibrato and accurate bending within E minor, making them good targeted practice for expressive soloing technique.

How to Play Sweating Bullets

The song moves through: Intro, Verse 1, Chorus 1, Verse 2, Chorus 2, Interlude, Solo, Bridge, Verse 3, Chorus 3, Outro.

Key: E minor · Tempo: 111 BPM · Difficulty: Medium

The arrangement runs through 11 distinct sections, and the solo is the steepest jump, so isolate it on its own.

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 111 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Gibson Flying V
Guitar

Gibson Flying V

Dave Mustaine's current signature Flying V delivers the V-shaped body geometry essential for accessing upper frets on his complex spider-chord voicings and fast lead lines. The guitar's thin, fast neck profile and fixed bridge provide the tuning stability and articulation Megadeth's precise, aggressive riffing demands.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

Mustaine built Megadeth's signature razor-sharp, scooped-mid tone on Marshall JCM800s, with gain around 7-8 to retain pick dynamics and articulation under heavy palm-muting. The amp's responsive tube saturation transforms hot pickups into the controlled, fast low-end aggression that defines thrash metal rhythm tones.

DigiTech Whammy
Pedal

DigiTech Whammy

Marty Friedman used the Digitech Whammy as a lead accent tool, adding pitch-shifting texture to solos without cluttering Megadeth's minimalist effects philosophy. The pedal's harmonic richness complemented his warm, vocal-like Seymour Duncan humbucker tone during the band's classic era.

ISP Decimator Noise Gate
Pedal

ISP Decimator Noise Gate

The ISP Decimator is essential for Mustaine's high-gain thrash setup, eliminating feedback and noise between palm-muted riffs without compromising sustain. This noise gate allows him to push the Marshall into aggressive saturation while maintaining the tight, articulate attack Megadeth's complex rhythms require.

Play with Backing Track

Play with Backing Track

Solo (Backing Track)

Solo (Backing Track)