Sepultura - Desperate Cry - Guitar Tab

Arise

1991 6:41

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About Desperate Cry

Drop D tuning and E minor give "Desperate Cry" from the 1991 Arise album a low, heavy foundation that Sepultura put to full use across one of their longest and most dynamic tracks. The Drop D voicing lets you hit that open sixth string for thick, chugging power chords while also reaching single-note passages in the same position, so your fretting hand needs to be comfortable switching between those two modes quickly. At 120 BPM the song is not blindingly fast, but it does sustain intensity over a longer run time than most Groove Metal cuts, which means stamina and consistency matter as much as raw speed. The main challenge is keeping your pick attack even through the repeated low-string riffs without letting tension creep into your forearm. Use the Practice Toolbar to isolate any transition between the clean and heavy sections and work it slowed down before building back to full tempo. Getting the dynamics right, knowing when to dig in and when to pull back, is really what separates a solid run at this song from a great one.

• Drop D tuning is essential here, allowing one-finger power chords on the low string and giving the rhythm parts their characteristic heavy, low-end weight.
• At 120 BPM the song is moderate in tempo, but its extended length demands consistent right-hand picking stamina across both clean and heavily distorted sections.
• The song shifts between clean guitar passages and crushing riff sections, so practising those dynamic transitions slowly with looping is the most productive way to build confidence.