The ukulele is a surprisingly great instrument to play metal songs on. Despite its small size, and depending on which model you use, it packs a powerful punch.
Plenty of metal bands use drop D tuning, or go even deeper by adding a 7th string, so a ukulele with a low G is going to help you here. It is not a necessity by any means though.
- 1. Linkin Park – One Step Closer
- 2. System Of A Down – Toxicity
- 3. Rammstein – Ich Will
- 4. Metallica – Battery
- 5. Korn – Clown
1Linkin Park – One Step Closer
This is a sweet and simple little riff that sounds great repeated over and over, much like the actual song. If you want to give it some extra power, palm mute the strings for two bars, then unleash the full sound of the strings unmuted for the next two bars.
A|----4----6-------------|E|-------------5--4------|C|-1-----1-----------1-4-|G|-----------------------|
Get the full tabs for Crawling, A Place For My Head and Papercut
2System Of A Down – Toxicity
This sounds fantastic on the ukulele because we have lots of open notes. It lets the strings ring out and sound very full. The timing can be a little tricky when you get to the last part of it, and the best way to beat that is to play along to the video below.
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------E|---3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3---6---6---6---6---6---6---6---6-C|-0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---3---3---3---3---3---3---3---3---G|-----------------------------------------------------------------
A|-------------------------------------------------E|---3---3---3-4---4-3---3---6---8---8-6---6-4---3-C|-0---0---0-----0-----0---3---3---3-----3-----3---G|-------------------------------------------------
Get the full tabs for Prison Song, Needles and Chop Suey
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You can learn more about how to read ukulele tabs and loads of other topics in my Mastering Ukulele Tabs course
3Rammstein – Ich Will
This is one of the riffs that needs a ukulele with a low G to be effective. If the prospect of a deep G string on your ukulele is an alien concept to you, have a read of this article about low G by Baz at Got A Ukulele.
A|-------------------8-----7--------|-------------------------------E|---10-10---10------------------10-|-10----------------------------C|----------------------------------|-9-----12----7-7-7-5-5-5-2-2-2-G|-7-------7-------7---7-7---7-7----|-7-----------7-7-7-5-5-5-2-2-2-
Get the full tabs for Mein Herz Brennt, Sonne and Feuer Frei
4Metallica – Battery
Another band that took over my life in my teens. I remember seeing that live performance of “For Whom The Bell Tolls” on telly and being in awe of it. They played with so much ferocity, the fans looked hypnotised. Then one night after school, in Asda with my mam, I walked past the magazine section and saw Metal Hammer. The cover was covered in white graves and a sinister looking sunset, and the headline read “the greatest album of all time”. I got my hands on a copy of the album later that week.
That opening acoustic riff of Battery was an instant winner. I was already loving it and then the distorted guitars come in. Metal Hammer mag was right, this album is amazing.
A|-7/8/7----7----7----5-5----|-E|-4--------5----5------3----|-C|-4--------5----6------4----|-G|-4--------5----------------|-A|---0--------0--------0--------0---|-E|-3--------3--------3------------3-|-C|-----4--------4--------4-2--------|-G|----------------------------------|-A|-5-7------5----7------5/7--------7-5-E|-7/8-8----7----8-8----7-8-8-7----8-7-C|-----9-----------9--------9-7--------G|-------------------------------------
Learn to play Master Of Puppets and The Thing That Should Not Be
5Korn – Clown
This is some straight up metal chugging on the ukulele. We are playing power chords on the top two strings. I am using a low G ukulele on this one to really give it some punch.
A|-------1-------1p0-------1-------3------------------------------3----E|----------------------------------------------------------------3----C|-5-5-4---5-5-4-----5-5-4---5-5-4--------------------------------0----G|-2-2-1---2-2-1-----2-2-1---2-2-1------5-6-5-4-5-4-5-6-5-4-5-6-4-0----
Get the full tabs for Blind, Ball Tongue and Daddy
Summary
That is just the start of what you can do by combining metal with a ukulele. YouTubers like Rob Scallon and Karl Golden do a fantastic job of performing metal songs on a uke. I cannot wait to see your fingers flying up and down the fretboard.