Long Tide · level 2 · goal 120 bpm

Long Tide is an eight-bar lead riff in standard tuning: Melodic metal lead, D minor, fifth to tenth fret. This is level 2 of 3, played at 120 bpm; the three levels of the riff run from 100 to 140 bpm. It works on power chords, hammer-ons and pull-offs, slides, vibrato. The player loops the riff with drums and bass, starts at 70% speed and steps up 5% after every clean pass until you play it at full tempo.

Each pair of sixteenths launches a long note. Hammer or pick them quickly, then slow down for the vibrato. Slides are the joints of the line: keep finger pressure on so the note never drops out.

The three levels

1. Level 1 · 100 bpm · Melodic metal lead, D minor, fifth to tenth fret. Treat the two eighths as an upbeat that pushes into the long note.
2. Level 2 · 120 bpm · Melodic metal lead, D minor, fifth to tenth fret. Each pair of sixteenths launches a long note.
3. Level 3 · 140 bpm · Melodic metal lead, D minor, fifth to thirteenth fret. The runs feed the long notes, so play them light and land the target on the beat.