Why Do Metal Heads Hate The G Chord?

Bias Against The G Chord

The G power chord is one of the most basic and versatile chords in music. It’s made up of just two notes – the root note G and the fifth note D – and it’s a staple of many different genres, including rock, pop, and blues. Despite its simplicity and flexibility, however, the G power chord is surprisingly under-used in the heavy metal genre. This is a shame, because heavy metal music could be so much better if guitar players only learned to use the G chord more.

Speed Freaks vs Foundational Skills

One reason why the G power chord is under-used in heavy metal is that guitar players often focus too much on technical proficiency and speed. They become obsessed with playing as fast and as accurately as possible, which often leads them to neglect the basic building blocks of music. The G power chord is a perfect example of this – it’s a simple chord that doesn’t require a lot of technical skill to play, but it’s essential for creating a strong foundation for heavy metal music.

Variety Is The Spice Of Everything Nice

Another reason why the G power chord is under-used in heavy metal is that guitar players tend to rely too heavily on the standard power chord shape, which is based on the E and A strings. This shape is great for creating a heavy, distorted sound, but it can also be limiting. By expanding their repertoire to include the G power chord, guitar players can add more variety and nuance to their music. The G power chord can be played on the low E string or the A string, but it can also be played on the D string or the G string, which opens up a whole new range of sonic possibilities.

G Stands For Heavy Metal Bedrock

So what would heavy metal music sound like if guitar players put aside their bias against the G power chord more? Well, it would be heavier, for one thing. The G power chord has a deep, rumbling quality that can really shake the walls. It’s also more dynamic – by using the G power chord in different positions on the fretboard, guitar players can create a wider range of tonal colors and textures. And perhaps most importantly, it would give heavy metal music a more solid foundation. The G power chord is like the bedrock of heavy metal – without it, the music can feel unanchored and unstable.

Send Good Old G Some Freakin’ Love!

In conclusion, the G power chord is an under-appreciated gem in the heavy metal genre. Guitar players should take the time to explore its many variations and possibilities, and incorporate it more into their playing. By doing so, they can create heavier, more dynamic, and more solid music that will stand the test of time. So go ahead – pick up your guitar and start playing those G power chords. Your music (and your fans) will thank you for it!

Highway Walker – Study Companion for Håvard

Highway Walker – Original song by yours truly OGNDY, AKA LARS.

This is a video of me playing through the chords of the original composition Highway Walker  (credits Lars Dahl & Atle Moe anno ca. 1976) for the purpose of helping young Håvard identify said chords, when and how to change them, and play along and have a fucking good time (which is what Rock ‘n’ Roll is all about). #LetsGoBrandon #FJB #Trump2024

Intonating Your Guitar

I called BS about intonation best practices, but i was WRONG!

Everybody on the Interwebs talk about the importance of intonating your guitar in the playing position, rather in the supine, workbench, setup position, ‘cuz gravity (#LOL). I always called BS on this, because how could a 90-degree rotation of the instrument at the same altitude above sea-level possibly affect the sound of strings? Am-I-Rite?!? I’m wrong!

Scientific tests performed by Yours Truly confirm that there is a very noticeable difference in the position of the instrument that translates to how clean the notes sound, and if you intonate your instrument in the “setup” position, you’re doing yourself a disservice, and your sound will suffer! #TrustMe

Intonating an electric guitar

Intonation; simple, but not as easy as you might think.

When I Grow Up I Wanna Be A Rock & Roll Star!

Old geezer learns Black Sabbath

The godfathers of Metal - Black Sabbath

When they were young: The godfathers of Metal – Black Sabbath

Hey, I started playing guitar @ 16 and quit at 17 (bad move!). At 62 I still want to be a rock star, arthritic hands and all, so I decided the Old Geezer needs to learn Black Sabbath on guitar. Here’s my first attempt at recording just a few weeks after acquiring my new setup: a cheap Strat-type guitar of the brand Morgan and a Focusrite 2i2 interface to get it into my computer where I can record with the free DAW Cakewalk by BandLab. Enjoy and play nice!

When I Grow Up I Wanna Be A Rock & Roll Star! Tenkte jeg skulle gjenopplive ungdomsdrømmen om å bli råkkestjerne. Det er aldri for seint å lære ei gammal bikkje nye triks! Kjøpte meg en gitar og noen opptaksgreier fra 4sound på Forus utenfor Stavanger (greie, kunnskapsrike og hjelpsomme karer!) og her er det første resultatet: Introen til Into The Void av Black Sabbath. Ække helt sikker på hvorfor trollet vises som thumbnail, siden jeg hadde valgt et annet bilde. Oh well…

My SEO plugin says I need to add more text, so here’s a filler paragraph. 1) I need to add my chosen key-phrase which happens to be Old geezer learns Black Sabbath several times to earn some Google love. 2) I need at least 300 words to get a passing grade from Yoast (which I am hereby trying to do). I guess mentioning Black Sabbath a few more times won’t hurt. I’ll have to run this through Google translate for a Norwegian version in order to boost my word count. Let’s hope the Google bots don’t flag this as meaningless filler text. Lorem Ipsum Dolor Sit Amet…

Seo-pluginen min sier at jeg trenger å legge til mer tekst, så her er et fyllstoffavsnitt. 1) Jeg må legge til min valgte nøkkelfrase som tilfeldigvis er Gammel geezer lærer Black Sabbath flere ganger for å tjene litt Google-kjærlighet. 2) Jeg trenger minst 300 ord for å få bestått karakter fra Yoast (som jeg herved prøver å gjøre). Å nevne Black Sabbath et par ganger til vil vel ikke skade. Jeg må kjøre dette gjennom Google translate for en norsk versjon for å øke ordtellingen min. La oss håpe Google-robotene ikke flagger dette som meningsløs fylltekst. Lorem Ipsum Dolor sitte amet…

I Think I’m Going Bald (The Ballad Of Lars Dahl’s Bald Spot)

I’m developing a distinct, but not severe (yet), bald spot aka alopecia areata (AA). I never knew since I’ve shaved my head regularly (2-3 times/week) for the past 10 years or so. While performing that task today I checked the stubble on my noggin closely in the mirror and the truth is in the picture. Undeniable. Truth.

Lars Dahl's Bald Spot

The proof is in the pudding. A picture speaks more than a thousand words. Lars Dahl is going bald.

What hurts most is that my wife kept it a secret for all these years. I was thinking of letting it grow out again some day, but clearly that’s not gonna happen. Better bald than a combover. Oh well. If you have the opportunity please link to this post using the search term “Lars Dahl’s Bald Spot“. Being #1 on Google would be a consolation for me in my hour of distress. Go Rush, they know what I’m talking about!

Bald Man’s Creed (An Homage to the Bald Spot)

This is my bald spot. There are many like it, but this one is mine.

My bald spot is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life.

My bald spot without me, is useless. Without my bald spot, I am useless. I must polish my bald spot true. I must polish shinier than my fellow baldie who is trying to out-bald me. I must lose more hair than him. I will…

My bald spot and I know that what counts in life is not the follicles we lose, the futile scratch of our combs, nor the clogged bathtub drains. We know that it is the flakiness of the scalp that counts. Scalps will flake…

My bald spot is human, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its gloss, its softness, its smoothness, like a baby’s butt. I will keep my bald spot clean and ready, even as I am clean and ready. We will become part of each other. We will…

Before The Celestial Tea Pot, I swear this creed. My bald spot and I are the defenders of my dignity. We are the masters of our domain. We are the defenders of my noggin.

So be it, until the science of medicine discovers an actual cure for male pattern baldness, there is no ally but Rogain!

Old Mothers

They don’t die, they just wither away. Time waits for no man (or woman). Happy birthday, you are now an octogenarian.

A little tribute. Bet nobody ever honored your day with this one. Enjoy. Looking forward to the next -genarian shift in a decade’s time.

Your loving son,
Lars G.

And So It Begins – News From My Inbox

I received this email from Midway USA today, one of the country’s largest online dealers of everything related to firearms, and of whom I am a customer:

Connecticut Public Act 13-220

Dear Lars,
On April 4, 2013, Connecticut Public Act 13-220 was signed into law by Governor Malloy. Among other things, this law implements licensing requirements for the sale of all magazines and ammunition beginning October 1, 2013. In order to be compliant with the new law on its effective date, we will be restricting the sale of all ammunition and magazines to Connecticut beginning September 17, 2013. This allows for all in transit products to arrive in Connecticut by the law’s effective date.
In order for any existing backorders to release and to continue purchasing magazines or ammunition after this date, you must be the holder of one of the following permits/certificates: CT Carry Permit, Eligibility Certificate, Long Gun Eligibility Certificate or Ammunition Certificate. Additionally, one of these must be on file with your MidwayUSA account.
The Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) is responsible for the administration of the permits and certificates listed above. Please visit the DESPP website for instructions and many of the necessary forms to apply: http://www.ct.gov/despp/cwp/view.asp?a=4213&q=494616
If you have already submitted one of these documents to MidwayUSA, no further action is necessary.
If you have not obtained one of these documents, we encourage you to do so. Once obtained, please email (customerservice@midwayusa.com) or fax (1-800-992-8312) a copy to us along with a government-issued photo ID and we will update your account to prevent any disruption in our ability to serve you.
We are very sorry for the inconvenience and sincerely appreciate your business.
Customer Service
MidwayUSA

I’m including this pop song from 1970s Scottish heart-throbs pop band Bay City Rollers as a sarcastic post script. Figure it out if you can. If not, no biggie. And yes, I’m embarrassed to admit that I have this album in original vinyl