After getting Alex Skolnick into our studio last year to run us through his triads and sweep–picking techniques, we were itching for him to come back. The guitarist behind Testament and the Alex Skolnick trio recently got on camera again for a great lesson teaching the foundations of some advanced metal technique.
This time around, Alex focuses on building runs out of five–note patterns based in a single key. It's a technique he originally picked up from Eddie Van Halen, and he breaks down how this approach to patterns is used on "Eruption," translating it to a simple format that can be practiced across a number of keys and string configurations.
In this video, Alex is playing his ESP signature guitar.