As I Lay Dying: "Parallels" Guitar Lesson

As I Lay Dying Nick and Phil show you how to play "Parallels" in this exclusive Guitar World video!

[@wellsbibo6175]

I remember being so stoked when Guitar World released this video. The opening riff to Parallels is, in my opinion, one of the best riffs ever written. There's something about its rhythm and melody that makes it so pleasing on the ear. Phil is my favorite guitar player/song writer to date.

[@9hk38f]

It is great. The tuning is just a bit ridiculous.

[@AffixedEvil]

​@@9hk38f why? Just changing one note to add an octave lol.

[@patrickmurphy2443]

Its prob a memory you have of it

[@thehunterstruck]

Nick and Phil are two WONDERFUL guitarists.

[@jbasti227]

One of my favorite guitar duos, and one of my favorite bands. I'm so glad they're back!

[@Glissmann]

great great band with huge riffs !

[@dclarkmusic]

A well written song! Aild always stuck out in the genre.

[@brandonproctor3639]

2 of my favorite guitarists! They’re so great together like Mark and Willie!

[@tristaningram945]

Thank you for so been kind as and man in sharing your knowledge

[@DeathMetalMikey]

Really epic opening riff sequence

[@stdavis22]

AILD wasan amazing band. I'd love to see them live again

[@hateeternalmaver]

I LOVE AILD AND GUITAR WORLD FOR DOING THIS!!!!! Awesome guys, keep it up. :) best wishes from Germany

[@ahmadtheaviationlover1937]

Maaaan I love that riff in the intro! I wish the whole song was played with that riff

[@Juzzer316]

My mans are BACK!

[@sonicx2218]

Hey guys, just wanted to tell you that if you buy the powerless rise deluxe edition it comes with tabs to every single song on the cd, in both guitar pro and pdf format. I got the deluxe edition not knowing this and was blown away. Just to make sure, i rewatched this vid, and the tunings, and playings match up. If you want to learn the songs right, def buy it, a little pricy, but its def worth it in my book.

[@dimmu666xx]

AILD just love this 7 - 12 stritsh

[@gibsonfan3]

I love that tuning!

[@dannyphantom907]

There’s something about the emg pickups, the pick he uses and his picking technique that gives that really nice quack quack tone to his riffs like everything from shadows are security

[@EclipseAtDusk]

That’s the EMG 81 sound for ya, that plus a tubescreamer boost in front of an amp, gets ya that sound in a heartbeat

[@deadheadliving]

Creativity excedes complexity and all that skills that isn't required to make something beautiful

[@INeverWanted2010]

Man that tuning still trips me out to this day. Love these guys!

That's a very good melody that they composed in Parallels! On another note, I won't ever get people complaining about EMGs sounding too sterile and how they don't reflect the tonal qualities of woods. First, not everyone has the money to afford different guitars with great sounding woods and EMGs actually provide a solution on that aspect. Second, if you want something warmer, you can always try the 18-watt mod on classic EMGs or just go with the newer X series or try Seymour Duncan Blackouts..

[@SGTSHOOTnMISS]

I will have to try that tuning out, never really got into anything like that myself

[@BlueCollar1212]

I think this is their best album. This shit has so many heavy fucking riffs. Tim’s best vocal performances.

[@Reborn95]

The Powerless Rise was their absolute peak!! Awakened was okay but a little more thrashy than melodic. I would’ve liked to see all the other albums they would’ve made after that album if only Tim didn’t do what he did 😪

[@marvinmacaraeg1048]

phenomenal metal GL!!!

[@davidmathes6730]

brilliant song writing!

[@heromyr]

@kylez3d its the amp settings, and mic placement. the prs's are sick

[@dimmu666xx]

amazing

[@natemcgrew86]

Awesome!

[@godwinikape8888]

More Guitar Lessons!!! Please!

[@SuicideMessiah360]

wooooow i waited so long! nick

[@REIRBL]

Amazing!!!!👍👍👍👍

[@PYRO-gj9sw]

Hands down my favorite metal band!!

[@sirnasty1553]

PYRO 101881 Finally someone else said it

[@attractedtothemetallikemag9385]

Mine too

[@ElGbayRGX]

= O the tuning !! very cool idea !!

[@OnionMilk420]

i like your guy's guitars

[@ekelly1213]

@GusCabanillas the taps are in the magazines. This one is from November 2010. I'm not sure if guitar world puts up their tabs online though

[@ThalesM10]

qual é a afinação das Cordas? what is the pitch of the strings?

[@branecollision]

@Daemonfury1 nick is using seymour duncan blackouts

[@XMetalChefX]

@sonicx2218 The problem is the song is mixed so well for the intro and layered very tightly.ITS VERY HARD TO HEAR BY EAR that they use DGDFAD tuning. I love this song tho

[@scoperz0r]

Is there any way to get this magazine if you're not from the US? Tried looking everywhere for an online format

[@untotenkid115]

@kirkmetalupurass prs what? im getting one but i need to know the specific one

[@Destrukto184]

Does anyone know where I can find a tab to play this as they do?

[@alimarshalljw]

3:39 aww nick wanted to play along!

[@viola0shredder]

@maneatingtoilets just turn the volume down a slight bit and it cleans up like a passive

[@CircularLogic924]

Quick question, when they play the chorus does Phil use a pitch shifter again, or do they both actually harmonize? I'm referring to when they play it live by the way.

[@metallicafukyeah90]

Ooo and I forgot dimebag wrote walk in d standard and played it in d standard live. Most people think its e flat or drop d. But its actually d standard.

[@MICKSHRED]

Kool story bro

[@mioleser5184]

Wrong, he wrote and played in 440hz tunings instead of 432hz, which means his tuning is in the middle between d# and e standart "d#,5" so to speak. Don't believe everything on the internet people !!!

[@pboads9330]

@@mioleser5184 thank you! Finally someone else who gets it

[@SuperGuitarMark]

@jedivolt But i've never see a Prs Singlecut with a tremolo and 2 vol 2 tone knobs. Only the tremonti has that setup. The Single cuts either have 2 vol 2 tone with a wrap around tail piece or a trem and 1 vol 1 tone.

[@metallicafukyeah90]

@elasdickband027 my bad must have hit the letter d instead of c on my phone when I was typing that. I hate touch screen phones. But at least I got how to tune it there right.

[@Max_Kleiber]

no, within destruction is in drop Eb. i got to meet phil and ask him. they tuned the guitars UP a whole step and then drop the E string. live they play it in drop D.

[@Nightwing228]

@jedivolt the white one i think is an ibanez

[@Harris2160]

Does anyone know which guitar Nick is using?

[@goodbassfishin]

@TheSchmittable I actually like the single cut aways that PRS make, its just, I'd never ever ever put EMG's in em.

[@Bradtheguitarfreak]

@wickerman667 I agree. Blackouts are my choice for active pups.

[@MrPppRrrAaaSss]

@untotenkid115 Its a Paul Reed Smith. Phil Sgrosso is endorsed by them. I'm assuming its a PRS Singlecut model with EMG's.

[@pivetlord13]

@MrPppRrrAaaSss its the mark tremonti model. you can tell by the inlays

[@CalTamaDrummer]

phils prs is awwweeessoommee!

[@e46matrix]

@sonicx2218 is there anyway you could send me the media files for the tabs? that would be awesome

[@9MAGGOT4LIFE]

@TXGxTheChosenX I know right, they're amazing pickups

[@FollowerofBodom]

@maneatingtoilets these are basically a louder and clearer tone. Kinda needed for this genre.

[@jedivolt]

@SuperGuitarMark this is just a PRS Singlecut... not every PRS Les Paul shape is a Tremonti Signature...

[@Fisgrisen]

What kind of Ibanez does Nich have there? 😻

[@GREGCAROLAN]

nice

[@allxtarmusic]

i've been playin it drop D all these years WTF?

[@Samus5164]

HAYYY I use EMG 81/85s in my Les Paul too! xD

[@jedivolt]

@Zhaggysfaction dude, custom shop?^^

[@PeanutButterGtr]

@MyEverConstantSmile Nick and Phil are unbelievably consistent when it comes to playing live. If you closed your eyes and listened you'd think you were in the studio.

[@conceptonefilm]

haha at 4:45 Nick wanted to keep going. The guy just never wants to stop playing!

[@Metalcorable]

0:17 - 0:24 Nick you show em the full power of your facial expression :D

[@zleepyjan]

COOOL! SO COOOL!!!!

[@MGMT1580]

@anubiskk How did you know?

[@DropdaLTDtoB]

i thought within destruction was tuned up a half step to F standard but then drop tuned. Eb A# Eb G# C F, but live they play it in regular Drop D. That's what nick said in an interview.

[@pinkbrain567]

PRS with EMG!) very nice

[@SantomPh]

what would that tuning of theirs be called? DGDFAD...sounds like a folk open tuning!

[@sonicx2218]

@XMetalChefX Agreed, I would of never guessed myself

[@pwnage11t7]

can someone tab this in this tuning? i got lost

[@confinado17]

i like the old as i lay dying

[@rammsteinrulz16]

RIP As I Lay Dying You will be missed

[@BvbAllDay52]

@Harris2160 He uses a custom made Ibanez he has the closest you can get to is an ART200 its not the same, it doesn't have EMG's but thats about as close as you'll get

[@Pred1001]

I'm just wondering, are all the songs of As I Lay Dying use this tuning ? Furthermore, are there any other bands using this tuning ? Since it's the time I've ever heard of it , I found it to be really genius...

[@ryane323]

Pretty sure a lot of their stuff is in C standard

[@corbineisel9342]

Ryan Embree Could be, thought I think it's mostly Drop-C (CGCFAD, not CADGBE). It's what I learned all of the songs I know by them in.

[@ryane323]

I meant C standard as in the guitar is in standard but tuned down to C... so CFA#D#GC NOT with just a dropped C.

[@corbineisel9342]

Maybe their new stuff. Pretty much all of Frail Words Collapse, Shadows Are Security and An Ocean Between Us are in CGCFAD. This tuning is obscure.

[@joekruger1857]

Corbin Eisel the sound of truth is the only song on an ocean between us played in drop d.

[@trippstewartm4a1]

Freakin Phil's guitar has birds on the frets. EPIC

[@xBCxRICHx1993]

All Prs guitars do

[@CircularLogic924]

@slipknotxpaulxgrey If I knew how to tab, I would. I can make a video lesson sometime in the near future though, I learned the whole song, and converted the drop D Guitar Pro tab for the solo only, I watched the music video and corrected the parts that I could see.

[@DylanDorrie]

Nick always looks serious lol

[@ahmadtheaviationlover1937]

Sounds even cooler at the slower tempo

[@goodbassfishin]

@prenner111 you also neglected to mention the fact that you originally were mistaken in that I wasn't commenting on the "metal"ness of the guitar, rather the pick ups in the guitar.

[@9MAGGOT4LIFE]

@sXeSnowmansXe Don't be hating on EMG's they're great pickups, and sound even better with a PRS's thick tone

[@a_storm_inside7026]

Man i feel like ultimate guitar never has accurate tabs

[@adeptusmechanicus1029]

I feel the same way man.

[@BathedInTorment]

@Daemonfury1 use seymour duncan blackouts

[@WickedHamBurglar]

Got 'em in my Schecter, I have Exploders in my Paul

[@jakesegdirb]

James Franco plays guitar for As I Lay Dying?! :O

[@johnbrenton6972]

Jake Bridges looks more like Leto there to me

[@sonicx2218]

@PrayerOfTheRefugees Correct, it's such a crazy tuning i guess you could say. I'd say Nick and Phil are pretty awesome innovators in thinking this up

[@CasualShredder]

woah. a metal PRS? YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

[@Zhaggysfaction]

@jedivolt Actually I think it is a Tremonti model, because I don't remember PRS ever doing normal singlecut with 4 knobs and the p/u-switch in the normal Les Paul position AND with a tremolo on the same guitar. It's been either 4 knobs and a hardtail or 2 knobs and a tremolo, so... It's a Tremonti model. Or a private stock which I doubt.

[@Marcelo_B_159]

Believe so, Tremonti model

[@Zhaggysfaction]

@@Marcelo_B_159 Damn it’s like time travel when 10 year old comments get replies but it’s quite fun. I’m still here ;)

[@DustyMcFarland]

Wish they showed the main riff

[@TheHarpernator95]

Nick taken out of context at 5:30 "So I'm going to be playing with Phil."

[@JonathanFredlund]

@sonicx2218 tabbers might be wrong, but some have a nice sense of how different notes are on different strings, i first learned this song from this video, but i also know it by a tabbers point of view because it's tabbed in the same note/different strings on dropped D tuning, nowhere near as hard as the real way, but to me there is no right or wrong way, nothing has to be perfect or exactly the same as the band itself, we aren't the band so we dont have to play exactly like them :)

[@highrollerzzz]

they actually sound good

[@surajrai9289]

can somebody explain me ...2:48....

[@CircularLogic924]

3:37 lol Nick: Dammit! I was about to join in! :|

[@LoMeinTim]

@greensp4rk hellz yeah man :D

[@6661joshua]

3:42 NICK YOU GOT FAILLLLLLLLLL...LOL

[@4ndygggg]

@sonicx2218 i haven't even seen a tab that has the right tuning yet :p

[@PrayerOfTheRefugees]

@sonicx2218 But you have to admit...noone ever would have the idea they could use such a sick tuning ;)

[@Metalfeak3]

Well from what I understand, that makes inverted power chords much easier to do because they become just like the one finger bared chords that you normally get in a typical drop tuning. It enables you to sound lower, almost like a 7 string guitar.That is what you call being innovative.