JERRY CANTRELL's 24 Greatest Guitar Techniques!

Alice In Chains got me through some of the toughest times in my life. Now I want to show the world Jerry's top techniques. Enjoy and be sure to check out their entire catalog. :)
Check out all my lesson videos at: www.the-art-of-guitar.com
If you learned anything from this video please support my Patreon at: www.patreon.com/theartofguitar . Thanks! :)

[@cesarbeltran6583]

Time Stamps: #1 0:55 Drop D Chord Bends #2 1:44 Extended Drop D Chords #3 2:28 Walk Down Squeals #4 3:15 The Cantrell Chord #1 #5 4:08 Wah Trills #6 4:58 Bleeding Bends #7 6:03 Funk Leads #8 7:01 Man In The Talk Box #9 8:04 Over Bends #10 9:03 Reverse Rakes #11 9:38 Behind The Nut Harp Sound #12 10:05 The Devils Interval #13 11:03 The Cantrell Chord #2 #14 12:10 Wah Octaves #15 12:52 Double Stop Bends #16 13:46 Minor 6 Dissonance #17 14:51 Slow Low Bends #18 15:13 Chaos Leads #19 16:26 Melodic Overdubs #20 17:27 Circular Lead Motif #21 19:18 Legato #22 20:27 Thumbed Slash Chords #23 21:17 Finger Picking #24 22:32 Self-Harmonizing

[@manolomunozsantillan9496]

0:55 We die young is not tuned in drop D, it's D standard

[@pavlazar]

@@manolomunozsantillan9496 i think it's drop D# they never played in D

[@unplayedpiano7039]

Man. We Salute. Wow.

[@BigMuff75]

I think this is like spoiling the Video.

[@BlackacreDoe]

@@pavlazar Drop C#

[@scorpthe]

Jerry Cantrell is also the lord of arpegios with open strings. No one else does it that mystical way he does. I mean "I can't remember", "Love, hate, love", "The devil put dinosaurs here", "Jesus hands". Real awesomeness! And also he's one of my very favorite composers and musicians. His solos on "Low Ceiling" and "Breath on a window" are extremely soulful. He never gonna put a rubbish solo stuff like most skilled guitarists do. He's skilled, but he's so musical! I realy love the way he does! By the way, thanks for video!😉

[@DavidRFIT]

Jar of Flies is one of the best albums of the 90s. Well, it is one of the best albums ever.

[@Trojanarchist]

other than black gives way to blue :))

[@raywark1136]

I was at Michigan State studying engineering. We did so many projects with Jar of Flies in the background.

[@edyoung4450]

First EP to open at 1 on billboard

[@YukonDemon]

No question, a fantastic album, but when it comes to Alice in Chains, Facelift and Dirt were hands down my favorites.

[@rfunk8198]

Facelift is awesome too!

[@jurajzembjak9721]

The best grunge guitarist

[@joycesanders4898]

..absolute. 🎸🖤🤘

[@slimmmshaney5695]

Jerry and AiC were much more than just grunge, he's one of the best ever

[@jackpowell6913]

By a mile

[@AmonRa1081]

Agreed....Next to Kim Thayil.

[@BonaldDrump]

@@AmonRa1081 Kim Thayil, Jerry Cantrell and Stone Gossard are amazing guitarists!

[@Chudchanning]

Man I knew Jerry was a great guitarist just as far as the riffs and music go, but his technical aspect is also insane with the effects, little techniques, and nuances in his playing. He really has alot going on in these seemingly simple songs. Definitely feels like a daunting task to try to learn some of these songs

[@crimson1718]

Cantrell is really just some kind of guitar God.

[@MorbidRexx]

Facelift is my favourite AiC album. So many of those choruses just hit you with this huge wall of sound, huge chords and some really great vocal performances from Layne that I think aren't as present in the later albums.

[@rangerdoc1029]

I'd put it up there with Back in Black as one of the greatest albums ever.

[@harrisontownsend910]

A buddy of mine listened to this record and thought it was amazing, and we're talking about a metalhead getting blown away by a Grunge record.

[@spoonbruh741]

Jar of flies’ nutshell song reminds me of my dad. I thank him everyday for bringing me up w/ such good music.

[@ianlinder2168]

I also listen to a lot of Alice in chains during my long depression. The mtv unplugged album was my favorite but Jar of fly is a close second. Nirvana, radiohead and Smashing Pumpkins also made some good depression music.

[@danegonzales5651]

Wow going through some numb rough shit as well and I've never appreciated the Grunge scene as much as I do now. Hope you're doing better, pal.

[@fackauff6038]

Why does this kind of music have to be associated with depression. The time when I was listening to AIC, Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and STP the most was actually a really happy time in my life.

[@thefakengx3839]

Ian Linder Radiohead head makes ya more depressed ya bugger

[@cuteasxtreme]

@@fackauff6038 let’s say good music for strong emotions

[@michaelsteven1090]

@@thefakengx3839 haha..made my night your comment

[@_draculas_castle_]

This needed to happen Jerry is a king

[@horrorinfusion]

I know I’m a year late but I was able to name every single song and this made me love them even more..they’re my favorite band of ALL time

[@blind_mel0n]

thanks for this video. i thought it might be some throwaway thing where you basically just play recognizable cantrell licks but you went really in-depth and not only showed how to emulate each technique but how and why its used. and as a 19-year-old, i have definitely gone through spans of my life where ive listened to the same Cantrell or AIC EP/LP every single day just to keep me alive.

[@dor9244]

These 25 minutes were so fascinating, You are are playing beautifully. I've learned a lot from this video Thank you 🤟🎸

[@seanmiller7889]

Finally Jerry getting some love! One of my favorites. Hardly anyone covering Jerry thank you so much!

[@the92project]

I cover Jerry 😉

[@sono1739]

Alice In Chains helped me get thru hard times too! Band made a huge impact on my life. Love them so much.

[@michaelvigil1417]

'Dirt' was the album that got me through..Thank you AIC for getting me through life, as well. Great video, as always!

[@MrRagnarxx]

Great lesson. Jerry is one of the most distinct contemporary guitarists IMO, and I love AiC and his solo stuff.

[@user-dq2ym1nn9k]

The quality of this video is appreciated. Thankyou!

[@wolverine777182]

mind blowing, i had to play that "whale & wasp" part at least 7 times , it was so good... thanks for such an amazing video bro!

[@anghell1823]

I agree with the fact that Jerry and Alice helped me going through some of the most hard times of my life. Thank you for that.

[@jakeybball]

Jerry is the reason I started playing about 3 years ago. Alot of riffs were simple enough to the point where I had the confidence actually try to learn them. They also sounded so damn cool that I felt like I’d really accomplished something, I wasn’t just sliding around Power chords.

[@gageclark2390]

Beautiful beautiful tone 👌 really nice heavy chunky Rhythm guitar sound And really smooth Texture to the lead tone. Amazing videos 👍

[@megabubba]

Thanks so much for making this. Really great analysis and illustration of some of Jerry's signature techniques. It gave me some new insights and will be good for many trips to the woodshed...

[@patrickunderwood5662]

Jerry Cantrell and Ace Frehley are two of my guitar heroes. (And apparently Ace was one of Cantrell’s heroes.) I am wayyyyy far from reaching the level at which your technique videos can help, but I am certainly saving them for later. Somehow I imagine these players, decades before KZbin tutorials, weren’t “thinking” and “analyzing” but your videos are a huge help for us mortals.

[@pauletch22]

let’s be real, we all have a favorite AIC album kinda, but all of them are really awesome. Jar of flies for me but I love all of them equally

[@HannahCope88]

I've been on an Alice In Chains kick this past week or so and I had to come and watch this video again. I've been listening to the Unplugged version of Nutshell a lot the past few days (it's probably my favourite song from their Unplugged set) and I finally tuned down my white Jackson Dinky so I could have a go at learning it a little bit. That Whale and Wasp ending to this video was just perfection, ugh it sounds so sad and so good at the same time.

[@offdutyjie]

Thank You for doing this bud Just subscribed! Jerry is such an underrated guitarist! Please do a Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age vid! Would love to see you tackle some of his desert rock stylings along with the Homme Scales!

[@ashrafrahman9392]

Please Please Please

[@sanssin344]

ive heard in an interview jerry saying all the bendy songs were layne, like angry chair was all him.

[@yaboiwarp]

Not at all. I also watched that interview with Lars. He referred to it in a context Layne writing Hate to Feel and Angry Chair as Duvall wrote his first bendy AiC song which is "So Far Under". Apart from those all the bendy Tony Iommi influenced AiC songs are written by Cantrell. Cantrell has expressed his love for Iommi's dark bends multiple times and he utilized that in a lot of AiC stuff.

[@EDAR96]

Layne only wrote Angry chair and hate to feel. He also said if anyone didn’t like his playing to blame Tom Morello as he’s the one who taught him to play

[@djhatgaysm420]

The only songs Layne wrote were Angry Chair, Head Creeps, and Hate To Feel. Jerry was saying in that interview that each member to write guitar ever for Alice In Chains have now written a bendy riff, since William wrote So Far Under. Jerry wrote PLENTY of bendy riffs with Alice.

[@Christian-vq8rd]

Jerry has talked about "Dirt" (the song) showing off his bends to a friend.

[@rmk6444]

There’s more than just that interview where Jerry talks about the songs Layne wrote. Angry Chair, Hate to Feel, Head Creeps..👌

[@Greg-rd8qr]

Awesome video! Jerry is amazing! Definitely an original player and great song writer! Now you should do a video on his tone, amps, guitars, thanks man

[@jimyounger9490]

Jerry Cantrell is definitely one of my heroes , like I mean one of the best !!

[@davidyates8880]

KZbin did me a massive favour, as this video turned up in my recommended feed. Great video, and I subscribed. I'm in the same age group as Alice in Chains and have been into them since the start. I was fortunate to see them play live twice. The first time was on The Dirt Tour at Brixton Academy. They started with Nutshell, which they played backlit behind a curtain. Then the curtain went down and they went into A Little Bitter with the band behind the net and Layne caught in it. As luck would have it there's a video of the gig. Quality isn't great but.... It was an incredible gig, one of the best I've ever been to. Layne was an incredible singer and charismatic frontman. He even played an SG rhythm guitar on Angry Chair. I remember he used a combo, but I can't recall what it was, only that it was quite modest. Saw them again on the Black Gives Way to Blue tour, again at Brixton. It was really good, but I mourned for Layne to be totally honest. No disrespect to William (he's really good). It's just the uniqueness that Layne bought to the band. I've always loved Jerry's playing and his riffs. Anyway here's the KZbin link kzbin.info/www/bejne/m52Ukol8bMp9aqc

[@markcain460]

I was a huge Kings X fan because of Ty Tabor's use of Drop D tuning for that heavy sound. I hear a lot of this in Jerry's style of playing. It made me a big fan of AIC when Facelift broke. I would love it if you did some Kings X for a future lesson.

[@leosuarez5595]

Ideas: -Tony Iommi -Kim Thayil -Jimi Hendrix -Pat Smear (very underrated guitarist) -Mark Arm -Gustavo Cerati -Van Halen -Mike McCready -Slash -Zakk Wylde -Mick Thomson -Tom Morello -Thurston Moore -Lee Ranaldo

[@shawnclark1576]

Great lesson! Jar of flies is one of my all-time favorites. Please do a lesson on "Don't Follow".

[@redlettervagrant1159]

Jerry is such a good song writer, guitar and lyrics.

[@Tognar]

One of my Jerry take-aways that I'm surprised you didn't mention is his preference for open chords over barre chords. Man in the Box chorus, for example, is all open chords. Most hardrock players would use barre chords in situations like that, which you see all the time when people cover the song. But with a killer tube amp, you get all the note separation and overtones on open chords, which just sounds super sick.

[@thefakengx3839]

I love how he prefers rhythm over lead my type of guy 😎😄

[@CharlieBoy360]

Your best video yet. Thank you.

[@matteocoda6368]

Cantrell was easily the most creative guitar player in all grunge. He basically created a grunge style and set the template for all post grunge. Not to mention the influence he had on nu metal. Also... He is no Dimebag Darrel but I think he CAN shred his way too if required.

[@lslsyt]

Killer tone in that guitar, man!!!!

[@n2ogames2022]

11:30 Rush's 'Cygnus X-1 Book II Hemispheres' also uses this chord but in E standard, it's literally the first thing you hear when you play the song

[@mikejones-vd3fg]

Cool breakdown on their unique sound, lot of 90's guitarist were comming up with some epic sounds with a minimalist approach it seems, stone temple pilots was another that comes to mind. Gotta love the chords of the 90's

[@210nitrous]

11:03 The Cantrell Chord #2 if you've seen him playing this live he actually lifts up the index finger in the next full strum.

[@MarshallRJacskon]

For me I don't have a go to album, but I have a go to band and it's always Alice In Chains. They have been since 2016 and they will always be my favorite band.

[@adolfoagudelo8462]

This video series of guitarist techniks are so amazing! Thanks!

[@grunge6909]

Great video! I think I read somewhere though that layne staley himself actually wrote the guitar part for angry chair..

[@migueljimenez1939]

Thanks for putting this together. I am in a job trip, but I don't see the time I get back home to include some of these techniques to my playing. Keep with this great work!!!

[@edcollins1928]

Great video man, I learned a ton. Thank you.

[@zikaj]

I feel like I'm on a bad first date and you won't focus on me. Please look at me, Mike. Please stop looking away! Great vid, man. I've been on an AIC kick lately and this is a great recommendation from the YT Matrix!

[@ggerein]

been listening to them since i was 14 still rock them all the time. sweet video and playing!

[@corbz273]

As soon as he brought up overbends I immediatly thought of the main riff to Check My Brain

[@hammer033]

Loved this video. This guy really points out what makes Cantrell amazing. I never felt comfortable trying playing his stuff until watching this. Thank you

[@hammer033]

oh PS, Sap is amazing. don't forget about it :)

[@kevinguidry1453]

this is a great video btw. im 5 years behind but hell yeah

[@mineheadX1]

I think Jerry must have listened to Robin Trower back in the 70's...nice vid.

[@ryanduray1]

Day of the eagle

[@douglasmijangos3327]

Love how you analyze some of my favorite guitarist techniques man .... so awesome bro 👏🏻... thank you

[@ewanseymour3301]

Siamese Dream was my go to album.

[@racingrobert1]

its funny you mention that I saw AinC open for slayer too and the we die young riff changed my life

[@misterhiggledypiggle]

This is excellent! I really appreciate you sharing this knowledge, now I can play some of Jerry Cantrell's music and start to really understand his sound!

[@rockermonkey9366]

Huge chains fan. Great vid.

[@7babymama]

Great video, thank you so much!

[@adikickass84]

Awesome. Thanks for doing this. All hail the Rifflord!

[@scottthomas4779]

Dude I love this video, thanks for putting it together.

[@darthpishflaps9654]

Absolutely, Jerry Cantrell had technique and a unique musical sensibility.... And don't tell me he didn't practice, he spent hours every day figureing it out.....

[@brysonlink]

Yessss!!! I love these videos sm they help my solos!! And much love for Jerry!!

[@DylanHutto]

3:06 Me: See Man in the Box with Steel Panther. He did it with no wah and it still sounded great. Great video though, really helpful

[@nickolaynaydenov3292]

One of my favourite guitarists! And great job!

[@GGMattt]

A little late coming to this video but I actually only just got into Alice a few months ago thanks to you talking about them in one of your previous easy chord song videos with Nutshell. Just one of those bands I've overlooked in the grunge scene as I only really listened to Nirvana in my 2000's as a teen and only got into Soundgarden after Chris died. Anyway, I'm rambling but I've listened to Alice every single day for the past few months. Love their stuff - new & old - and Cantrell's style, I've learnt most of Nutshell just the final solo to learn and learnt some of Phantom Limb which is easy but sounds badass :) Great video and thanks for turning me onto AIC

[@frankiea7321]

awesome video man

[@MrKrankKopf]

The F#7add11 chord is actually a Rush chord.

[@stfu5617]

Killer video! Thanks

[@yagoravell7944]

Jerry Cantrell? Instant like! Haha

[@kennethr2906]

Agreed, AIC, has a heavy Blues influence

[@stephane9525]

Thanks for the good work. AIC is one of the best band ever and still a great live band (saw them four times), and yes Jerry Cantrell is one of the best, amazingly creative. Do you have yourself a band or a solo project ?

[@TornSoul062473]

You can tell listening to the solo in Man In The Box that Jerry uses his strat-style G&L. It's got that twangy Fender sound all over during it.

[@dipanjanbose4989]

Your tone is spot on man

[@kellybennett80]

I've learnt a lot from this, thank you! 🤘

[@Neoklis128]

Incredible video, really informative thank you very much.

[@firewolf2763]

Thanks for this. My favorite guitar player.

[@NCSparkyone]

That f# cord is the alex lifeson cord man, from back in the 70's first appearing on the Hemispheres album. Prob where cantrell got it

[@theossy]

I enjoyed the hell out of this video. Very instructional, interesting and inspirational (all at the same time)

[@mesaboogie4]

great video !

[@touficzaarour5022]

Super cool video!

[@FlyingGuillotine]

Fantastic video

[@antoiacono4390]

termino de ver Soundgarden y aparecen las técnicas de Cantrell!! viva el Grunge!! thanks!!!!!! greetings from Argentina!!!

[@othmanech9828]

Now, we need a video about Chuck Schuldiner or Mikael Akerfeldt. Two of the best metal guitarists

[@mackhomie6]

I had the same opinion...as a teenager

[@TubbysWorld4413]

@@mackhomie6 😂

[@joetheman74]

I didn't know there were this many Chains fans that think Jar of Fly's was their best album before reading your comment section. My favorite has always been Facelift and I recommend anyone that has not heard it to give it a go. Bleed the Freak, Love Hate Love and Sunshine are my favorite tracks. I got it soon after the Man in a Box video released on an original Vinyl pressing. The entire album is a masterpiece. Played the grooves out of it. Also try their newer albums if you haven't. I have a hard time with the songs where the new singers vocals are too up front but since Jerry's backing vocals are such an integral part of many of their older songs, when his vocals are more up front in the mix it still has that AIC feel. Just start with the track All Secrets Known on Black Gives Way to Blue and go from there. Hard to believe it's been 10 years since that album came out but it has some great tracks.

[@michaelinglis567]

That extended d shape is used in Them Bones to great effect. Anytime I pick up a guitar tuned half a step down I can't help but play What The Hell Have I.

[@werck09]

His sound on We Die Young is epic.

[@heotechniques5065]

Great video 👍

[@tylerrose4416]

When you covered angry chair, that riff was actually written by Layne Staley

[@somwelll]

thx dude, its weird but AIC also helped me through the worst days, maybe its about koherence...

[@liquidbraino]

He also borrowed a lot from Ty Tabor from King's X in fact a LOT of people borrowed from King's X including Pearl Jam. In their book "King's X an Oral History" Jerry Gaskill tells a story about Layne Staley chasing him down a street JUST to tell him how much he loves King's X and said something like "I can't wait for your next album comes out so we can rip off your sound again". At most other rock shows girls might throw roses or panties up on stage but at King's X shows guitar players run up on stage with disposable cameras trying to get pictures of Ty's set up and try to copy his tone. That's why he always has a bunch of stomp boxes on stage that he's not even using just to confuse people. He's very secretive about how he gets his tone but most experienced guitar players know that 90% of your tone is in your fingers & HOW you play.

[@redneyrude]

Great techniques to share!

[@omegahorizon82]

That Trill is done per Official tabs on the open 3rd D string alt 2nd fret..

[@Van020280]

That buttercream Strat is just killer...

[@trevguitar8169]

I loved this video, thank you.

[@toby1kenobe]

step down squeaks is surely a ZZ top thing not EVH?

[@charlesmayer7097]

Dimebag does a lot too.... Also him and Jerry were great friends!

[@dianzap]

Yes, Billy called it pinch harmonics and Dime called it hick bends. Billy has been doing it for 40-50 years

[@apollovr6744]

Hell yes dude. MORE ALICE IN CHAINS!!!

[@jeffreyschnoldt5388]

Love me some Alice in chains... Thanks for sharing. Your pretty good on the stuff off of jar of fly's

[@valuedhumanoid6574]

Yeah, I know what you mean about getting through some rough spots. The Rooster was my anthem growing up.