Def Leppard - Tech Session by Jamie Humphries

Discover the iconic guitar work of Def Leppard with our comprehensive "Def Leppard - Tech Session" by Jamie Humphries. This course offers note-for-note guitar lessons meticulously designed to help you master the techniques and styles that defined one of rock's greatest bands. Each lesson is divided into two main parts: Lesson and Performance. This approach ensures that you not only learn the techniques but also understand how they are applied in a musical context.

Lesson Breakdown

Vibrato

Vibrato is a technique that adds expression to your playing by oscillating the pitch of a note. It gives your solos a more vocal quality and can make sustained notes more interesting. In this session, you’ll learn various vibrato styles used by Def Leppard’s guitarists, including wide, fast, and slow vibrato.

Alternate Picking

Alternate picking is crucial for speed and precision. It involves alternating downstrokes and upstrokes with your pick. Jamie Humphries demonstrates how to use this technique to play fast and clean runs, crucial for nailing the band’s rapid-fire solos.

Legato

Legato playing involves smooth transitions between notes using hammer-ons and pull-offs. This technique allows for fluid, expressive lines and is essential for executing the melodic runs characteristic of Def Leppard’s guitar solos.

Tapped Harmonics

Tapped harmonics add a unique, bell-like quality to notes. This lesson will show you how to tap harmonics accurately, creating shimmering, ethereal sounds that are a hallmark of many Def Leppard songs.

Double-Stop Bends

Double-stop bends involve bending two strings at once to achieve harmony. This technique adds a rich, full sound to your playing, perfect for those epic, soaring solos that Def Leppard is known for.

Unison Bends

Unison bends create a dramatic tension by bending one string to the pitch of another. Jamie will guide you through the nuances of executing perfect unison bends, adding intensity to your solos.

Pinched Harmonics

Pinched harmonics produce a high-pitched squeal by hitting the string in a specific way with the pick. Learn how to add these distinctive sounds to your playing to emulate the aggressive style found in many Def Leppard riffs.

Trills

Trills involve rapidly hammering on and pulling off a note. This technique is great for adding quick bursts of speed and flair to your solos, enhancing the dynamic range of your playing.

Palm Muting

Palm muting dampens the strings with your picking hand to produce a percussive, muted sound. This technique is essential for creating tight, rhythmic sections in rock and metal songs.

Arpeggios

Arpeggios are broken chords played in sequence, creating a flowing, melodic sound. This lesson covers various arpeggio shapes and how to integrate them into your solos and rhythm playing.

Performance Context

Watching Jamie Humphries perform the techniques in a full performance context is invaluable. It allows you to see how each technique fits into a song, providing a real-world application of the skills you’ve learned. This holistic approach helps you understand the dynamics of a live performance, including timing, expression, and interaction between different techniques.

By observing the tutor's performance, you also gain insights into stage presence and how to convey emotion through your playing. This not only makes your practice sessions more effective but also prepares you for live performances, giving you the confidence to showcase your skills in front of an audience.

Techniques Covered

• Vibrato
• Alternate Picking
• Legato
• Tapped Harmonics
• Double-Stop Bends
• Unison Bends
• Pinched Harmonics
• Trills
• Palm Muting
• Arpeggios

Embark on your journey to mastering Def Leppard’s guitar techniques with Jamie Humphries. These lessons provide not just technical skills but also a deep understanding of how to apply them musically, ensuring you become a well-rounded guitarist ready to rock any stage.