Here are some exercises to help you build up your chops like Zakk. These riffs have been compiled from songs as well as Zakk lessons
Figure 1
PM.............................................................
e--------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------
A--------------------------------------------------
E---9-12-15---9-12-15---9-12-15---9-12-15---
Play these as triplets using fingers 1-2-4. Or you can play the "12"
with the 3rd finger, whichever is more comfortable
Figure 2
e------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------9-12-15---9-12-15-
B------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------9-12-15---9-12-15------------------------
G---------------------------------------------------------------------9-12-15---9-12-15---------------------------------------------
D-----------------------------------------------9-12-15---9-12-15-------------------------------------------------------------------
A--------------------------9-12-15---9-12-15----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E---9-12-15--9-12-15----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Same thing as Figure 1, now we are just moving to the next string. Do these slow and then work on speed
Figure 3
e------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-16-14-16-14---------16141614------1614----1614----1614------1614---------------------------------------------------------
D-----------------16-14----------1614-----1614----1614-----1614-----161416-------------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This lick is from the solo in Ozzy's Time After Time (No More Tears)
Work on this because Zakk does something like this in a lot of solos.
This part stays within the same pattern.
This part starts at 2:21
Figure 4
This part is from the No More Tears solo, each shape is played 4 times
These licks are a huge part of Zakk's playing. Learn these because Zakk does
them all the time. Comes in at 4:56
e-13-10-13-10-------
B---------------13-10
G---------------------
D---------------------
A---------------------
E---------------------
e-15-13-15-13-------
B---------------15-13
G---------------------
D---------------------
A---------------------
E---------------------
e-17-15-17-15-------
B---------------18-15
G---------------------
D---------------------
A---------------------
E---------------------
Figure 5 The Fake Whammy Technique
e---------------------------------------------------------------------
B---------------------------------------------------------------------
G----14bend full-----------tap 21---pull off---2------------(2)-------
D-------------------------------------------------------release bend--
A---------------------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is some detail:
Play the 14 and bend it up full
Tap the 21 with picking hand finger and keep the note bent
Take fret hand and hold the 2.
Release tapped note and let fret hand bring the bent note back down
Tricky at first but practice it
