Metal with Dennis

Genre and Style Guitar Course from Dennis Hodges

Get ready to rock in this metal lesson series with Dennis Hodges. From 80's Metal to modern Dennis loves it all.

11 Lessons

Complete course with step-by-step lessons and practice examples.

Multi-Camera

Course filmed with 6 cameras for the perfect angles.

89% Appoval

288 of 304 of our members have given this their approval.

Tabs & Info

Download tabs, helpers, JamTracks and docs included with lessons.

Included

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Full Course Breakdown

Dennis will cover metal basics and get you playing advanced techniques in no time.

1

Basics of Metal

Dennis covers important guitar basics such as note names and technical exercises.

33:00 Runtime

1.0 Difficulty

2

Power Chords and Rhythm

Dennis introduces power chords and basic rhythm concepts. Both subjects are very important to the metal genre.

22:00 Runtime

1.5 Difficulty

3

Essential Techniques 1

Learn a variety of essential techniques commonly used in the metal genre, including palm muting, string slides, and chord slides.

36:52 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

View this Lesson
4

Essential Techniques 2

Metal lesson 4 brings you some info on hammer-ons, pull-offs, trills, bending, and the infamous pinch harmonics.

45:25 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

5

Left Hand Overload

Dennis delivers left hand techniques and exercises, with topics including spider walking / riffing, octaves, stretching and 4 practice riffs.

62:36 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

6

Rhythm and Timing

While using a metronome, Dennis covers essential techniques and exercises to obtain great rhythm and timing.

35:00 Runtime

2.0 Difficulty

7

"Metal Poisoning"

Written just for JamPlay and his Metal series, this song will allow you to put all your techniques to use in a musical manner.

28:54 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

8

Time Signatures Part 1

In this lesson Dennis teaches the following common time signatures: 3/4, 4/4, 6/8, 9/8, and 12/8. Dennis explains each signature and provides a short example for illustration.

33:12 Runtime

1.5 Difficulty

9

Time Signatures Part 2

This time around Dennis explains odd time signatures. Similar to Part 1, he uses a musical example to illustrate each new signature.

45:07 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

10

Rhythm Pt. 2

Dennis continues his metal series with part two of his look at rhythm and timing.

56:24 Runtime

2.5 Difficulty

11

Right Hand Overload

This lesson is the long lost sibling to "Left Hand Overload."

52:11 Runtime

3.0 Difficulty

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  • Columbus, Ohio
  • Playing since 1994
  • 109 lessons at JamPlay
For better or worse, Dennis Hodges cannot stop playing music, and (he hopes) will never stop playing music.

Growing up in Flint, Michigan, Dennis had a tremendous passion for drawing. He couldn't stop copying moves from bands he saw on MTV, though, and it didn't help that his parents filled the house with Santana, Stevie Ray, and Allman Bros. (on real records, no less!) so it wasn't long till he got his first guitar. It was junk. Within a few weeks his parents traded in a poor acoustic for a less junky 3/4-size electric.

Dennis started lessons right away at the age of 8. He still remembers hating it for awhile, and not taking it seriously until he was 12. He is thankful his parents forced him to practice early on and kept paying for lessons, even though rational thinking should have stopped them after a year.

Around this time drawing became less important, and guitar consumed all his attention. After 6 years of lessons he parted ways with his teacher and, after trying out two others with no results, decided to continue alone. His nerdistic tendencies paid off, as he put in hours working on picking and left hand exercises and learned as many Randy Rhoads and Kirk Hammett solos as he could.

Luckily, there were playing opportunities at school talent shows and church. Dennis was playing bass at his church when he was 13, helping to hone his performance skills in a group setting.

In high school, Dennis joined the marching band on sousaphone for all 4 years. It was as awesome as you could expect. He was also fortunate enough to be in several different metal bands, still play at church, and get the incredible opportunity to play guitar for many local community theaters. This kept his sight-reading in shape and gave him an appreciation for different styles of music (and paid pretty well, from a high schooler's perspective).

In 2001, Dennis came to Bexley, Ohio to study guitar at Capital University with Stan Smith. His studies emphasized jazz and classical guitar. Here his metal past merged with a deeper understanding of the instrument and music in general, and the basis for most of his teaching style was set in motion.

Dennis now plays guitar for Upper Arlington Lutheran Church every Sunday, for St. Christopher in Grandview, Ohio, with the youth group, and also plays for touring Broadway shows that stop in Columbus. Occasionally, he plays weddings and private parties, and he is starting a new cover band with some friends, called Dr. Awkward. He is blessed to have his understanding and supportive wife Kate, and is glad to be at JamPlay!
Reviews & Feedback 89/100 with 304 ratings
EclecticElectricTele

Awesome idea on learning to be on time using a metronome. You explained it so well, so simple. "Making the Nomes Disappear." I never heard that idea much less thought of it. Thanks much!

Rochet

Delivered really well, I liked the personal touches and tips along the way.

VicBottini

Dennis has got a simply way to teach how don't hurt your self, while you increase your ability. I like that. I understand everything even if i'm not really able to speak english very well.

donnydarko

Dennis has the an indescribable depth to theory and physical play in almost every lesson. His personality is catching and enteraining.

Goldenpidgeon

easy to understand

95smiley100

EVERYTHING ON THE LIST

remlac

Excellent exercices!!

bikerbomber

Good lesson. Really enjoying his teaching style and advice.

Dave1978

Good teacher

hiphopguitarist.com

Good to know the notes I've been playing for the last 3 years

gpeters01

Great advice on how to warm up

JayMilligan

Great beginner exercises to build strength, stamina, and accuracy quickly

kb7200

Great Exercise

avessicchio22

Great exercises

rosshumphrey

Great teacher!

ronnie13

he rocks

Roamer1

I have such an easy time understanding the concepts with Dennis.

roadtripper706

I'm in the process off learning the notes on the neck. I do this exercise and call out the notes as I go. Getting a little faster and a little faster. Very helpful! SSSSSLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAYYYYYYEEEEERRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!

Zenchu

nice use of all the techniques used in the lesson with great sounding riffs \m/

cameron26

not the best at explaining basics. I do however like dennis. Cause I'm a intermediate player. So I understand it. good job

Bulldog33

Since I could only make one choice above, I want to add that I liked the teacher and the instruction was easy to understand. Great job, Dennis!

jschillinger

thanks

Geoff65

this guy is funny

vjim1991

Would be nice if the teacher would be a bit more concise but love this course! After teaching myself and then not playing for around 7 years picked up the guitar again and this course is exactly what I needed to pick things up again and fill in

sethitus

\m/ \m/