In this column, I’d like to go over the namesake song of my column, Hard Wired, which appears on my self-titled 2023 album. I wrote this song with my good friend Tyler Bryant, and it grew out of a jam session, as many songs do. It’s played in the key of D and in drop-D tuning.
Tyler and I had this idea to write a bluesy “stomp” type of song, like the old traditional blues of Howlin’ Wolf, but for it to have an intensity and energy that would make it heavy. The main riff, to me, has that classic Mountain/Leslie West, Nazareth/early Blue Öyster Cult vibe.
Figure 1 shows the opening riff, which starts with a pick-up on a low G note, followed by the initial phrase, which is based on the D minor pentatonic scale (D, F, G, A, C). Notice the slight bends on the C and F notes. When playing this lick, be sure to use an aggressive attack, to attain that heavy, “mean” quality. I fingerpick everything, so I’ll snap the strings here.
Figure 2 illustrates the entire main riff. Following the opening two-beat phrase, I answer it with a descending line on the 6th string that’s based on the D blues scale (D, F, G, Ab, A, C). To button up that riff, I end with a chromatically ascending figure built from ascending octaves on the 6th and 4th strings, which are rhythmically syncopated and reinforced by the bass and drums.
As shown in Figure 3, bar 2, beats 3 and 4, I begin with an E octave at the 2nd fret then move up one fret at a time to F, F# and G.
I was sure to leave lots of space in this lick, because, once you start adding fuzz, overdrive and sheer volume, it can be challenging to control the focus. The most important thing to me is for there to be clarity combined with the raunchiness and bite.
All of my favorite players, such as Paul Kossoff, Leslie West and Jimi Hendrix, play with tonal perfection, but it also often sounds like they’re hanging on by a thread! And that’s what gives the music that exciting edge.
For the song’s verses, I was thinking of a Stone Temple Pilots vibe, with the rhythm guitar less as a melodic instrument and more as a “pulse” that’s driving the riff.
As shown in Figures 4 and 5, I simply hit big open Dsus2 power chords on all six strings. Figure 6 includes the single-note phrase that falls in bars 2 and 4.
Figure 7 depicts the pre-chorus chords, which consist of just three notes each but sound huge: in bar 1, I play a Bb voicing on the 6th and 3rd strings, including the open D note on the 4th string. I then move that two-finger shape up two frets to C, while still including the open D note, which creates a Cadd2 chord.
The chorus riff, shown in Figure 8, is very Free/Bad Company-esque, as C5 slides up to D5.
As shown in bar 3 of Figure 9, I vary the riff by playing the major 3rd of each chord instead of its root – E and F#, in place of C and D.
The chorus wraps up with the low chords shown in Figure 10, which double the vocal line, a la Leslie West.
Next time, I’ll share my approach to soloing in the song. See you then!
- This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.
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