Artist Riff: Mark Holcomb of Periphery Plays ‘Make Total Destroy’

By Ivan Chopik
July 31st, 2012

[Mark’s Ernie Ball Musicman John Petrucci Signature Model 7-string guitar is tuned to Drop-Ab.
Low to high: Ab Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb.] 

 

Make Total Destroy Second Verse Riff (1:01 – 1:31)

I have this warm-up technique I do every once in a while before we play. It’s a six-note grouping and it’s just a series of hammer-on’s from open strings. I do that over and over again to limber up my fingers and I made a riff around this technique.

I also like to use a lot of open strings in riffs to add a little bit of a dynamic feel to them. The ending is just 3-note pull-offs to open strings and for the little tapping bit you’re basically just tapping in the same shape, just on different parts of the neck. Pretty simple, really!

 

Make Total Destroy Clip

Periphery - Mark Holcomb - Make Total Destroy

 

[Special thanks to Peter Boyle for his top-notch transcription work!]

About Ivan Chopik

Ivan Chopik founded Guitar Messenger in the Fall of 2007 and is currently running the online magazine as Editor-in-Chief, webmaster, and writer. He is also a guitarist, composer, and audio engineer who graduated from Berklee College of Music in May 2012 with a Bachelor of Music degree in Guitar Performance, Music Business & Management, and Music Production/Engineering.