Mastering 'Breaking The Law' Guitar Solo: Tips And Tricks

Breaking the Law is a song by English heavy metal band Judas Priest, released on their 1980 album British Steel. The song is known for its opening guitar riff, and this article will teach you how to play it on the guitar. The riff is in a minor key and is followed by a rhythmic chorus. The bridge features a change-up with a new chord progression and includes sound effects such as breaking glass and a police siren, created using milk bottles and a Stratocaster guitar.

The chords and strumming pattern

To play the Judas Priest song "Breaking the Law" on the guitar, you'll need to know the chords and strumming pattern.

The chords used in the song are: F5, G5, A5, C5, and E5. The song is in the key of A minor, and the chord progressions vary throughout the song, but the most common progression is A5 - C5 - G5 - A5.

The strumming pattern for the verse is as follows:

A5: down, down, down, down

C5: down, down, down, down

G5: down, down, up, down, up, down

A5: down, down, down, down

The strumming pattern for the chorus is:

A5: down, down, down, down, down, down

E5: down, down, up, down, up, down

For the bridge, the strumming pattern is:

F5: down, down, down, down

C5: down, down, down, down

Finally, the outro of the song consists of the main riff played repeatedly, with the following strumming pattern:

F5: down, down, down, down

G5: down, down, down, down

With these chords and strumming patterns, you'll be well on your way to playing "Breaking the Law" on the guitar.

The intro riff

Start by placing your index finger on the second fret of the A string. Then, with your middle finger, play the third fret of the same string. Move back to the open A string, then to the second fret again, played with your index finger. Finish the riff by playing the open D string, then the second fret of the D string with your index finger, and finally the third fret of the D string with your middle finger.

The notes you'll be playing are A, B, A, D, E, and F. You can play this riff by strumming only the bottom two strings of your guitar, the A and D strings.

The riff is played twice at the beginning of the song, and then repeated twice more after the first verse. It's a great example of how a simple riff can be extremely effective and memorable.

The verse riff

To play the verse riff, you'll need to know a few basic chords: A5, C5, G5, and F5. These are all power chords, which are commonly used in rock and metal music. The shape of these chords is the same—you'll just need to move your fingers up and down the fretboard to change between them.

The riff itself is not too difficult to play. It starts with an A5 chord, followed by a C5 chord, then back to A5, and finally a G5 chord. This sequence is repeated a few times, with a slight variation each time. For example, the second time through, you'll add an extra note to the A5 chord, giving it a slightly different flavour.

The strumming pattern for the verse riff is fairly straightforward. You'll mostly be using downstrokes, playing each chord on the downbeat and keeping a steady, driving rhythm. This really helps to emphasise the power and energy of the song.

One of the key techniques used in the verse riff is palm muting. This involves resting your picking hand lightly on the strings as you play, which creates a tighter, more controlled sound. It's a crucial technique for achieving a crisp, precise tone in your playing and is used extensively in metal music.

Overall, the verse riff of "Breaking the Law" is a great example of how a simple, memorable guitar part can be incredibly effective. It's a great riff for beginners to learn, as it introduces some basic chords and techniques that are commonly used in rock and metal music. So grab your guitar, start practising those power chords, and you'll be playing "Breaking the Law" in no time!

The chorus riff

To play the chorus riff, you'll be using mostly open chords, which means you don't have to worry too much about complex fingerings or bar chords. The main chords used in this riff are A5, C5, G5, and D5. These are all power chords, which are commonly used in rock and metal music to create a thick, heavy sound.

The riff starts with an A5 chord, which you'll play by placing your middle finger on the second fret of the D string and your index finger on the first fret of the G string. You'll then strum the chord once and quickly move to a C5 chord by shifting your middle finger up to the third fret of the D string. This creates a sense of movement and builds tension.

From the C5 chord, you'll move to a G5 chord, which is played by placing your middle finger on the third fret of the low E string and your index finger on the second fret of the A string. This chord change adds a sense of release and energy to the riff. You'll then repeat the pattern of A5, C5, and G5 chords, strumming each chord once.

After this sequence, you'll introduce a D5 chord, which is played by placing your index finger on the first fret of the G string. This chord change adds a bit of variation to the riff and keeps it interesting. You'll play the D5 chord twice, followed by an E5 chord, which is simply the D5 chord shape moved up one string.

To add some extra flavour to this riff, you can incorporate palm muting, where you gently rest your picking hand on the strings to create a tighter, more controlled sound. This technique is commonly used in metal and can be applied to the A5, C5, and G5 chords in this riff. Additionally, you can experiment with different strumming patterns to emphasise certain beats and create dynamics within the riff.

Overall, the chorus riff of "Breaking the Law" is a fantastic example of how a few simple chords and a strong rhythm can come together to create a powerful and iconic guitar part. It's a riff that any metal fan can enjoy playing and a great addition to any guitarist's repertoire.

The bridge riff

The bridge in 'Breaking the Law' by Judas Priest is mostly instrumental, with a change-up in the chord progression. This is where Rob Halford shouts "You don't know what it's like!"

On the recording, this section is followed by the sound effect of a police car's siren, which leads back into the main riff. In more recent live performances, K.K. Downing has been known to play a short solo over the bridge.

D5 E5 F5 C5 D5 F5 G5

E|---|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|

B|---|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|

G|---|---7----------7//10-|--10------5----------|--7------------7//10-|--10------12--------|---7----------7//10-|--10------12--------|

D|---|---7----------7//10-|--10------5----------|--7------------7//10-|--10------12--------|---7----------7//10-|--10------12--------|

A|---|---5----------5//8--|--8-------3----------|--5------------5//8--|--8-------10--------|---5----------5//8--|--8-------10--------|

E|---|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|-------------------|

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