You can draw parallels with whoever you like. Yes, he has some of Eddie Van Halen’s effervescence. Sometimes, he draws upon the grand melodies of Brian May. But really there is no-one quite like Nuno Bettencourt. When he is on the electric guitar, there is simply no mistaking him.
It’s not just the virtuosity. Bettencourt would be the first to admit that the bar has been raised by young shredders on social media, perfecting legato for likes. But what makes Bettencourt untouchable is how he addresses his instrument, how he applies his technique, the attitude and the imagination. There is rhythm in his lead guitar – he admits he is a frustrated drummer. There is surprise.
These three approaches won’t make you play like him overnight but they are key to who he presents his solos. Keeping them in mind will help you get closer to his style. Maybe, in time, you can apply them to the Rise solo. Or better still, compose a better solo yourself. That’s the challenge. Bettencourt would like nothing better.
1. Use four fingers
When it comes to his shreddiest licks, Nuno employs all four fretting fingers – including the dreaded pinkie! It’s the only way to nail those wide-stretch licks.
2. Picking: get smart with legato and muting
It often sounds like Nuno is picking every note when, in fact, most often he combines legato and picking. Palm-muting can mask legato and make notes sound more ‘picked’. It’s the secret to that wild riff at the start of He-Man Woman Hater.
3. Skip a string
Whether you’re using pentatonics or Van Halen-esque arpeggios you’ll really hit the Nuno vibe if you skip a string. This puts bigger gaps between note groupings and breaks away from more traditional shapes played on consecutive adjacent strings. Try the tapped arpeggios shown here. The ‘T’s tell you which notes to tap.
For more Nuno learnings, check out our guide to 5 techniques you can learn from his spellbinding Rise solo.
