The Threat Is Real Tab by Megadeth

The Threat Is Real tab by Megadeth

Guitar Tab

The Threat Is Real by Megadeth: Guitar, Bass & Songwriting Insights

"The Threat Is Real" is the opening track of American trash metal legends Megadeth's 2016 album Dystopia, the band's 15th studio album!.

"The Threat Is Real" is written by Megadeth. Guitars are played by frontman Dave Mustain and Kiko Loureiro.

MEGADETH
"The Threat is Real"
From the album "Dystopia" (2016)

Tuning: D G C F A D
Tempo: 156 bpm


Intro Riff
   S S S  S S S  S S S  S S S  S  S S  S   S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|-12-0-0-12-0-0-13-0-0-13-0-0-13-12-0-13-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--|
|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------|

🎸

Accuracy Rating: - Votes: -


   S S S  S S S  S S S  S S S S S S S   S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|-12-0-0-12-0-0-13-0-0-13-0-0-7-6-5-3-|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
|-------------------------------------|---------------------------------|

Lead Guitar Intro
                                      |-3--| |--3--|    |-3--|  |--3--|
  E. E. E H      +Q   E E E S S E E   Q Q  Q Q  Q  Q    Q  Q Q  Q  Q  Q
|--------------|--------------------|----------------|-------9-10-12-13--|
|--------------|--------------------|--------8-10-11-|-10-11-------------|
|--------------|----------6-7-6---6-|-7-9-10---------|-------------------|
|-7--7--5-7----|-(7)--7-8-------8---|----------------|-------------------|
|--------------|--------------------|----------------|-------------------|
|--------------|--------------------|----------------|-------------------|


   |--3--|  |--3--|   |-3--| |-3-|                     |-3-| |-3-| |-3-| |-3-|
   Q  Q  Q  Q  Q  Q   Q  Q Q Q Q Q   E E E E E E E E   E E E E E E E E E E E E
|-12-13-12-10-12-10-|-9-10-9-6-9-6-|-5-6---5---------|-------------------------|
|-------------------|--------------|-----8---6-8-5-6-|---5---------------------|
|-------------------|--------------|-----------------|-7---6-7---6-------------|
|-------------------|--------------|-----------------|---------8---7-8-5-7---5-|
|-------------------|--------------|-----------------|---------------------8---|
|-------------------|--------------|-----------------|-------------------------|


Verse
  E  S S S E  S E  S S S E  S   E  S S S E  S E  S S S E  S
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-0--0-0-0-0--0-0--0-0-0-0--0-|-0--0-0-0-0--0-0--0-0-0-0--0-|


Chorus
    a E. a E. Q  S S S S E    E. E. Q  S S S S E  3x
||--------------------------|---------------------||
||o-------------------------|--------------------o||
||--------------------------|---------------------||
||--3/4--3/4--3-------------|---------------------||
||o-1/2--1/2--1-------------|-5--7--2------------o||
||-----------------0-0-0-0--|-3--5--0----0-0-0-0--||


                          2/4
  a E. a E. Q  S S S S E   Q  Q
|------------------------|-------|
|------------------------|-------|
|------------------------|-------|
|-3-4--3-4--3------------|-------|
|-1-2--1-2--1------------|-5--7--|
|----------------0-0-0-0-|-3--5--|


Solo after first Chorus
 4/4
   S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S   S  S S S S S  S S S  S S S  S  S  S S
|-12-13-12-10-12-10-------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|-------------------13-12-12-13-12-10-------------|----------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------13-14-13-10-|-9-10-9-7-9-7---------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|--------------10-9-9-10-9-7-------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|----------------------------11-12-11-8--|
|-------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S   W
|---------------------------------|-------------|
|---------------------------------|-------------|
|---------------------------------|-------------|
|---------------------------------|-------------|
|-7-8-7-5-7-5---------------------|-------------|
|-------------8-7-7-8-7-5-4-5-4-1-|-0\--x\--|
                                    whammy bar dive and pick slide

                     |-3--|
  H      E E.  E.    Q  Q Q S S S S S S S S
|------------------|---------------------------|
|-8b10-----6---5---|-6--5-4-4-5-4-1-4-5-4-1----|
|------------------|---------------------------|
|------------------|---------------------------|
|------------------|---------------------------|
|------------------|---------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S    S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S    W
|-----------------4-4-4-5-5-7-8-8-|-------------------12-12-13-13-13-16-16-16-13-13-|-12----|
|-4-4-4-5-5-5-6-6-----------------|-13-13-13-14-14-14-------------------------------|-------|
|---------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------|
|---------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------|
|---------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------|
|---------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|-------|


Rhythm under Dave’s Solo
                                                   |-3--|             |-3--|           |--3--|
  E S S S S S S S S S S S S S S   S S S S S S S S  Q Q  Q     Q   Q   Q Q  Q    Q   Q  Q  Q  Q
|-------------------------------|--------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-------------------------------|--------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-------------------------------|--------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-9-----------------------------|-----------------12-9-11--|---------12-9-11-|---------9-10-11-|
|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-|-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-10-7--9--|-11--11--10-7--9-|-11--11--7--8--9-|
|-------------------------------|--------------------------|--9---9----------|--9---9----------|


Dave’s Solo
   |---3----|  |--3--|    |--3--|  |--3--|
   Q     Q  Q  Q  Q  Q    Q  Q  Q  Q  Q  Q
|----------------------|-------------------|
|----------------------|-------------------|
|-12b14-12r12-12-12-12-|-12-12-12-12-12-12-| Gradually release bend over two bars
|----------------------|-------------------|
|----------------------|-------------------|
|----------------------|-------------------|


             |-3--|             |--3--|
  S  E.  Q   Q Q  Q   S  E.  Q  Q  Q  Q
|-------------------|-------------------|
|-9-----------------|-9-----------------|
|-9---------12-9-11-|-9---------9-10-11-|
|---11--11--12-9-11-|---11--11--9-10-11-|
|-------------------|-------------------|
|-------------------|-------------------|


                          |----6----|                           |----6----|
  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S   S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|-5-3-0-------5-3-0-------5-3-0-------|-5-3-0-------5-3-0-------5-3-0-------|
|-------5-3-0-------5-3-0-------5-3-0-|-------5-3-0-------5-3-0-------5-3-0-|
|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|


             |-3--|             |--3--|
  S  E.  Q   Q Q  Q   S  E.  Q  Q  Q  Q
|-------------------|-------------------|
|-9-----------------|-9-----------------|
|-9---------12-9-11-|-9---------9-10-11-|
|---11--11--12-9-11-|---11--11--9-10-11-|
|-------------------|-------------------|
|-------------------|-------------------|


   |--3--|     |--3--|     |--3--|     |--3--|     |--3--|
   S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S
|-12-15-12----12-17-12----12-15-12----12-17-12----12-15-12----12-|
|----------15----------15----------15----------15----------15----|
|----------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------|


   |--3--|     |--3--|     |--3--|     |--3--|     |--3--|
   S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S
|-12-15-12----12-17-12----12-15-12----12-17-12----12-15-12----12--|
|----------15----------15----------15----------15----------15-----|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|


             |-3--|             |--3--|
  S  E.  Q   Q Q  Q   S  E.  Q  Q  Q  Q
|-------------------|-------------------|
|-9-----------------|-9-----------------|
|-9---------12-9-11-|-9---------9-10-11-|
|---11--11--12-9-11-|---11--11--9-10-11-|
|-------------------|-------------------|
|-------------------|-------------------|


   |--3--|  |--3--|  |--3--|  |--3--|  |--3--|  |--3--|  |--3--|  |--3--|
   S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S
|-17-15-12----------17-15-12-17-15-12----------17-15-12-17-15-12----------|
|----------17-15-12-------------------17-15-12-------------------17-15-12-|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|


   |--3--|  |--3--|  |--3--|  |--3--|  |--3--|  |--3--|  |--3--|  |--3--|
   S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S
|-17-15-12----------17-15-12-17-15-12----------17-15-12-17-15-12-----------|
|----------17-15-12-------------------17-15-12-------------------17-15-12--|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|


             |-3--|             |--3--|
  S  E.  Q   Q Q  Q   S  E.  Q  Q  Q  Q
|-------------------|-------------------|
|-9-----------------|-9-----------------|
|-9---------12-9-11-|-9---------9-10-11-|
|---11--11--12-9-11-|---11--11--9-10-11-|
|-------------------|-------------------|
|-------------------|-------------------|


   |--3---|  |-3--|    |-3--| |-3--|   |-3--|  |-3--| |--3--| |-3--|
   E    E E  E E  E    E E  E E  E E   E  E E  E E  E E  E  E E  E E
|---------9--------------------------|-------------------------------|
|-------9---12-9-------9-------------|-------------------------------|
|-11b13----------11b13---9-11-9------|-9----9------------------------|
|-------------------------------11-9-|---11---11-9----9--------------|
|------------------------------------|-------------11---11-10-9------|
|------------------------------------|--------------------------12-9-|


  |-3--|  |-3--| |-3--|  |-3--| |-3--|  |-3--| |-3--|  |-3--|
  S  S S  S S  S S  S S  S S  S S  S S  S S  S S  S S  S S  S
|-------------------------------------------------------------|
|-9-12-9----9-14-9----9-12-9----9-14-9----9-12-9----9-14-9----|
|--------11--------11--------11--------11--------11--------11-|
|-------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------|


  |-3--|  |-3--| |-3--|  |-3--| |-3--|  |-3--| |-3--|  |-3--|
  S  S S  S S  S S  S S  S S  S S  S S  S S  S S  S S  S S  S
|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|-9-12-9----9-14-9----9-12-9----9-14-9----9-12-9----9-14-9-----|
|--------11--------11--------11--------11--------11--------11--|
|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------|


Rhythm under Kiko’s Solo
                     |--3--|  |--3--|
  Q  Q  S S S E. E   Q  Q  Q  Q  Q  Q
|------------------|-------------------|
|------------------|-------------------|
|------------------|-------------------|
|-------7-5---5--7-|-------------------|
|-7--7------7------|-7--5--7--7--8--5--|
|-5--5-------------|-5--3--5--5--6--3--|


Kiko’s Solo (corrections welcome)
         |--3--|  |--3--|    |--3--|  |--3--|
   H     E  E  E  E  E  E    E  E  E  E  E  E  H
|-------------------------|----------15-17-20-20b22----|
|-------------------------|-------17-------------------|
|-------------------11-12-|-14-18----------------------|
|-------------12-14-------|----------------------------|
|-12----12-16-------------|----------------------------|
|-------------------------|----------------------------|


                          |--3--|  |--3--|
   +Q    E  H        E    E  E  E  E  E  E  H
|-(20)--17-22b24----20-|-18-17-18----17-------------|
|----------------------|----------20----20-20b22~~~-|
|----------------------|----------------------------|
|----------------------|----------------------------|
|----------------------|----------------------------|
|----------------------|----------------------------|


  E  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S    S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S
|---17-18-17-15-------15-------15-------------|-------------------------------------------------|
|---------------18-17----18-17----18-17-17-18-|-17-15-------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|-------17-15-14-17-15-14----15-14-------14-------|
|---------------------------------------------|-------------------------17-------17-15----17-15-|
|---------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|


   S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S    S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  Q.
|-------------------------------------------------|-13-15-17-13-15-13-12-------12--------|
|-------------------------------------------13-14-|----------------------15-13----14~~~--|
|-------------------------------------13-14-------|--------------------------------------|
|-------14-------14-------------13-14-------------|--------------------------------------|
|-17-15----17-15----17-15-16-17-------------------|--------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|

                     |-3-|
  E  S  S  Q  H      Q Q Q H
|------------------|--------------|
|---10/1110--5~~--|-5-6-8-6b8~~~-|
|------------------|--------------|
|------------------|--------------|
|------------------|--------------|
|------------------|--------------|


  E  S  S  Q  Q    Q     +Q    E  E  E  Q.
|---------------------|-------------------------|
|---10/1110--5~~/14~~|-(14)--14-15-17-15b17~~~-|
|---------------------|-------------------------|
|---------------------|-------------------------|
|---------------------|-------------------------|
|---------------------|-------------------------|


   S  S  S  S  S S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S    S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  H
|------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
|-15-17-20-15-17-x-17-17-------------------------|-------------------------------|
|------------------------14-15-14-14-14----12----|-------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------14----14-|-14-14-11-12-14-12-11----------|
|------------------------------------------------|----------------------14-12~~~-|
|------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------|

                                                                          |--3--|  |--3--|
   S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S    S  S  S  S  S  S  S  E  E  E  E  E  E  S    W
|-------------------------------------------17----|----15-------17-------17S21----21S22----22-|-22b24~~~|
|-------17-------15-------17-------18-------------|-------------------------------------------|---------|
|-14-14----14-14----14-14----14-14----14-14----14-|-14----14-14----14-14-------18-------19----|---------|
|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|---------|
|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|---------|
|-------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|---------|

Repeat Verse and Chorus

After Final Chorus
  S S S E. S S S E. S S S S   S S S E. S S S E. S S S S
|---------------------------|---------------------------|
|---------------------------|---------------------------|
|---------------------------|---------------------------|
|-------5--------4--------3-|-------2--------1--------0-|
|-7-5------6-4------5-3-----|-4-2------3-1------2-0-----|
|-----7--------6--------5---|-----4--------3--------2---|


  W          +W           S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
|----------|------------|----------------------------------|
|----------|------------|----------------------------------|
|----------|------------|----------------------------------|
|----------|------------|----------------------------------|
|-2--------|-(2)--------|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0--|
|-0--------|-(0)--------|----------------------------------|


  S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S   q  Q  H
|---------------------------------|------------*|
|---------------------------------|------------*|
|---------------------------------|-2----------*|
|---------------------------------|-2----------*|
|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0----------*|
|---------------------------------|------------*|


Duration 🏷Legend
---------------
W - whole; H - half; Q -quarter; E -8th; S - 16th; T -32nd; X -64th; a -acciaccatura
+ - note tied to previous; . - note dotted; .. - note double dotted
Uncapitalized letters represent notes that are staccato (1/2 duration)

Irregular groupings are notated above the duration line

Duration letters will always appear directly above the note/fret number it represents
the duration for.  Duration letters with no fret number below them represent rests.
Multi-bar rests are notated in the form Wxn, where n is the number of bars to rest
for.  Low melody durations appear below the staff


Tablature 🏷Legend
----------------
 h   - hammer-on
 p   - pull-off
 b   - bend
 pb  - pre-bend
 r   - bend release (if no number after the r, then release immediately)
 /  - slide into or out of (from/to "nowhere")
 s   - legato slide
 S   - shift slide
  - natural harmonic
[n]  - artificial harmonic
n(n) - tapped harmonic
 ~   - vibrato
 tr  - trill
 T   - tap
 TP  - trem. picking
 PM  - palm muting

/  - tremolo bar dip; n = amount to dip

  - tremolo bar down
 n/  - tremolo bar up
/n  - tremolo bar inverted dip
 =   - hold bend; also acts as connecting device for hammers/pulls
   - volume swell (louder/softer)
 x   - on rhythm slash represents muted slash
 o   - on rhythm slash represents single note slash

Misc 🏷Legend
-----------
 |  - bar
||  - double bar
||o - repeat start
o|| - repeat end
*|  - double bar (ending)
 :  - bar (freetime)
 $  - Segno
 &  - Coda

Last updated: April 8, 2016

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