James ‘Munky’ Schaffer and Brian ‘Head’ Welch are credited with creating the sound that became known as Nu-Metal on their band’s debut album, simply titled Korn. Certainly, they were pioneers, and it was not enough for them to have just a dropped extra B string. This pattern, in the heavy Korn style, is based on the A-D-G-C-F-A-D tuning that helped create the bludgeoning, yet tight and spare sound of the new genre.
Note that it’s unwise to de-tune the low B string beyond the A, because you’ll lose too much definition and tonal strength, especially in a high gain setting.
So now here’s an example of a Korn-style riff. Note that it’s written for a guitar in a standard tuning with the low B, to save you having to re-tune.
Like John Petrucci, Munky and Head build their riffs round power chords. It’s worth taking the time to practice this one to get the right rhythmic drive. There’s a lot more to this kind of music than simply thrashing, loud guitars. Much of its power comes from the clarity and technical precision of its execution.
