Jim Root revealed that he considers himself a “sloppy” player, attributing this to his tendency to rush through songs as a teenager instead of taking the time to master them slowly. Having played guitar for Slipknot for over 25 years, Root reflects on his journey with the instrument, which he began learning at 14 with a Memphis guitar gift.
A year later, he started taking lessons from a local guitarist who had returned from the big-hair rock scene in Los Angeles. Root recalls that his teacher introduced him to three-note-per-string scales, similar to techniques used by Yngwie Malmsteen and Paul Gilbert. This experience opened his eyes to the guitar’s complexity: “The crazy thing about guitar is that it’s easy to pick up and play, but mastering it requires dedication and time, with new insights still unfolding for me today.”
Root explains how he initially struggled with the movement of scales while playing solos, realizing that keeping things in key meant adapting those shapes. He reminisces about growing up in Iowa, spending countless hours in his bedroom, trying to decode songs like “Peace Sells” and “Master of Puppets.”
He admits that his lack of patience hindered his development: “I don’t think I ever practiced slowly, which is probably why I’m a bit of a sloppy player. I wanted to play it exactly as it is. If I didn’t grasp something quickly, I would lose interest.”
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