Song Rig

Perpetual Burn

Jason Becker · Perpetual Burn · 1988

Tone Overview

What Makes This Sound Unique

The title track of Jason Becker's debut solo album — recorded before his ALS diagnosis at age 19, it showcases the full vocabulary of his neoclassical shred technique. The Jackson guitar through the Mesa Boogie produces a tight, high-gain tone where every note of the fastest passages retains clarity.

Signal Chain

1Jackson USA Soloist (custom Jason Becker model, Floyd Rose)
2Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ (high gain)
3Marshall 4×12 with Vintage 30 speakers

Amp Settings

Gain / Volume9

Bass6

Mid6

Treble7

Presence8

High gain with excellent note separation — the Mark IIC+ provides a compressed, tight high-gain tone with less midrange bloom than a Marshall, allowing fast runs to retain individual note articulation.

Technique

How to Play It

Neoclassical sweep picking in the style of Paganini — Becker's technique synthesises Yngwie Malmsteen's neoclassical approach with additional harmonic complexity and a more aggressive right-hand attack. His sweep picking covers 5–6 strings in a single pick motion at tempos beyond 200 BPM.

Budget Alternative

Achievable With

Jackson Soloist or any superstrat with Floyd Rose → Mesa Boogie Mark series or Peavey 5150 → begin sweep picking practice with 3-string arpeggios at very slow tempo (60 BPM) before progressing to full 6-string sweeps.

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