String changes in downstrokes: a metal riff across strings
The palm-muted low E answered by a note on the A or the D string on every other eighth, all downstrokes, so after each high note the pick has to get back over the string it just played to hit the low one again. A riff in E minor that climbs B, C, D, then the D string, and runs down to F sharp. Downpicked riffs that move between strings are where the picking hand loses time, and this trains the jump.
Opens in the player looped and counted in, with drums playing along, and speeds up 5 % every 2 loops to 150 bpm. No account or microphone needed.
- Goal tempo
- 150 bpm
- Starts at
- 90 bpm
- Length
- 4 bars, looped
- Tuning
- E standard
- Time
- 4/4
- Level
- Intermediate
- Plays with
- Drums
How to play it
Lift the pick just over the string on the way back up; the chugs stay muted and the high notes ring.
Every other eighth is the palm-muted low E. In between, a note on the A string (B, C and D at frets 2, 3 and 5) or on the D string (E at the 2nd fret and F at the 3rd). The last bar runs down from F sharp on the D string to the A string and ends on G and F sharp on the low E, leading back to E.
All downstrokes. After each higher note the pick has to come back up over the string it just played and over the one it's about to hit, so the motion is a small loop rather than a straight up-and-down.
Keep the palm mute on the low E only. The higher notes ring a little more open, which is what makes the riff sound like a riff and not just chugging.
Mistakes to watch for
- Catching the A string on the way back to the low E, which adds a note that isn't written.
- The high notes arriving late because the pick travels too far above the strings.
- Muting the A and D string notes so hard that they choke into clicks.
A speed plan
The player starts at 60 % of the goal and plays each tempo twice before stepping up:
- 90
- 98
- 105
- 113
- 120
- 128
- 135
- 143
- 150
That's 16 loops and about 2 minutes before you're playing at 150 bpm. If it stops being clean on the way, stop the ramp there and loop that tempo until it is. With a microphone or an audio interface you can record while you play instead: Demiurg checks every loop and steps up only after two clean ones in a row, and back down after a poor one.
Questions
How fast should I play String changes in downstrokes?
The goal is 150 bpm in eighth notes, which is 5 notes a second. Start wherever every note is clean: the player begins at 90 bpm. Signed in, you can set a goal of your own, slower or faster, on the Exercises page.
Why not alternate pick this?
You can, and at higher tempos many players do. Downpicking gives every note the same attack and a heavier sound, which is why thrash players hold on to it as long as the tempo allows. This exercise trains the harder version.
How do I stop hitting the wrong string?
Anchor lightly: let the palm rest on the low strings near the bridge so the hand has a fixed point to move from. Then slow down until every note is clean, and the hand learns the distances.
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All 21 metal exercises · Scales on the neck · All 107 exercises