Fast Downstroke Metal Rhythms - GL365 Student Spotlight

In this Student Spotlight lesson, I will help Doga learn how to practice building speed and endurance in order to play the fast repeated downstroke rhythms commonly found in metal music, more specifically for this lesson, the main riff to Metallica's "Creeping Death".

It just so happens that I usually like to teach students wanting to develop a fast metal rhythm technique, this main riff to "Creeping Death", since it is so easily broken up into fragments, and your fret-hand doesn't have to do much. This allows you to focus on the picking.

The main thing to focus on when learning this style of picking is to have a very relaxed picking hand. That includes the fingers, hand, wrist and forearm.

Another important element is the very light touch with the picking. When James Hetfield is striking the strings, he isn't hitting them very hard. It is a very light touch. Even though it sounds HUGE and you would think he slamming those strings, in reality, that would make the attack sound very labored and thumpy (for lack of a better word).

I will show Doga how to use speed bursts to slowly build up the riff while maintaining as relaxed a feel as possible. Eventually these bursts become longer and longer until you can play a fast downstroke rhythm for as long as you want effortlessly ala James Hetfield. This method will help you develop the proper sensation to achieve just that!

Enjoy! Carl...

[thomasc]

I don't understand why this channel doesn't have a zillion subscribers

[thrive]

Been playing metal for 13 years and I still do stuff like this for the higher tempo down picked riffs. The key is patience and consistency, same as any other technique

[williamlayton]

Ah creeping death, one of my staple workout songs. Metallica 🤘

[loserreviews]

I can do really fast downstrokes because when I was first learning, I didnt learn alternate picking for 5 or 6 months. So i was constantly doing downstrokes

[steveb]

Carl is simply one of the best guitarists I’ve ever seen and a very nice guy as well!

[VanWaden]

I'm in the throws of playing in a Metallica tribute band and your lessons really do make sense, I've played for 30yrs but never given down strokes they attention they deserve and your lessons really help, cheers Carl🤟

[yajanonly]

maybe it's the way we perceive the sound of the riff that makes us wanna pick the strings HARD. Just like it makes us wanna bang our heads hard. but in reality, it's a light touch and the sound is all about the tone and clean playing.

[seanbhoy]

How come everyone always talks about James hetfields down picking but no one mentions that kirk hammetts down picking since he also plays the same riffs

[osey]

Great lesson, I was stuck at around 85% speed for the Master of Puppets riff. Almost immediately I was able to push past to 90% then full speed. Thanks so much!

[verbal_eyes]

Some finger, hand, and arm stretches helps to relax the muscles as well. Even quick massages. Don't underestimate the importance of warming up

[Cthulhu_Awaken]

I have kind of the same problems as the guy in the video and I'm so glad you made this lesson Carl. He is more experienced than me though, but I'm noticing the same tension and I'm just getting started on downpicking. This lesson definitely has the right mental approach to the matter.

[masonlutz]

This is literally the exact video I was looking for! Been struggling with creeping death for a while

[TheNayanava]

that downpicking technique just open a whole new world of speed for me!!!

[malekith]

Hello Carl. I love how unpretentious your channel appears, but lessons like this hold so much value. This speed burst approach is taught by other YouTubers as well but more like a supplementary technique to the traditional approach which is: “I play the whole riff very slowly and incrementally raise Metronom speed” . I found this to be very cumbersome and honestly have the feeling that my down picking gets worse rather than better.
Two days now into speed burst approach only and I have made progress like never before. I think the big advantage of this method is that you are playing very fast from the beginning. Not only does that give your brain the chance to get used to high speed from the start, also your right hand is forced into the right picking technique. You don’t have to put extra concentration on making small hand movements etc. Instead you can fully concentrate on keeping relaxed which is the key to master that technique.
Thx Carl for that lesson. That is well worth a donation

[maxdb]

Great instructions here. This technique of breaking it down in 4's and training yourself to play relaxed is a key basics to be able to, "shred-the-riffs! "

[Endo-uumo]

this man can shows you all.best Lessons on YT by far

[budandbean]

This is really cool Carl, I like this “Student Spotlight” segment and could se where this could be fun and helpful too! I’m too embarrassed to goof up with everyone watching... :-(

[Endo-uumo]

the only channel that shows you correct james Downpicking style.all others are played it wrong and sayd he plays like it.

[morningstar]

You're the best Carl! I know how hard it is to hear the truth about fast downstrokes lol. People just starting out don't wanna hear that it takes hard work and discipline. I've definitely been there before. The truth is there are no easy shortcuts to getting technique like James. My natural approach was to tense up and try to chug with allot of force, because it sounds monstrous on their albums. It wasn't until I was experimenting with trying to get Ride the Lightning guitar tone with my Marshall and a tube screamer that I realized that the heavy, monstrous chug sound is more from the boosted signal than the force of the downstroke, which allowed me to figure out how to relax my hand and achieve WAY more speed lol.

[andrewptob]

You’re a fantastic teacher, Carl. Kudos