{"id":17256,"date":"2019-05-07T00:35:58","date_gmt":"2019-05-07T00:35:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.roadietuner.com\/?post_type=blog&p=17256"},"modified":"2022-04-19T06:02:21","modified_gmt":"2022-04-19T06:02:21","slug":"how-to-master-downpicking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.roadiemusic.com\/blog\/how-to-master-downpicking\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Master Downpicking"},"content":{"rendered":"

Want to learn metal guitar? Sooner or later, you\u2019ll need to get to grips with downpicking. Downpicking is what makes the James Hetfield guitar<\/a> part in Metallica<\/a>\u2019s \u201cMaster of Puppets\u201d sound so meaty, and makes Killswitch Engage\u2019s \u201cRose of Sharyn\u201d so brutal.<\/p>\n

But what is downpicking?<\/p>\n

As the name suggests, downpicking, or down-stroke picking, is a technique in which the guitarist moves the pick in a downward motion against one or more strings, without the addition of upstrokes (as in alternate picking). In genres like punk and thrash and speed metal, rapid speed (180bpm+) eighth-note downpicking is fairly common.<\/p>\n

But, why would you want to remove those upstrokes – and effectively double the effort for your picking hand – when performing a rhythm part. We\u2019ll let Revocation\u2019s<\/a> Dave Davidson (via Guitar World<\/a>) answer that one for you:<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough one could more easily perform [a song] using alternate (down-up) picking, the uniform attack created by the use of consecutive downstrokes is much more in line with what thrash metal guitar is all about\u2014intensity.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

When mastered, downpicking can make for a seriously beastly rhythm guitar sound. But, it ain\u2019t easy! Many guitarists have thrown in the towel when it comes to downpicking, put off by the sheer endurance it requires. But, it is possible to emulate the likes of Hetfield, Mustaine and Johnny Ramone<\/a>. And today we\u2019re going to tell you how to do it!<\/p>\n

Start Off Slowly<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n
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