Down Picking Endurance Exercises

Downpicking is the technique used by guitarists in which the strings are struck in a downward motion to emphasize the tone of the sounds generated. Typically, down picking is used in metal guitar playing.

One thing about downpicking is that most people don't realise that if you can alternate pick at extreme speeds, you can downpick in exactly half the speed. Just take note of the odd number of notes across strings as they might cause some confusion and synchronization issues.

Learn downpicking techniques using a riff from "Ovum", a song by Emil Werstler's own band Daath. You will also get to learn some of the downpicking endurance exercises on guitar.

In the genre of heavy metal and rock, downpicking is a popular technique that is employed by bands such as Metallica & Arch Enemy. While this may seem to be quite contary to economy picking (where you play more notes with less effort), downpicking requires alot of effort and is very limited in it's speed because the picking takes place in a single direction.

So, why do bands still employ this technique? The answer is simple. Downpicking gives the guitarists to create aggessive tones and string attacks because of the consistent force used to play the pick stroke.

When trying to learn this technique, you should bear in mind that every different person will advance at dfferent rates. What is important is that you start slow and always play with a metronome to keep time. You should then slowly work your way to speed.

Here are some tips to help you perform better.

- Always start slow and try to ensure that your movements are as small as possible and relaxed.

- To increase your stamina, you should challenge yourself to play at your maximum speed at the highest possible tempo that you can handle with a metronome. Let the lactic acid set in at your picking hand, take a break and shake off the soreness. Rinse and repeat a couple of times. Gradually, your finger memory and muscle strength will improve.

For a whole slew of metal guitar lessons touching on various aspects of guitar techniques, songs, theory and lessons, you should check out Jamplay below...