4 Alternate Picking Exercises for Death Metal Riffs
If you want to play tighter, faster, more controlled death metal riffs, your alternate picking has to be solid. Not just fast, but clean, consistent, and in time.
In this lesson, I’m sharing 4 alternate picking exercises designed specifically for death metal guitar. These aren’t random drills. Each one is tied to a real, practical riff you can actually use. The goal here isn’t just to practice the technique. It’s to train yourself to play like a real death metal rhythm guitarist.
These four exercises cover everything from galloping patterns and tremolo picking to pedaling riffs and crossing strings at high speeds. They also help you build the three things every death metal player needs:
- tightness
- stamina
- picking-hand control
And if you’ve ever struggled with your speed falling apart, your picking sounding inconsistent, or your riffs feeling “off,” these exercises will help you fix that, one step at a time.
Before we dive in, here’s a quick look at exactly what we’re going to cover:
✔️ Galloping + downpicking (the foundation of old-school death metal)
✔️ Single-string tremolo picking for speed & endurance
✔️ Moderate-speed “pedaling” riffs for stability & timing
✔️ Tremolo picking across two strings, the next level of alternate picking
✔️ Tabs included in each section so you can follow along
Whether you’re into the classic death metal bands or more melodic extremes, these ideas will help you sound tighter, heavier, and more confident. They’ll also give you the tools to write your own killer riffs.
👇 Watch the full video here to hear all 4 riffs in context and follow along with each exercise:
Exercise 1: Galloping + Downpicking (The Foundation of Death Metal Rhythm)
The first technique we’re working on here is the classic gallop, but not the gallop by itself. In this exercise, you’re mixing the gallop with isolated downpicking and then tying it all together with some wicked-sounding power-chord variations to give it a real death-metal feel.
If you want to hear this section in the video, jump to 00:36.
How the Gallop Actually Works
The gallop is really just a short burst of alternate picking:
down–up–down (1-2-3), repeated in quick succession.
On its own, it gives you that charging, forward-moving feel you hear in bands like Death, Obituary, and early 90s Florida death metal.
But for this exercise, we’re not just galloping non-stop.
You’re combining two elements:
1. A single, isolated downstroke
This is NOT part of the gallop. Treat it like its own musical idea.
2. A gallop immediately after
Down–up–down, tight and controlled.
There’s a very slight pause between the isolated downstroke and the gallop. That micro-pause is what makes the rhythm hit harder and feel more intentional.
This alone is a killer way to tighten up your picking hand.
Adding Power-Chord Variations (Essential for Death Metal Feel)
To really make this sound like death metal, and not just a generic picking drill, we’re attaching a pair of chord variations to each pattern.
Here’s the idea:
- Play a D power chord (A and D strings, frets 5 and 7)
- Then shift to a darker variation on the same root (frets 5 and 6)
- Move the whole thing down a half step and repeat the pattern
This gives you a heavier, more dissonant feel that’s perfect for building real-world riffs.
Musically, this is similar to the type of rhythm work you hear in Death’s “Crystal Mountain”, where a simple rhythmic idea becomes powerful because of chord movement and note choice.
Full Exercise (Tabs Below)
Here’s the exact picking sequence you’re practicing:
- Downstroke
- Pause
- Gallop (Down–Up–Down)
- Chord variation 1
- Chord variation 2
- Move down a half step and repeat
👇 Scroll down to the end of this section for the tabs.
The video walks through this slowly, step-by-step, so if you need to see my hands and hear the timing, jump to 03:00 in the video.
Once you get the pattern down, start adding your own notes and chord variations. That’s where the real creativity kicks in.
Tabs for Exercise 1
If you want another tightness-building technique to pair with this exercise, check out my post on eliminating string noise. It goes hand-in-hand with the picking control you’re building here.
Exercise 2: Single-String Tremolo Picking for Speed, Stamina & Control
The second technique we’re digging into is straight-up tremolo picking, that fast, relentless alternate picking you hear in so many classic death metal riffs. This exercise is all about building stamina, control, and endurance in your picking hand.
If you want to see me break this down and hear how it should sound, jump to 03:32 in the video.
The Four Notes You’ll Use
This exercise uses only four notes on one string (A string):
- 8th fret
- 7th fret
- 4th fret
- 5th fret
You’re simply playing those notes in that sequence. Nothing complicated.
The challenge isn’t what you play, but how you pick it.
Adding Tremolo Picking (The Death Metal Engine)
Once you know the notes, add fast alternate picking to every note in the sequence.
This is pure tremolo picking, consistent, controlled, and aggressive. And it forces your picking hand to stay tight and relaxed at the same time.
If you find your picking arm locking up, that’s normal. Tremolo picking is one of the most physically demanding techniques in extreme metal.
Why I Let the Last Note Ring Out (and Why You Should Too)
When you repeat this pattern, you’ll notice I let the final note ring out slightly instead of tremolo picking it non-stop.
That serves two important purposes:
1. A built-in micro-break
Continuous tremolo picking for long stretches can fry your hand.
This tiny pause gives you breathing room while still keeping the riff musical.
2. A songwriting tip
Letting that last note ring gives the riff more space and keeps it from sounding like a wall of noise.
You’ll hear this type of phrasing in old-school bands like Malevolent Creation, especially in Fragmental Sanity, where tremolo lines breathe just enough to stay musical.
Two Tips to Make This Sound Tight (Not Muddy)
✔️ Use a very light palm mute
Not a full chug…
Just a whisper of muting to tighten up the attack.
Fast alternate picking can get messy and noisy. That slight mute keeps everything controlled.
✔️ Take breaks
This exercise is physically demanding.
Practice it a few times, pause, reset your hand, and then go again.
Tension kills speed.
Relaxation and repetition build it.
Tabs for Exercise 2
Exercise 3: Moderate-Speed “Pedaling” Alternate Picking for Timing & Stability
This next technique isn’t about blistering speed. It’s about control, rhythm, and locking into the groove with rock-solid alternate picking.
This style of riffing is extremely common in classic death metal, and honestly, it can be more challenging than fast tremolo picking because the timing has to be dead-on.
To see me demo this in context, jump to 06:26 in the video.
What Makes This Exercise Different?
Unlike Exercise 2 (fast tremolo), this is moderate-speed alternate picking on a single string, with strategically placed power chords to build context.
It simulates what a real death metal riff feels like, that steady, machine-like “pedaling” on the low string while the chords give the riff shape.
You’ll practice:
- steady alternate picking
- a consistent light palm mute
- clean transitions from pedaling → chords
This is the stuff that tight rhythm guitarists are made of.
The Core Pattern (Pedaling on the Low E)
You’ll alternate pick the low E string with a tight palm mute.
This steady 8th-note (or 16th-note) pulse is your “engine.”
This pedaling technique shows up all over classic death metal, especially in Obituary, where the riffs often feel heavy, simple, and hypnotic because of this exact picking pattern.
The Chords You’ll Add
To keep this from being just a mindless picking drill, we’re adding real-world power chord movements:
- G power chord
- F♯ power chord
- B♭ variation (6th + 5th fret)
- A variation (5th + 4th fret)
These give the riff weight and movement, so you’re practicing music, not just mechanics.
It turns the exercise into something that actually sounds like a riff, not a sterile drill.
Why Practicing This With Metal Drums Helps Immensely
Because timing is the whole point of this technique, play along with something rhythmic:
- a metronome (fine, but boring)
- a simple metal drum loop (way better)
- Toontrack EZDrummer, Bogren Digital’s Krimh Drums, etc.
Even a basic blast beat or mid-tempo groove will make this feel more musical and help you stay in the pocket.
Pro Tip: Start Slow, Not Fast
This riff isn’t meant to be ultra-fast.
The whole point is to pull things back, groove into the alternate picking, and get extremely steady and controlled.
If you want a deeper dive into this mid-tempo tightness, you might like my post on
5 Metal Guitar Techniques to Take Your Riffs to the Next Level.
Tabs for Exercise 3
Exercise 4: Tremolo Picking Across Two Strings (Advanced Death Metal Technique)
This final exercise looks simple on the surface, but it’s actually the most advanced alternate-picking drill in the entire lesson.
Why?
Because instead of tremolo picking on one string, you’ll be jumping between two strings while keeping your picking perfectly even and controlled, a core skill in classic death metal.
If you want to watch how this sounds in real time, jump to 09:42 in the video.
Why This Exercise Matters
Tremolo picking across strings is one of the fastest ways to expose (and fix) weaknesses in your picking hand:
- picking angle
- string tracking
- timing
- palm muting control
- stamina
It’s also one of the trademarks of iconic death metal riffing, think Morbid Angel’s “Rapture” or the chaotic picking patterns in Cannibal Corpse’s “Hammer Smashed Face.”
This exercise will help you build the control and accuracy needed to play riffs like that, and write your own (which, you know, I strongly encourage you to do!).
The Notes You’ll Play
This pattern uses only four notes, but the string changes make it challenging:
Low E string:
- 4th fret
- 5th fret
A string:
- 7th fret
- 6th fret
Even though the notes are simple, the movement between strings is where you’ll sharpen your technique.
Break This Riff Into Two Pieces (Important)
To keep this from feeling overwhelming, don’t try to learn the full pattern immediately.
Step 1: Learn the first half only
Alternate pick:
- E string: 4 → 5
- Move to A string: 7 (tremolo pick a little longer)
- Release
This small chunk helps you master the “string jump” from the E to the A string.
If it’s messy at first, that’s totally normal. This is the whole point of the exercise.
Step 2: Once the first half feels natural, add the second half
Now go:
- A string (7) → back to E string (5)
- Then continue the pattern with 6 and 5 as shown in the tabs
Here’s the cool part:
Once your hands start locking into the motion, the whole riff begins to “glue together” almost automatically.
Palm Muting Tip (Crucial for Cleanliness)
Use a light, on-off palm mute, not a full, heavy mute.
This does three things:
✔ tightens the attack
✔ reduces string noise (which gets loud with tremolo picking)
✔ makes transitions between strings cleaner
Don’t overthink it. Use your intuition.
As you develop the feel, you’ll naturally know when to mute more, mute less, or lift off entirely.
This is a huge part of sounding tight, especially at higher speeds.
Practice Strategy
- Play through the pattern once, then pause
- Shake out your hand
- Go again
- Insert “micro breaks” as needed
This keeps your technique sharp without building tension or bad habits.
If you want to go deeper into cleaning up noise and muting across multiple strings, you might like my post:
How to Eliminate String Noise and Play Tighter Metal Guitar Riffs and Solos
(Internal link goes here)
Tabs for Exercise 4
Classic Death Metal Songs That Use These Picking Techniques
If you want to hear real-world examples of the techniques from this lesson, tremolo picking, pedaling, galloping, and multi-string alternate picking, here are some killer tracks to study. These are perfect references for how these ideas are used in actual riffs:
- Death – “Crystal Mountain” (intro: galloping + melodic alternate picking)
- Malevolent Creation – “Fragmental Sanity” (single-string tremolo picking)
- Obituary – “World Demise” (moderate-speed pedaling riffs)
- Morbid Angel – “Rapture” (fast multi-string alternate picking)
- Cannibal Corpse – “Hammer Smashed Face” (relentless tremolo patterns)
And if you want to hear how I personally use these techniques in my own music, here are two great starting points:
- “Final Reign” – Jason Stallworth (Masterpeace)
- “The Damned” – Jason Stallworth (Overcometh)
These tracks showcase the same alternate-picking concepts from this post in a real songwriting context.
Final Thoughts: Build Real Control, Not Just Speed
Alternate picking for death metal isn’t just about speed. It’s about control, tightness, consistency, and being able to track multiple strings cleanly without losing accuracy.
If you work through all four exercises, take micro-breaks, and practice with intention, these techniques will massively improve your riffing and your confidence.
And the best part?
Every exercise in this post directly transfers to real death metal riff writing.
Want More Metal Riff Training?
If these exercises helped you tighten up your picking, here are two resources that will take you even further:
🔥 FREE Metal Riffs & Licks Practice Guide
If you want more alternate-picking exercises, palm-muting drills, and real metal riffs you can play right now, grab my free Metal Riffs & Licks Practice Guide.
It’s my way of saying thanks to everyone who follows the channel and reads these posts.
👉 Download the Free Guide Here
🔥 The Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy (JSGA)
If you already have the guide, or if posts like this help you make real progress, you’ll love the Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy.
Inside the Academy, you’ll get:
- step-by-step courses
- monthly rhythm lessons
- riffs, tabs, and backing tracks
- practical methods you can use immediately
- a clear roadmap for getting better at metal guitar
All designed for real, at-home players who want to play metal confidently, without overthinking theory or wasting practice time.
Keep it Metal,
Jason
