And I want to share them with you, not just as stories, but as real concepts you can start using immediately. Even if you take just one of these ideas and apply it this week, it can transform how you approach this instrument we both love.

Here’s a quick snapshot of the three concepts we’re about to dig into:

• Play in different keys (and sometimes different styles): this strengthens your fretboard knowledge and makes improvising feel natural.
• Jam with other musicians: this pulls you out of “bedroom playing mode” and helps you learn how to fit in the pocket, collaborate, and build musical chemistry.
• Play in front of people whenever you can: this builds confidence, awareness, timing, and turns you into a more expressive and fearless guitarist.

Below, I’ll walk you through how each one shaped me, and how you can start using these same concepts in your own guitar journey.

Watch the Full Video

If you want to hear the full stories and how each of these moments unfolded (plus how you can apply them), definitely watch the YouTube video I made to go along with this post:

1. Playing in Different Keys (and Sometimes Different Styles)

This is what quietly built my fretboard knowledge, my ear, and my confidence as an improviser.

Let’s back up for a minute, way back to the end of 1990.
(Side note… I’ve been saying 1989 for years, so I’ve been lying to all of you unintentionally! I finally did the math and realized: nope, end of 1990. So as of now, I’ve been playing guitar for about 35 years.)

Like many of us, I started out on a beat-up acoustic with four rusty strings that belonged to my uncle. I’ll spare you the whole backstory; it’s in my book Heavy Metal & Weights if you want the deeper version, but the short version is this:

What really lit the spark was a kid on my school bus.

Long hair, jean jacket covered in patches, headphones on, always air-drumming, always happy. I thought he was the coolest dude alive. I was timid and honestly scared to talk to him… but one day I asked:

“Hey man… what are you listening to?”

He slid one headphone off and said:
“Metallica.”

Then he put it back on and went right back to air-drumming.

That was it. I was sold. Immediately hooked.
(If your name is Kevin Larone and you somehow see this, dude, thank you. You helped set my whole life in motion.)

Soon after that, my parents saw I was serious, got me my first electric guitar, and I dove headfirst into metal: Master of Puppets, …And Justice for All, then Guns N’ Roses, Whitesnake, Scorpions, Winger, all the hair bands, everything.

But here’s where the unexpected thing happened.

Read the entire story and more in my book:
Heavy Metal and Weights: My Story of Guitar, Weights, Heavy Metal Workout Albums, Passion, and Building Muscle Kindle Edition

Metal at home… and gospel hymns in church?

I grew up in a small country church. And in that church was a guitarist named Ronnie Goodman, who was more of a jazz/blues player. Not my style at all. But I was mesmerized by this guy. He could make up melodies on the spot, and every single thing he played sounded beautiful and polished.

Nothing was rehearsed. Nothing was memorized.
He was just playing.

And the songs we played in church?
They were all piano-friendly keys: A♭, B♭, E♭– the kind of keys most guitarists avoid like the plague.

But Ronnie insisted:
“Learn the chords…then it’s time for your solo.”

No tabs. No notation. Just your ears and the fretboard.

Playing in those weird keys forced me to learn bar chords early, and it pushed me to understand the fretboard in a way I never would’ve if I’d stayed in E minor chug-chug land.

At the same time, I was jamming outside of church with my best friend Alex Green, who could shred, and we were learning Tesla intros, metal riffs, faster leads, all the cool stuff we loved.

So picture this combo:

• Metal at home
• Gospel hymns in A♭ and B♭ at church
• Bar chords and improvising on the fly
• Playing with other young musicians in multiple keys

That mix unknowingly laid the foundation for everything I do today.

The second ingredient: playing along with the radio

This one might be the biggest sleeper hack for guitar players.

Back then, I’d plug into my amp, turn on the radio (TK-101, WABB FM-97… if you’re from Pensacola, you know), and play along with whatever song came on:

• Prince
• Def Leppard
• Madonna
• Genesis
• Ratt
• Dokken
• Anything and everything

Every song was a different key, different tuning, and different feel.

I’d quickly figure out the chord movement, not perfectly, just the basic structure, and then start improvising my own leads over it, the same way Ronnie had taught us.

That right there made me the guitarist I am today.

Not learning songs note-for-note.
Not memorizing scales.
Not playing the same riffs over and over.

But exploring keys, adapting on the fly, and trusting my ears.

Why this matters for YOU

If you always stay inside the same shapes, the same keys, and the same style, you will plateau without realizing it.

But when you:

• play in different keys (especially “weird” ones)
• force yourself into new musical environments
• improvise over chord progressions you didn’t plan
• try styles you normally wouldn’t touch

Your fretboard opens up. Your ear gets sharper. Your improvisation gets smoother. Your confidence skyrockets.

You become a musician, not just a guitarist.

And ironically?
This makes you dramatically better at playing metal, the style you love.

Because now you can fit into any pocket, adapt instantly, and express yourself without overthinking.

2. Jamming With Other Musicians (Why This Will Explode Your Growth)

The second concept I want to share stays in the early-’90s timeline for a bit… but then it stretches way beyond that. And honestly, this one might be one of the most powerful things you can do as a guitarist.

As soon as I started playing, I was jamming with other musicians. Immediately.
My friend Alex, the same Alex from Section 1, had been playing for about a year before I picked up a guitar, so naturally, he was ahead of me. The guy is still a phenomenal guitarist. I remember him showing me this tapping technique he did with his pick, and my mind was blown. Like, “Dude, how are you even doing that?”

We’d jam constantly, at his house, at my house, anywhere. One time, we set up our amps on my parents’ porch, cranked them, and someone called the cops. And listen… this was out in the country. So, for someone to hear us from that far away? Yeah, we had those amps roaring.

Of course, we were also playing together in church with Ronnie Goodman. Ronnie (rest in peace) was not only an insanely talented blues/jazz guitarist, but he was also encouraging in a way that stuck with me forever. He always pushed us to play our way, to develop our own style, and that message is something I repeat to my students constantly. Ronnie’s sister, Rhetta, played the piano, and she was the reason we were always playing in those “odd” keys, like A♭ and B♭.

And here’s why this mattered:

Playing with other musicians forces you to listen.

If Ronnie was strumming one thing, I couldn’t just copy him. I had to find a different part that complemented what he was doing. If Retta’s piano part was busy or bright, I needed to fill a different space on electric guitar. I wasn’t leading, I was following, and that taught me an invaluable skill:

Playing in the pocket.

I had to figure out:

• What rhythms fit with the other instruments
• What strumming patterns supported the overall sound
• What small licks or fills added flavor without stepping on anyone else

Even when Alex and I were jamming metal, we would constantly branch off. We’d start off playing a song we knew, but then one of us would improvise a riff or a lead that wasn’t part of the original. That’s where the fun was. That’s where creativity started bubbling up.

And you hear me say this all the time:

Learn the stuff I teach you, then branch off and create your own version of it.

That’s where your unique sound lives.
Not in copying note-for-note.
Not in doing things “the right way.”

But in exploring, stretching, and creating.

Because that’s what you’re meant to do.

My first bands (and how playing with others shaped me even further)

Fast-forward a bit: I graduated high school in 1993 and got connected with a guy named Eddie Gray, one of my closest friends to this day. He managed a band called Pelan Genesia (“a new beginning” in Greek). Through our mutual friend Mike Tipton, Eddie heard about me, and before I knew it, I was the lead guitarist in the band.

Now I wasn’t just jamming in church or improvising with one friend…
I was in a full, functioning alternative rock/metal band.

We built a solid following in the Pensacola area. We were tight, we were writing, and we were playing live. That experience alone changed everything: learning to rehearse regularly, navigating personalities, and figuring out who plays what and where.

The band eventually split (as many do), but Eddie and I stayed great friends and decided to form our own project: The Guys. We brought in a drummer, started playing festivals, and really began carving our own sound. We even landed a slot at Springfest in 1999, a huge deal for us. Eddie Money performed on the stage next to ours that day, which still blows my mind.

For that Springfest show, I wanted a second guitarist, because jamming with others had taught me how important it is to have multiple musical voices. That’s when I brought in Tom Sherman, still a close friend to this day, and the sound finally felt complete.

Why this matters for YOU

You can only get so far by playing alone. Yes, practice by yourself. Yes, woodshed. But the moment you add another human being into the mix, everything changes:

• You start hearing music differently.
• You learn how your part fits into a bigger picture.
• You begin complementing instead of competing.
• Your timing tightens.
• Your creativity skyrockets.

And here’s the big one:

You stop being “just someone who plays guitar”… and you start becoming a musician.

I encourage you, no matter where you’re at, to jam with other musicians whenever you can:

• A friend who also plays guitar
• A bass player
• A drummer
• A full band
• Someone with a completely different style

Because of the synergy, the push-pull, the ideas that happen in those moments…
That’s where magic is created.

And who knows, you might end up writing some of your best music with someone you haven’t even met yet.

3. Playing in Front of People (The Skill You Don’t Realize You Need Yet)

This last concept might not seem important right now, especially if you’re not trying to start a band, play shows, or become a performer. Maybe guitar is just a hobby for you. And that’s perfectly okay.

But hear me out:

Playing in front of people, at any level, builds a completely different skill set that can transform your musicianship.

I’ve been playing in front of people almost since the moment I picked up the guitar. It started in church, then in bands, then at festivals, and now through my solo shows. For nearly 35 years, playing live has been a part of who I am as a guitarist.

And even if you never plan on stepping on a big stage or touring…
There’s still a version of this that you absolutely should be doing.

Why Playing in Front of People Changes Everything

Look, it’s easy to sit in your room and jam. It’s comfortable. Nobody’s watching, nobody’s judging, you can stop and start again, fix mistakes, retake the riff, turn the camera off, whatever.

But the second you get in front of even a handful of people, things shift.

• Your timing sharpens
• Your focus increases
• Your nerves kick in (in a good way)
• You learn to recover gracefully
• You start hearing your playing differently
• Your confidence grows
• And your musicianship levels up faster than you ever expected

Honestly, sometimes playing in front of five people is scarier than playing in front of fifty. It’s intimate. Every detail matters. But that’s exactly why it’s so powerful.

And here’s the thing:
Most people at open mics or small gatherings want you to succeed. They’re encouraging. They’re supportive. They’re musicians too, or at least music lovers, so the energy is positive. If you miss a note, they don’t care. You’re there to grow.

Open Mics: Your Secret Weapon (Even If You Don’t Want to Perform)

If you’re not in a band and don’t plan to be, the easiest way to build this skill is:

Go to an open mic.

Every city, every town, someone’s hosting one. And if not? Maybe that’s the universe nudging you to create one.

When I used to host open mics at Bootleggers Brewing (before they relocated), the vibe was amazing. People of all skill levels, all ages, all styles. Everyone is there to lift each other up and share music. If you showed up nervous, you left empowered.

Even if you only get up there for a two-minute jam, just a simple chord progression or a riff you like, you’re doing something incredibly important:

You’re putting yourself in the arena.

And that experience pays off the moment you go back home and plug into your amp. Your skill level jumps. Your awareness improves. You feel different when you play.

Playing in Front of People Doesn’t Have to Mean “Being in a Band”

You can:

• Jam for friends at a gathering
• Play for your family
• Loop a rhythm at home and pretend you’re on stage
• Join someone else’s rehearsal
• Sit in during a band practice
• Bring your electric to an open mic
• Play acoustic covers at small venues
• Jam with one other musician in the same room

All of this counts.

Right now, my own live playing is a mix of both worlds:

• A couple of shows per year, performing metal from my albums with band members I bring together
• And several solo acoustic gigs each month across Tampa, dockside venues, wineries, breweries, and private events

Do I play metal at those acoustic shows?
Not usually. I play 80s songs. I loop rhythms. I improvise solos. But it keeps me sharp, creative, and connected.

Playing in front of people, even if it’s not “your” genre, pushes you into new territory.
It challenges you.
It humbles you.
It strengthens your timing and confidence.
It sharpens your improvisation.
And it helps you grow not just as a guitarist, but as a musician and as a person.

Why This Matters for YOU

If you take nothing else from this section, take this:

When you play in front of people, everything about your musicianship accelerates.

Your confidence.
Your timing.
Your ear.
Your creativity.
Your composure.
Your ability to respond in the moment.

Even if your dream is simply to play amazing riffs in your studio for your own enjoyment, playing for someone, anyone, will elevate everything you do when you’re back home practicing.

It brings everything full circle.

Wrapping It All Up

When I look back over my own journey, these three things shaped me more than I ever realized at the time. And I genuinely believe they can make a massive impact on your guitar playing, too.

1. Stretch yourself by playing in different keys (and even different styles).
This is one of the fastest ways to learn the fretboard, understand music on a deeper level, and become more fluid and confident when you improvise. When you step outside the one or two keys you always play in, you unlock parts of your musicianship you didn’t even know were there.

2. Jam with other musicians whenever you get the chance.
There’s nothing quite like that exchange of ideas, your creativity mixing with theirs. Whether it’s a buddy on guitar, a bass player who brings a whole new feel, or a drummer who pushes your timing into a new pocket… playing with other humans creates something organic and alive. It grows you in a way that practicing alone simply can’t.

3. Play in front of people in any capacity you can.
This doesn’t have to mean joining a band or booking big shows. You can play for family, for friends, at small gatherings, or at open mics. Playing live, even on the smallest scale, builds confidence, strengthens your timing, sharpens your awareness, and accelerates your growth as a musician. Something shifts inside you when your playing leaves the bedroom and enters the real world.

These three concepts aren’t complicated, but they’re powerful. They’re practical. And you can start implementing them right away. If you do, you’ll not only become a better guitarist, but you’ll also become a more expressive, confident, and creative musician overall.

Want to Take Your Metal Playing Even Further?

If you’re ready to build deeper skills, learn new riffs and licks, and grow as a metal guitarist in a clear, structured way, the Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy is where I can help you the most.

Inside, you’ll find:

• step-by-step metal courses
• riffs and licks that build real-world skills
• improvisation frameworks
• backing tracks
• tabs, Guitar Pro files, and clear video lessons
• and an approach that helps you develop your own voice as a guitarist

If you’re serious about leveling up your metal playing, whether you’re brand new or you’ve been at it a while, I’d love to help you get there.

Learn more about the Academy here

Thanks for spending this time with me. This whole topic feels like a personal fireside chat, just two people who love the instrument, talking about the things that actually matter in becoming a better musician.

As always…
Keep it metal, and keep playing music.

Jason

The post 3 Things That Changed My Life as a Guitarist (and How They Can Change Yours) appeared first on Jason Stallworth.

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:

1. E string: 4 → 5
2. Move to A string: 7 (tremolo pick a little longer)
3. 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.

Check out the Academy here

Keep it Metal,
Jason

The post 4 Alternate Picking Exercises for Death Metal Riffs appeared first on Jason Stallworth.

Sometimes your palm muting just isn’t right.
Sometimes everything falls apart when you try to play faster.
And sometimes the riffs you write just don’t sound as heavy or clean as you hear them in your head.

I get it. I’ve been there too, many, many times.
And after playing metal guitar since the late 80s, recording albums, and performing live for most of my life, I’ve learned that there are a handful of simple, fixable things that instantly make your metal riffs tighter, cleaner, and more professional.

In this post (and video below), I’m going to walk you through five common mistakes that hold metal guitarists back — and more importantly, how to fix each one.

These aren’t fancy tricks or over-the-top techniques.
They’re practical, real-world concepts that will help you:

• learn metal riffs faster,
• play metal riffs tighter,
• and write your own riffs with way more confidence and clarity.

Before we dive into each one, here’s a quick overview of the five mistakes:

5 Common Mistakes That Keep Your Metal Riffs From Sounding Tight

• Palm muting that’s not as tight or consistent as you want – the easiest fix that instantly tightens your tone
• Trying to play too fast, too soon – fast is cool, but clean is better
• Playing too many notes – this one concept will explode your creativity
• Not knowing when to down-pick vs alternate pick – huge for riff writing
• Never playing in front of people or jamming with others – totally underrated, game-changing for tightening your playing

We’ll dig into each one, and I’ll share some simple, practical examples (with no tabs needed) to help you overcome these and start playing tighter metal riffs today.

Watch the full video below to see how each of these mistakes plays out in real time — and how to fix them so your riffs instantly sound cleaner and tighter.

Mistake #1: Palm Muting That Isn’t as Tight or Consistent as You Want (The Easiest Fix for Better Metal Riffs)

Palm muting is the foundation of playing tight metal riffs and rhythms.
If your palm muting is even a little off, too loose, too tight, or in the wrong spot, your riffs can start to sound unclear, flubby, or slightly out of tune.

What’s cool is:
Palm muting is also the easiest thing to fix.
And just tightening this one area can make your metal riffs sound 10x more controlled and professional.

Two key things that determine whether your palm muting sounds tight and controlled, or loose and inconsistent, are:

1. Palm Placement

Your palm should rest right where the strings meet the bridge. That sweet spot where you’re getting a clean mute without choking the tone.

• If your palm is too far forward (toward the neck), the notes will sound like they’re being choked, and you won’t have clarity.
• If your palm is too far back (on top of the bridge but not quite over the strings), your notes will sound muffled, not muted.

You want that middle ground, the spot where everything feels punchy, tight, and controlled.

2. Palm Pressure (Tension)

This is where most metal guitarists slip up.
We tend to play with aggression. We dig in. We push hard.
But pressing too much can actually bend the strings sharp, making your notes sound out of tune.

Here’s what happens:

• Too much pressure: your palm digs in, bends the strings sharp, and creates a tight-but-ugly tone.
• Not enough pressure: the notes ring too freely, losing that tight, percussive metal sound.

The trick is finding the right balance, and it often depends on the type of riff you’re playing.

Tight vs Loose Palm Muting (Based on Your Riff Style)

Here’s the part a lot of players overlook:

You don’t use the same palm muting tension for every riff.

For fast, single-note thrash riffs:

Use slightly more pressure so notes stay tight and controlled.

Not so much that you bend the string sharp, but just enough to keep everything punchy and precise.

For slow, heavy, doom-style chugs:

Use less pressure so the notes bloom a little and carry more weight.

Let some of the sound spill over.
Those slower riffs actually sound heavier when the palm muting is a little looser.

For power chords that you want to “ring with grit”:

Back the pressure off even more.

This gives your riff that massive, wide sound while still keeping it tight in the pocket.

A Quick Mindset Shift: Tight Doesn’t Always Mean Fast

One thing I want you to remember:

Tightness has nothing to do with how fast you’re playing.
You can play slow riffs that sound super tight.
And you can play fast riffs that just don’t sit right if your palm muting isn’t locked in.

Tightness comes from:

• clean palm placement
• the right pressure
• consistent picking-hand movement
• intentional muting based on the riff style

Master that, and your riffs will immediately sound more polished, heavier, and more controlled.

Palm Muting Recap

Here are the two big things to practice:

• Placement: Keep your palm right where the strings meet the bridge
• Pressure: Use more tension for fast single-note riffs, less for big chugs or ringing chords

Dial these in, and you’ll be surprised how much tighter your riffing sounds, often instantly.

Want more help tightening your metal riffs?
If you haven’t downloaded my free Metal Riffs & Licks Practice Guide, that’s the perfect next step.
It gives you simple patterns and examples you can use right away to clean up your muting, timing, and overall riff clarity.

Grab the free guide here.

Before we move on, if palm muting and tight rhythm playing are areas you really want to dial in, you might also enjoy this post on How to Eliminate String Noise and Play Tighter Metal Guitar Riffs and Solos. It pairs perfectly with everything we talked about here.

Mistake #2: Trying to Play Too Fast, Too Soon

This is the mistake that makes metal riffs lose clarity: pushing speed before the foundation is solid, or chasing speed just because it feels like the “metal” thing to do.

I’m going to cover this from two perspectives:

1. Learning someone else’s riff
2. Writing your own riffs

Both require a slightly different mindset, so let’s break it down.

Learning Someone Else’s Riff (Megadeth, Metallica, etc.)

When you’re trying to learn a riff that’s fast, whether it’s Megadeth, Metallica, or any other band, the biggest trap is trying to match the full speed right away.

Here’s the truth:

**Speed exposes mistakes.

Slow reveals solutions.**

Instead of worrying about BPM or trying to match the song tempo immediately, start with a much simpler question:

“What are the notes?”

That’s it.
Before speed enters the picture, you need to know:

• where your fingers go,
• which notes are muted,
• which notes are open,
• and how the pattern flows.

Break the riff down into small, manageable pieces (or as I say, bite-size chunks…now you’re hungry!).
Don’t be afraid to repeat a single movement or two-note pattern over and over.

And yes, it might feel boring at first.
You may play the same small segment 20, 30, 40 times.

But that repetition is doing something powerful:

You’re building muscle memory

You’re internalizing the pattern

You’re eliminating hesitation

You’re removing the “guessing” factor

This is the key.
You cannot play fast if your mind and fingers are unsure about where to go next.

Once the notes are second nature, speed becomes a natural byproduct of confidence… not pressure.

Writing Your Own Metal Riffs (This Is Where Your Power Is)

I say this often, and I’ll keep saying it:

**If you play guitar, you’re a creator.

Your superpower is writing your own riffs.**

Learning other people’s riffs is great. It teaches you patterns, phrasing, and structure. But writing your own riffs taps into something much deeper and more personal.

This is where the speed trap really shows up.

Many guitarists think:
“I need to write fast riffs to sound impressive.”
But here’s the truth…

**Fast riffs aren’t automatically better.

Slow riffs aren’t automatically worse.**

Some riffs sound incredible, fast.
Some riffs lose all their power when you force speed on them.
Some riffs hit WAY harder when you slow them down and let the groove breathe.

So when you’re writing, be open to the process.

Maybe you start with a fast idea… but when you slow it down, it suddenly feels heavier, meaner, and more satisfying.

Maybe you try to speed something up, but it loses the feel you wanted.

Neither is right or wrong.
This is music, not a competition.
There are no rules except the ones you create.

The key is staying open:

• If the riff wants to be fast, let it be fast.
• If the riff sounds better slow, let it breathe.
• Don’t force speed into every idea.
• Don’t pressure yourself to “keep up” with anyone.

Great riffs come from instinct, not ego. Your goal isn’t to write riffs that will impress other guitar players; it’s to write riffs from the heart.

And if you’ve been feeling stuck or inconsistent in your practice overall, my 7-Day Metal Guitar Reset is a great way to rebuild your foundation and get your motivation back on track.

Mistake #3: Playing Too Many Notes

It’s really easy to fall into the trap of thinking your riffs need to be packed with as many notes as possible. Metal is fast, metal is technical, metal is intense. So our brains start telling us that our riffs have to follow that rule every time.

But here’s the truth…

More notes do NOT automatically make your riffs better.

And many times, they can make your riffs feel rushed or cluttered instead of tight and heavy..

This is especially true when you’re writing your own riffs.

So let’s break this down.

The Practical Problem With “Too Many Notes”

When you cram a bunch of notes into a riff, especially one that’s meant to be fast or tight, a few things happen:

• Your picking hand starts to tense up
• Your timing becomes less consistent
• Your left hand falls behind
• You lose the groove and feel
• The riff becomes harder to memorize
• The tone becomes muddier

That’s why some of the heaviest metal riffs ever written are actually pretty simple.

The power comes from the clarity, not the quantity.

The Practical Solution: Break It Down Slow (Same as Mistake #2)

Just like trying to play too fast, too soon, the solution here is almost identical:

Break the riff into small pieces

Play each segment VERY slowly

Get the notes into your muscle memory

Remove all hesitation

THEN build speed or add complexity

When you know exactly where your fingers are going, without thinking, you can choose whether to:

• speed it up
• simplify it
• add variations
• change the rhythm
• or write a second riff that complements it

But you can’t make any of those decisions if you’re guessing where the next note is.

Slowing things down gives you clarity, and clarity lets you choose the right path for the riff.

The Mindset Shift: You Don’t “Have To” Impress Anyone

Now, let’s talk about the other side of this: Your mindset.

And I say this from personal experience, because I battled this for decades…

You do NOT need to write complex riffs to impress other guitar players.

You don’t have to prove anything to anyone.

Metal culture can sometimes make us feel judged, especially online.
People can be quick to criticize, even when they don’t know the context or the intention behind the music.

And it’s really easy to let that pressure creep into your playing and your songwriting.

But this is your music.
This is your style.
You don’t owe anyone a certain level of speed or complexity.

If the riff wants to be simple, let it be simple.

If the riff wants to be complex, let it be complex.

If it feels better slowed down, slow it down.

If it feels better sped up, speed it up.

There’s no right or wrong here.
There’s no “better” or “worse.”

There’s just what feels right and what sounds good to you.

Sometimes your best riffs will come when you take the pressure off and stop trying to impress anybody, including yourself.

Practical Recap: Clarity Over Chaos

If you find yourself writing riffs with tons of notes and they just don’t feel tight, here’s what to do:

• Slow it way down
• Break it into small pieces
• Memorize the movements
• Remove the “guess factor”
• Build speed after the clarity is there
• And most importantly, write what feels right

When you give yourself creative freedom, your riffs get better naturally.
And you’ll be surprised how often less notes sound more powerful.

If these concepts are starting to click for you, you’d probably get a ton out of the Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy.

Inside the Academy, I take these ideas even further with full step-by-step courses, monthly rhythm lessons, and simple, practical exercises that help you:

• tighten your palm muting
• clean up your picking
• write your own metal riffs
• build your confidence
• and develop your own unique style as a guitarist

Everything is laid out in an easy-to-follow way — no fluff, no overwhelm, just real-world metal guitar training.

You can check out the Academy here.

If you want more technique-focused lessons that build on what we’ve covered so far, you might also like my post on 5 Metal Guitar Techniques to Take Your Riffs to the Next Level.

Mistake #4: Not Knowing When to Downpick vs Alternate Pick

Downpicking and alternate picking are two of the core techniques of metal guitar. Each one gives your riff a different feel, a different weight, and a different level of aggression.

There’s no rule that says you must use one over the other.
This isn’t about “right or wrong.”
But some riffs simply sound better with one technique over the other, and understanding that difference will make your riffs tighter, heavier, and more expressive.

Let’s break this down.

Why Picking Technique Matters (Even If the Notes Are the Same)

A lot of guitarists think:

“If I’m playing the same notes, does it really matter whether I downpick or alternate pick?”

And technically, you can play a riff either way and get close enough.
But here’s the thing:

Downpicking and alternate picking create different textures.

Different attack.
Different tone.
Different character.

Even if the notes don’t change, the feel absolutely does.

That’s why some riffs fall flat when you alternate pick them, and some riffs feel sluggish or unnatural when you try to downpick everything.

What Downpicking Does for Your Riffs

Downpicking gives you:

• heavier attack
• more control
• tighter low-end
• that classic Metallica-style punch
• a consistent, aggressive driving feel

When you hear a tight, chuggy riff that really hits in the chest.
There’s a good chance downpicking is doing the heavy lifting.

Some riffs demand this approach.

If you try to alternate pick those riffs, they often lose that solid, percussive feel, kind of like the riff becomes “too light.”

What Alternate Picking Does for Your Riffs

Alternate picking gives you:

• more speed
• smoother motion
• more stamina for fast passages
• better articulation at high tempos
• that thrash/melodeath fluidity

If you’re playing fast tremolo-style patterns or quick melodic runs, alternate picking is usually the way to go.

Try downpicking fast single-note lines, and you’ll feel your arm burn out pretty quickly. Also, the riff may not sound as clean or controlled.

Mixing Both Techniques in the Same Riff

A lot of metal riffs actually use both techniques.

You might downpick the heavy accents, then alternate-pick the faster sections in between.
Or you might alternate, pick a run but use a downstroke to “reset” the feel at the end of the phrase.

Galloping is a great example of this, as the gallop is a one-two-three, snappy alternate picking technique, but will often have some notes surrounding it down-picked.

Mixing the two can create:

• dynamic contrast
• heavier accents
• tighter transitions
• more interesting riff flow
• better clarity in complex patterns

This is one of the secrets of great metal rhythm playing. It’s not one technique for everything, but a combination of both where they fit best.

How This Applies When Learning Other People’s Riffs

If you’re learning a riff and it just doesn’t feel right, even though you’re hitting the correct notes, this is often the reason:

You’re using the opposite picking technique from the original player.

Once you switch to the right approach, it suddenly clicks:

• The tone changes
• The weight shifts
• The timing locks in
• The riff feels “correct”

A lot of students have told me,
“Jason, I didn’t realize he was downpicking that, that’s why my version sounded off!”

Picking direction matters more than most people realize.

How This Helps You Write Your Own Riffs

This is where things get really fun.

When you’re writing your own riffs, experiment with:

• playing a section entirely with downstrokes
• then playing the exact same thing with alternate picking
• then mixing both approaches

You’ll be shocked at how differently the riff feels in each version.

That little shift can take a riff from:

• decent to heavy
• chaotic to controlled
• stiff to smooth
• boring to exciting

Sometimes the “real” version of your riff only shows up when you choose the right picking approach.

Practical Recap: Let the Riff Decide

Here’s the mindset to keep:

• Downpicking = weight, punch, tight low-end
• Alternate picking = speed, smoothness, upper-tempo control
• Mixing both = expressive, dynamic, unique-sounding riffs

There’s no rule you have to follow. But being aware of how each technique affects the feel of a riff will help you write cleaner, heavier, more intentional metal rhythm parts.

Let the riff guide you.
Play it both ways.
Choose the one that makes it come alive.

And once your riffs are feeling tight, having a great tone behind them makes everything hit even harder. I recently reviewed the Bogren Digital Ampknob BDM, a killer amp sim for rock and metal that delivers a heavy tone with almost no tweaking.

Mistake #5: Never Playing in Front of People (The Most Underrated Way to Get Tighter)

This last one might surprise you, but it’s one of the best ways to tighten up your metal riffs, and your overall playing, more than almost anything else:

Not playing in front of people.

You don’t need a full band.
You don’t need a stage setup.
You don’t even need an electric guitar with a stack behind you.

You just need to play for someone other than yourself.

And this is where so many guitarists miss out on a huge opportunity for growth.

How Playing in Front of People Makes You Tighter

There is something that happens when you play guitar with even a little outside pressure:

• Your timing sharpens
• Your picking becomes more intentional
• Your riffs become more controlled
• You listen more closely to your own playing
• You naturally “lock in” tighter than when you’re playing alone

It’s not about performing perfectly.
It’s the focus your brain shifts into when you know someone is listening.

That slight bit of adrenaline, the good kind, heightens your awareness and organically forces your playing to become cleaner.

This alone can take your metal riffing to a whole new level.

You Don’t Need a Full Band…Just People

You don’t need a full metal band to experience this. You can build this skill by:

• playing in front of a friend or family member
• jamming with another musician
• going to a local open mic

And if you have an acoustic guitar, use it.
If you have an electric and a small amp, bring it.

It’s not the gear that matters. It’s the experience.

Open Mics Are One of the Best Tools for Guitar Growth

I mentioned performing at an open mic, and I strongly believe this is the best thing you can do. I’ve hosted open mics in the Tampa area for years, and I’ve seen so many musicians walk up nervous, unsure, and shaky… and then walk off the stage with a huge smile and a massive boost in confidence.

They get addicted, come back, and get better every time.

Most of them are playing acoustic and singing, sure.
But every now and then, someone brings an electric guitar and just jams out some riffs or power chords.

And I can tell you firsthand:

It changes them. Completely.

Their timing gets tighter.
Their presence improves.
Their playing gets more controlled.
Their confidence skyrockets.
Most importantly, they’re having the time of their life!

And all of that translates directly back into:

• tighter metal riffs
• better rhythm control
• cleaner picking
• improved palm muting
• and stronger overall musicianship

There really is nothing like it.

Even My Acoustic Shows Make Me a Better Metal Guitarist

Most people know me for metal, but I also play live solo acoustic shows around town, mainly 80s covers with just me singing and playing acoustic guitar.

It might not be metal, but guess what?

It still makes my metal playing tighter.

Why?

Because the skill of performing:

• playing in time
• staying calm under pressure
• engaging with an audience
• keeping your hands relaxed
• locking into a rhythm
• and I must mention, singing and playing at the same time (yes, you CAN do this, too!)

…all of that carries over into metal guitar beautifully.

Playing live, in any form, builds a skill set you can’t get by sitting alone in your room.

The Other Huge Benefit: Community

Going to open mics or jamming with others also connects you to:

• other guitar players
• local musicians
• drummers
• bassists
• singers
• people who will inspire you
• people you can learn from
• people who might even form a future band with you

That experience is priceless.

Practical Recap: Why You Should Play for Others

If you want to get tighter, more controlled, and more confident with your riffs, here’s why playing in front of people is so powerful:

• You focus more
• Your timing improves
• You become more consistent
• Your technique tightens naturally
• You push yourself without forcing it
• You tap into the true “musician” side of yourself

And the best part?

You don’t need a stage.
You don’t need a band.
You just need another human being willing to listen — even for 30 seconds.

Final Recap: 5 Mistakes That Keep Your Metal Riffs From Sounding Tight (And How to Fix Them)

If you can eliminate these five mistakes, you’re going to notice a massive improvement in both how tight your riffs sound and how confident you feel as a metal guitarist. Here’s a quick recap:

1. Palm Muting That’s Not as Tight as You Want

Keep your palm right where the strings meet the bridge and use the right amount of pressure. More pressure for fast single-note riffs, less pressure for big, heavy chugs.

2. Playing Too Fast, Too Soon

Slow down and memorize the notes first. Once the movements are locked into muscle memory, speed happens naturally — and cleanly.

3. Playing Too Many Notes

Cramming in more notes isn’t always better. Don’t pressure yourself to write complex riffs every time. Simplify first, build clarity, then add speed or complexity if the riff actually calls for it.

4. Not Knowing When to Downpick vs Alternate Pick

Each technique brings a different feel. Downpicking = weight and punch. Alternate picking = speed and fluidity. Try your riffs both ways and choose the approach that brings the riff to life.

5. Never Playing in Front of People

Whether it’s friends, family, a jam partner, or a local open mic — playing for others sharpens your timing, tightens your technique, and develops a skill set you simply can’t get on your own.

Ready to Take Your Metal Rhythm Playing Even Further?

If you don’t already have my free Metal Riffs & Licks Practice Guide, definitely grab it.
It’s designed to help you tighten up your riffs with simple patterns, examples, and practice concepts you can start using today.

And if guides and lessons like this help you, then I’d love to invite you to the
Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy.

It’s where I go deeper with structured courses, monthly lessons, tabs, tracks, and a clear roadmap to help you build your skills and confidence as a metal guitarist.

Whether you’re working on tightening your rhythm, writing your own riffs, or stepping into lead guitar, you’ll have everything you need all in one place.

Keep it Metal,

Jason

The post 5 Mistakes That Keep You From Playing Tighter Metal Guitar Riffs appeared first on Jason Stallworth.

The good news? You can fix this fast once you know what’s causing it.

In this lesson, you’ll learn three simple methods to eliminate unwanted string noise so your riffs and leads sound clean, tight, and professional:

1. Fret-hand muting: Use your fretting fingers to lightly touch and mute the strings around the one you’re playing. This keeps stray strings from ringing out and cleans up your overall sound.
2. Palm muting control: Use the edge of your picking hand not just for chugging riffs, but as a tool to control resonance and tighten up your tone.
3. Picking-hand muting for leads: When you’re bending or sustaining a note, hover your thumb and index finger over the neighboring strings to silence them. It feels weird at first, but it’s a total game-changer for clean solos.

Watch the full video below to see exactly how to apply each of these techniques in real time and start playing cleaner, tighter metal guitar today.

Method 1: Fret-Hand Muting – Your First Line of Defense Against String Noise

One of the best ways to eliminate string noise on electric or metal guitar is by using your fret-hand to control the strings around the one you’re playing.

Let’s start simple. Picture this: you’re picking a note on the A string, 7th fret, while lightly palm-muting the open low E. The noise you hear usually isn’t from the note itself; it’s from the surrounding strings that start vibrating on their own.

Here’s what you do:
Use the same finger that’s fretting the note (your first finger in this case) to lightly rest on the strings above and below that note. You’re not pressing down. You’re just letting that finger touch or hover so those strings stay quiet.

• The D string (just above the A) can start ringing, so let your first finger rest gently on top of it.
• The low E string (just below the A) can also hum from sympathetic vibration. Keep part of that same finger touching it as well.

If you picked those muted strings, you’d hear a dull thump instead of a note, and that’s exactly what you want. When you hit only your fretted note, the rest of the guitar stays silent.

Now, when you’re using your second or third finger to fret notes, you’ll naturally lose that contact. In those cases, bring your first finger over just enough to mute the lower string (like the open E). It becomes a team effort between your fretting fingers to keep everything tight and controlled.

Why This Feels Awkward at First

If this feels strange, that’s totally normal.

When we first learn guitar, we’re taught to avoid touching other strings so open chords ring cleanly. But in metal and high-gain playing, it’s the complete opposite. We actually want to mute every string we’re not playing so only the notes we pick punch through.

Instead of arching your fingers straight up like chord shapes, start angling them slightly across the fretboard so they rest on nearby strings. That small change rewires your muscle memory from “let everything ring” to “control every vibration.”

It’ll take a little time to feel natural, but once it does, you’ll notice your metal riffs, power chords, and palm-muted rhythms instantly sound tighter and cleaner.

Fret-hand muting is your first line of defense, and it’s one of the easiest ways to play tighter metal guitar riffs without changing your tone or gear.

Method 2: Palm Muting Control – Tighten Your Riffs Without Killing the Tone

The second method to eliminate string noise is probably the easiest, and it’s one you already know: palm muting.

Now, you might be thinking, “Well, duh, Jason… I already know palm muting helps with noise.”
True, but there’s more to it than just resting your hand on the strings.

When I’m playing a simple riff, sometimes it sounds tight and controlled, and other times it opens up and breathes a little more. The difference? When and how much I’m palm-muting.

Here’s the key idea:
You don’t have to palm-mute every note.
Use light, selective palm muting to control resonance only where you need it.

• If you want a note or chord to hit hard and punchy, keep your palm down and let the note pop tight.
• If you want a little more openness or sustain, lift your palm slightly and let it ring for just a split second.

This back-and-forth control, tight, then open, then tight again; that’s what gives your riffs life and groove while keeping the unwanted string noise under control.

Use Palm Muting as a Creative Tool

Palm muting isn’t just a noise-reduction trick. It’s one of the most expressive tools in metal rhythm guitar.

Experiment with it. Don’t worry about doing it “exactly like the original riff.”
Sure, learn other people’s songs (and mine, of course ), but start using these ideas to write your own riffs. The best riff you’ll ever play is the one you write.

By combining Method 1 (fret-hand muting) with Method 2 (palm muting control), you’ve already built a powerful foundation for clean, tight metal rhythm playing, even under high gain.

Method 3: Picking-Hand Muting for Leads and Bends

Now, for the third method to eliminate string noise, and this one’s a game-changer, especially when it comes to guitar solos and lead playing.

This is the area where a lot of players (myself included, back in the day) get frustrated. You’re bending a note, adding some nice vibrato, really letting that tone sing… but then you hear this mess of other strings ringing out behind it. It kills the moment.

That noise usually comes from the surrounding strings, not the one you’re bending. So, to control that, you can use your picking hand to lightly mute those strings while your note rings clean and strong.

Here’s how it works:

• As you bend a note, use your thumb and first finger of your picking hand to hover over the strings directly above and below the one you’re bending.
• You’re not pressing. You’re just resting lightly enough to stop those other strings from vibrating.
• For example, if you’re bending on the B string, 15th fret, your thumb can rest gently on the G string, and your first finger can hover over the high E string.

This creates a clean, focused note that rings with no interference.

Now, you do have to be a little careful here. If you apply too much pressure, you can accidentally mute the note you’re actually trying to bend. The trick is to stay relaxed and use a light touch. Think of it as guiding the vibration rather than shutting it down.

Quick Tip: What to Do With Your Pick?

Great question.
I simply tuck my pick under my middle finger for a second while my thumb and index finger take over muting duty. It might feel awkward at first (and yes, you’ll probably drop your pick a few times), but it’s worth getting used to.

That same quick switch also comes in handy for finger tapping, so it’s a skill that pays off in multiple ways.

When to Use This Technique

You won’t need to do this every time you bend or add vibrato. Think of it as another tool in your toolbox.
If you’re working on a solo that uses a lot of open space or big bends, bring this out to keep your tone tight and focused.

Combine this with the first two methods, fret-hand muting and palm muting control, and you’ll have a complete system for keeping your tone clean and eliminating unwanted string noise, whether you’re riffing or soloing.

Next Steps

Now that you’ve got these three muting methods under your belt, you’re well on your way to cleaner, tighter, and more professional metal guitar playing.

If you want to take these skills further, grab my free Metal Riffs & Licks Practice Guide. It’s packed with riffs, licks, and backing tracks designed to help you apply everything you’ve learned here.

Download the free guide here

And when you’re ready for the full experience: Structured courses, tabs, jam tracks, and new lessons every month. Join the Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy (JSGA).

Learn more about the academy here

Keep it Metal,
Jason

The post How to Eliminate String Noise and Play Tighter Metal Guitar Riffs and Solos appeared first on Jason Stallworth.

Because sometimes it’s not about practice. It’s about passion.
You love metal. You love playing. But the fire just isn’t there, and when you finally find time to play, it’s the same old riffs on repeat.

If you’ve been feeling stuck playing guitar or struggling to get motivated to practice again, you’re not alone.
It happens to every guitarist, even the ones who live and breathe this stuff. I’ve been there, too.

That’s why I created this simple 7-Day Metal Guitar Reset to help you reignite that spark, rebuild your momentum, and get back to loving guitar again.
No pressure, no fancy studio setup. Just you, your guitar, and a few minutes a day to reconnect with what made you fall in love with metal in the first place.

Watch the full video below and follow along each day.

Ready to reignite your playing even more?
Grab my FREE Metal Riffs & Licks Guide. It comes with tabs, backing tracks, and short video lessons to help you build confidence and power in your playing.

Download it here

Day 1: Reignite the Fire

Before you even play a note, I want you to take yourself back in time.
Think about that moment when you first got into metal. What was the riff or song that lit that spark inside you?

This is about restarting your guitar-playing journey. It’s about going back to where it all began and rebuilding that raw excitement.

What was it that made you not just want to listen to metal… but to be part of it?
See, you and I are different from the rest of the world.
Being a metal music fan wasn’t enough. We had to go deeper and play it.

Now, once you’ve got that memory fresh in your mind, that first riff, that first band, that first album, grab your guitar.

Don’t worry about playing that exact song or riff.
Just start playing something that reminds you of why you got into this in the first place.

For me, it was back around ’88 or ’89 when I bought my first two records:
Metallica’s Master of Puppets and …And Justice for All.

The funny thing is, it wasn’t even one specific riff that sparked the fire. It was the overall sound and feeling I got.
If I were doing this Day 1 exercise with you right now, I’d probably play some chunky power chords with a lot of palm muting, galloping, and single note riffs. I’m thinking ‘Shortest Straw’ or ‘Lepper Messiah.’

So here’s your Day 1 mission:

Spend about 15 minutes playing whatever comes out.
It doesn’t have to be perfect.
It doesn’t even have to make sense.
Maybe it’s just a few power chords.
Maybe it’s something simple that feels right.

The key is to let yourself relive that original spark, the feeling you had the first time you wanted to pick up a guitar and play metal.
Let that emotion guide your fingers.
That’s how you start reigniting the fire.

Day 2: Build on Your Strengths

Most guitarists spend all their time obsessing over the things they’re not good at.
But you and I, we’re not most people.

Today, I want you to flip that mindset.
Focus on the things that you are good at. Think of the techniques that come naturally to you.

Even if it’s just one thing.
Maybe it’s your tight palm-muting, your smooth down-picking, or your killer sense of rhythm.
Maybe it’s a simple single-note riff that just feels right in your hands.

There’s something powerful about building on what you’re already strong at.
If you build a rock-solid, or in our case, metal-solid foundation, that base becomes unshakable.
And once that foundation is strong, everything else you learn sits on top of it with confidence and control.

For example, I might spend my 15 minutes today playing a few of my favorite heavy-groove riffs, lots of palm-muting, and tight right-hand control with a mix of darker note choices and melodic progressions.
I realize ‘dark notes and melodic progressions’ aren’t exactly techniques, but it’s my style. So I want you to also think about your style that you’re developing when you’re doing this.
The goal isn’t to show off; it’s to fortify what already feels natural.

Your Day 2 mission:
Spend about 15 minutes focusing on the techniques and riffs that come easiest to you.
It doesn’t have to be a specific song or even an exact riff. I strongly encourage you to make stuff up and improvise. There’s no right or wrong here.
The idea is to strengthen your natural playing style so everything you build later has that solid, unbreakable core.

Day 3: Focus on One Weak Technique

Yesterday, you built on what already comes naturally. Your strengths.
Today, we’re doing the opposite.

I want you to pick one technique you struggle with.
Not three. Not five. Just one.

It could be alternate picking, hammer-ons, pull-offs, tremolo picking, or even timing on gallops. It can be anything that’s been bugging you or holding you back.

For the first five minutes of today’s practice, focus entirely on that one technique.
Keep it simple.

For example, if alternate picking gives you trouble, try something like this:

(Imagine I’m playing a short alternate-picking exercise; open A string to a Bb power chord, keeping it clean and controlled.)

You don’t have to play the exact same thing over and over. Mix it up a little. Maybe add a C power chord, maybe move it up the neck.
Take short breaks between runs, reset your focus, and then jump back in.

The cool thing is, once you start doing this, you’ll naturally come up with variations.
That’s a good thing. It means you’re engaging creatively, not just drilling mindlessly.
The point is you’re spending a focused amount of time on one technique you struggle with, but really have a desire to nail it.

Now, after those five minutes, here’s the key part:
Go back to what you did on Day 2, the riffs and techniques you’re already great at, and start blending in this new technique.

Let’s say you’re really strong at heavy down-picking with palm mutes.
Now take that same riff and sprinkle in the alternate picking you just worked on.
Combine them.

It’s not about perfection. It’s about giving yourself freedom.
If it’s sloppy or awkward at first, that’s okay. That’s the point.
You’re building something new on top of your already solid foundation.

Your Day 3 mission:

• Spend 5 minutes isolating a technique you struggle with.
• Then spend the rest of your 15-minute session integrating that technique into what you’re already good at.

Over time, that “weak spot” will stop being a weakness. It’ll become part of your foundation, part of your natural style. This is how you start improving your guitar playing fast, without feeling overwhelmed.

Day 4: Play Riffs in Context (with Backing Tracks…or a Band!)

All right, it’s Day 4, and it’s time to get the band back together!
Okay, all jokes aside… if you actually can practice with a band, that’s awesome.
But today, I want you to do something that’s just as powerful:
Play your riffs in context.

What I mean by that is play along with a backing track.

Playing guitar in context like this reignites your passion for guitar and helps you stay motivated. Because when you play with a full mix with drums, bass, and another rhythm guitar, everything about your playing gets tested:

• Your accuracy
• Your timing
• Your feel

This is one of the fastest ways to improve your metal guitar skills.
Because it forces you to lock in. There’s no hiding behind solo practice here.

For today, I want you to pick just one backing track and jam with it for about 15 minutes.
Don’t worry about perfection; this is about getting used to playing in a real musical context.
Mess up. Laugh it off. Tighten it up. Then keep going until you start to feel the groove click.

If you don’t have a backing track handy, I’ve got you covered.
You can grab my FREE Metal Riffs & Licks Practice Guide, which includes several full-length backing tracks (plus tabs and short video lessons) to help you jam like you’ve got a full band behind you.

Download your free copy here

Your Day 4 mission:

• Pick one backing track.
• Play your riff or one from Metal Riffs & Licks for 15 minutes straight.
• Focus on staying tight and grooving with the track.

By the end of this session, you’ll feel more like you’re playing with a band, not just practicing alone.

Day 5: Make the Riff Your Own

Day 5 builds on what you did yesterday, but this time, we’re going to take it even deeper.

On Day 4, you played along with a full mix: guitars, bass, and drums.
Today, I want you to strip it down and play along with just the bass and drums.

If you grabbed my Metal Riffs & Licks Practice Guide, you already have these versions. I include both the full mix tracks and the bass-and-drum-only tracks for each riff.

So why is this so important?

There are two big reasons:

1⃣ This truly tests your accuracy and timing.

When you don’t have another guitar in the mix, you’re completely exposed.
It’s just you, the rhythm section, and the groove.
If you rush or drag, you’ll hear it instantly, and that’s a good thing.
This kind of honest feedback is what tightens your rhythm and makes you sound like a pro.

2⃣ It helps you develop your own style.

Once you’re locked in with the bass and drums, something cool happens.
You start to wander off the “script.”
You begin creating your own riffs and variations that still fit the key and rhythm of the song.

When I did this exercise myself, I started with the original riff, but then my hands and ears started leading me somewhere new.
I began improvising, experimenting, and just letting ideas flow naturally.

That’s exactly what I want you to do.

Whether you play metal as a hobby or you’re gigging regularly, the most important skill you can build is your own unique sound.
The world doesn’t need another clone of someone else. It needs you.

Your Day 5 mission:

• Play along with a backing track that has only bass and drums (you can grab several in my free Metal Riffs & Licks guide).
• Start by playing the riff exactly as written.
• Once you’re locked in, begin exploring. You can add notes, change rhythms, and make it your own.
• Let your intuition guide you and see where it takes you.

You’ll be surprised how naturally creativity starts flowing once you give yourself permission to experiment.
This is where your style is born.

Day 6: Record Yourself and Reflect

For Day 6, I want you to do something a little different. Something that might feel a bit uncomfortable at first, but it’s one of the most powerful tools for improving your playing.

I want you to record yourself jamming.

Don’t overthink this. You don’t need a studio setup or fancy lighting.
Just grab your phone, hit record, and capture yourself playing for a few minutes.

You can use an amp, plugins, or even play unplugged; whatever makes it easiest.
And don’t worry about playing perfectly. This isn’t a performance. It’s a reflection exercise.

Start by jamming freely. Play some of the riffs or techniques we’ve talked about over the past few days.
Mix in the stuff you’re great at with the stuff you’ve been working to improve.
Let yourself just play from the heart.

Afterward, watch the video back, and here’s the key:

Don’t be overly critical.

This isn’t about judging yourself or nitpicking mistakes.
It’s about awareness.

As you watch, pay attention to:

• The parts where you look and feel comfortable. Notice your body language, your flow, your confidence.
• The parts that seem tense or uncertain. Don’t judge, just observe.

Give yourself credit for what feels natural.
And for the parts that feel awkward or inconsistent, just make a note. These are opportunities for growth, not failures.

I like to compare this to lifting weights.
Sometimes I’ll film myself in the gym doing squats, not to show off, but to check my form.
When I review the footage, I’m looking for signs of control, posture, and balance. Not perfection.

It’s the same with guitar.
When you watch yourself play, you’re checking your “form.”
Are you relaxed? Are your hands and shoulders in sync? Does it look and sound like you’re in control of the music?

That kind of awareness, without judgment, is what helps you grow fast.

Your Day 6 mission:

• Record yourself jamming for a few minutes (even just 2–3 minutes is fine).
• Watch the video back and observe, don’t judge.
• Celebrate what you’re doing well, and simply note what you’d like to improve.

You’re not grading yourself. You’re getting to know yourself better as a guitarist.
And that awareness is what leads to real growth.

Day 7: Just Jam

Day 7 is simple. Just jam.

Play whatever you want.
There’s no right or wrong here. No rules. No structure.

You’ve spent the past week practicing technique, rhythm, timing, and control. Now, it’s time to let all of that go and just play from your soul.

Don’t worry about perfect form or flawless picking.
This day isn’t about discipline. It’s about freedom.

Because here’s the thing: being a great guitarist isn’t just about mastering techniques.
It’s about discovering your own voice on the instrument.

If you play the same way every other guitarist plays…
You’ll sound like every other guitarist.
And that gets boring fast.

But there’s a guitarist inside you, one with a unique tone, phrasing, and feel, just screaming to come out.
So give yourself that freedom.
Let your creativity take over.
You’ve earned it.

Your Day 7 mission:

• Forget about structure and technique. Just jam.
• Play what feels good.
• Experiment, explore, and express yourself freely.

You’ve done the work all week. Now it’s time to unleash. If you’ve lost motivation for guitar lately, this 7-day plan is the perfect way to regain that passion and start playing guitar again with purpose.

The 7-Day Metal Guitar Reset Recap

Here’s a quick look back at your 7-day journey:

1⃣ Day 1: Reignite the Fire – reconnect with what made you fall in love with metal.
2⃣ Day 2: Build on Your Strengths – reinforce what comes naturally.
3⃣ Day 3: Focus on One Weak Technique – turn your weak spot into a strength.
4⃣ Day 4: Play in Context – jam with a backing track to test your timing and groove.
5⃣ Day 5: Make the Riff Your Own – play with bass and drums only and let your creativity flow.
6⃣ Day 6: Record Yourself and Reflect – become aware of your strengths and growth areas.
7⃣ Day 7: Just Jam – break free, get creative, and let your style shine.

Ready for What’s Next?

If you enjoyed this 7-day reset, you’ll love what’s inside my free Metal Riffs & Licks Practice Guide.
It’s packed with riffs, tabs, and backing tracks to keep you progressing, all while having fun.

Download your free copy here

Already have it? Awesome.

When you’re ready to take your playing to the next level, join me inside the Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy (JSGA).
It’s where I’ll guide you step-by-step through the complete metal guitar path, from riffs to solos to finding your own unique sound.

Join the Academy here

Keep practicing, keep growing, and most of all,

Keep it Metal,
Jason

The post The 7-Day Metal Guitar Reset – How to Get Back on Track Playing with Passion appeared first on Jason Stallworth.

A great guitar solo, a professional-sounding guitar solo, doesn’t necessarily mean you’re just throwing a bunch of notes at people. In other words, just because you’re playing endless arpeggios up and down the neck doesn’t automatically make that a great solo.

There are two things that truly make a solo stand out:

1. It fits into the context of the rhythm that’s being played.
2. It triggers an emotional response and captivates the listener, and it should captivate you as well.

In this lesson, we’re going to walk through some simple but powerful techniques that’ll help your solos sound more expressive, emotional, and captivating.

Watch the full lesson:
In this video, I break down exactly what makes a guitar solo sound pro, from emotional phrasing and bends to rhythmic picking and shred-worthy techniques.

Hit play below to watch the complete lesson, then scroll down for a full written breakdown with extra tips and examples.

Ready to take these lead techniques even further?
Grab my free Metal Riffs & Licks Practice Guide. It includes tabs, tracks, and a full chapter (Chapter 3: Metal Licks) dedicated to lead guitar techniques just like the ones in this video.
Download the free guide here

Step 1: Three Core Techniques for Feel – Bends, Vibrato, and Slides

These are the first three things we’re going to focus on.
They might sound simple, and maybe you’re thinking, “Jason, I already know how to bend a string or add vibrato.”

But here’s the deal: these are the techniques that turn plain notes into music.
They’re what take your solos from sounding robotic and stiff to emotional and alive.

String Bending

When you bend a string, you’re bending to a target note. Most of the time, a half step or a whole step above the one you’re fretting.

For example, instead of playing two separate notes like this…
You can bend up to the second note.

That single move adds character, feel, and emotion. It’s one of the simplest ways to bring your playing to life.

Vibrato

Vibrato is basically a controlled bend.
You’re not bending all the way to a new note. You’re just giving that note some flavor.

The best way I can describe it is like putting hot sauce on chicken wings… or chili peppers in curry. You’re adding spice. Not too much, just enough.

Every guitar player does vibrato a little differently. Don’t let anyone tell you there’s only one right way to do it. If it sounds good to you, that’s what matters. That’s how you start developing your own unique style, and that’s what this is all about.

Slides

Slides connect your notes and make your phrasing sound smooth and expressive.

Try this: play a note, then a lower one, and slide back up to the first.
You’ll instantly hear the difference. It’s more fluid, more melodic, and more human.

Bottom line:
When you combine bends, vibrato, and slides, your solos stop sounding like a string of notes and start sounding like your voice.
That’s when people start to feel what you’re playing.

Try This Expressive Lick:
Here’s a short melodic lick in E minor that combines bends, vibrato, and slides, the three essential techniques that make your solos sing.
Don’t rush through this one. Feel every note and focus on expression over speed.

How to Practice It:

• Start by sliding from the 13th to the 15th fret.
• Pick the 17th fret and bend it a half-step. You can let that ring out and soar, and even bending back and forth, giving it some vibrato (don’t rush this).
• After that emotional string bend, pick the 15th fret and slide back to the 13th fret.
• End with some soulful vibrato.

NOTE: You may not think of this style when it comes to metal guitar solos. But it’s the very thing that will keep your solos from sounding stale and make them more pro-sounding when you start adding the techniques for speed that we’re about to cover. So get ready.

Step 2: Add Groove with Rhythmic Picking

Now let’s talk about something I call Rhythmic Picking.

You probably heard this in the intro of my video. It’s a way to make your solos feel more like rhythm playing and to give them a sense of pulse and groove.

Here’s what I mean:
Let’s say you’re playing on the G and B strings. You could hold a constant note on the G string, lightly palm-muted, and then move through frets 5, 6, and 8 on the B string, going back and forth between those two strings.

That’s the core concept.

You can slide the whole pattern up the neck, mix up the timing, change your picking attack, and you’ll start to feel how this blends rhythm and lead together.

It’s an awesome way to make your solos sound more interesting and dynamic, and it gets you out of that single-note rut that a lot of players fall into.

And yeah, we’ll go ahead and say that Jason Stallworth coined that phrase, rhythmic picking.

Oh, and if you’re searching for the perfect lead tone, then check out my post Metal Lead Guitar Tone Made Easy. Having a great tone will inspire your playing like nothing else (whereas a crappy tone will do the opposite!).

Try This Short Rhythmic Picking Tab:
This example blends rhythm and lead playing by alternating between two strings, a concept I call rhythmic picking.
It adds a groove and percussive feel to your solos, breaking you away from single-note lines.

How to Practice It:

• Keep a steady down-up picking motion and light palm muting on the G string notes.
• Think of the G string as your “anchor” and the B string as your melody note.
• Notice how this is done in two places on the fretboard in the tabs.
• Experiment with adding other notes in between with slides or bends.

Step 3: Smooth Things Out with Legato

Now let’s get into some of the faster, smoother techniques. The ones that make your solos feel fluid.

Legato is one of my favorites because it gives your lines a whole new character without making you work harder.

Here’s how it works:
You pick the first note, then use hammer-ons and pull-offs for the rest.

For example, on the B string, try 7–8–10.
Pick the first note, hammer the others, and then pull back down.

You’ll notice you can play faster, but you’re also using less effort.
The result is smoother phrasing and a totally different sound compared to strict alternate picking.

And it’s not about which one is “better.”
You want both skills in your pocket. Sometimes you want the attack and definition of picking, other times you want the smooth flow of legato.

Having both gives you more control over your tone, phrasing, and expression.

Try This Short Legato Tab:
This is a simple three-note pattern starting on the B string that uses both hammer-ons and pull-offs.
Focus on smooth transitions between each note. Your fretting hand should do most of the work.

How to Practice It:

• Pick only the first note, then let your fretting hand handle the rest (until the final note).
• Keep each note even and clear, allowing your fingers to hammer-on and pull-off throughout the lick.
• Notice that final note where you slide to the 9th fret; this note is picked (you can slide from the 7th fret).

Step 4: Get Precise with Alternate Picking

Alright, let’s talk about speed and precision. Because I know you want to shred, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

The key is control.

Here are two things that’ll make your alternate picking sound tighter right away:

1. Light palm muting. It cleans up the sound and keeps your notes from bleeding together.
2. Think in threes. Seriously, groups of three notes at a time (1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3). This helps your hand lock into rhythm and makes your picking smoother.

And once you’ve got it, start repeating those short patterns. That’s an easy way to build speed fast.

You can always mix this with bends and vibrato, so it’s not just an onslaught of notes. Fast is cool, but feeling is everything.

Try This Short Alternate Picking Tab:
Here’s a simple three-note-per-string pattern in E minor to help you build speed and control.
Focus on consistent picking and clean transitions, not raw speed.

How to Practice It:

• Use strict alternate picking (down-up-down-up, etc.).
• Group the notes mentally as 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3 to lock in your rhythm.
• Start slow, palm-muting slightly if needed for tightness.
• Take note of the bend and vibrato towards the end; this adds character to the lick so that it doesn’t sound mechanical.

Next Step:

Suppose you’ve already gone through my free Metal Riffs & Licks Practice Guide.
In that case, the next step is joining the Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy.
This is where you’ll learn structured courses like Lead Guitar Apprentice and Melodic Soloist that build these exact skills.

Step 5: Add Color with Sweep Picking and Tapping

Sweep picking can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be.

Start with smaller shapes like three-string arpeggios on the G, B, and E strings. You can do something like 12–13–12 and then tap the 15th fret.

One cool variation I love is sliding that tap note up a fret while holding it down. It adds this almost vocal lift to the phrase.

That’s what makes it sound different.

And again, the goal isn’t to turn your solo into an arpeggio exercise. It’s to add color and dynamics when it fits.

Try This Short Sweep Picking Tab Exercise:
Here’s a simple three-string sweep arpeggio with a tap and slide at the end. Just like I demo in the video, when I talk about adding life to your arpeggios so they don’t sound so mechanical and typical.

How to Play It:

• Sweep down through the G–B–E strings, hammer on to the 15th fret.
• Finger tap 19 and slide to 20, then slide back to 19 before pulling off back to 15 and 12.
• Follow through, sweeping up the same way you came down.
• End by sliding from 12 to 15.

Step 6: Play in Context by Learning the “Safe Zones”

Let’s circle back to something I said early on: your solos have to fit the rhythm.

That means understanding the key of the song and knowing where your “safe zones” are on the fretboard.

Let’s use E minor as an example.

Start on E, end on E. The half steps in the minor scale happen between the 2nd and 3rd notes, and the 5th and 6th notes.

If you remember that structure, you can move it anywhere on the fretboard.
That’s how you unlock the entire neck by recognizing patterns, not memorizing 12 different scales.

Once you know where you can go safely, then you can step outside of the scale intentionally.
That’s when you start sounding creative, not random.

So learn those safe pockets in different keys, practice soloing within them, and you’ll start to hear how your solos fit better with the rhythm.

Oh, and when you’re ready to start recording your solos and hearing your progress, I’ve got a full guide that walks you through every step of the setup process.
Check out my Home Recording Studio Guide for Metal Guitarists post. It shows you exactly how to build a simple, great-sounding recording setup that’s perfect for tracking solos and riffs at home.

Try This Short E Minor Scale Tab:
Here’s an example of how your E minor scale connects across two positions.
Start slow and feel the flow of the notes, and listen to how one shape naturally leads into the next.

How to Practice It:

• Start by learning each position slowly and clearly.
• Notice how you can continue that scale starting from where you ended (G string, 9th fret in this case).
• Continue to connect the structure in E Minor throughout the fretboard.
• You quickly learn and memorize where these ‘safe zones’ are in this key and will be able to easily create solos on the fly, in this key.
• Continue this strategy with other keys you want to play solos in.

Step 7: Pull It All Together

Here’s your roadmap to tie everything together:

1. Choose one backing track (E minor is a great starting point).
2. Write a short melody using bends, vibrato, and slides.
3. Add a little rhythmic picking to give it groove.
4. Use legato for smooth runs, and alternate picking for precision.
5. Throw in a short sweep or tap for flavor.
6. Record yourself and listen back. Does it sound like a solo or just an exercise?

Repeat that process often, and you’ll be amazed at how quickly your phrasing improves.

Next Steps

If this lesson connected with you, here’s what I recommend:

• Grab my free Metal Riffs & Licks guide.
  Chapter 3 dives into lead guitar techniques and shows you how to apply them in real solos.
• Then check out the Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy.
  Start with Lead Guitar Apprentice if you’re newer to soloing. That course will take you from the fundamentals to creating your own expressive leads.
  When you’re ready, move into Melodic Soloist. That’s where you’ll start shaping your signature style.

Keep it Metal,

Jason

The post Why Your Metal Guitar Solos Don’t Sound ‘Pro’ (and How to Fix It Fast) appeared first on Jason Stallworth.

You’ve got your guitar and amp all set up… but something still feels off.
Your tone doesn’t sound quite right, or your guitar just doesn’t feel easy to play.

Before you spend another dime on new gear, here’s the truth:
You probably already have everything you need to sound amazing — you just need to fine-tune what you’ve got.

This guide will help you get your guitar playing effortlessly and your tone dialed in so your solos sing, sustain, and feel inspiring to play.

Get Your Guitar Playing Effortlessly

If your guitar doesn’t play quite the way you want it to, don’t give up on it yet. Most of the time, a few simple tweaks can completely change how your instrument feels and responds.

Professional Setup

• A proper setup (intonation, action, neck relief, etc.) can make your guitar feel brand new.
• Once you’ve got it set up, keep the same string gauge every time you change strings.
• If you’re not into doing setups yourself, it’s worth having a pro handle it — it’s one of the best investments you can make for your playing.

String Choice

• I use Elixir NanoWeb Super Light 9–42 coated strings on all my electrics.
• Coated strings feel smoother and make bending and vibrato effortless.
• I prefer lighter strings for soloing — but the right gauge is whatever feels most natural to you.

Tuning & Preferences

• All of my courses and lessons are in standard tuning.
• Don’t worry about using what everyone else uses. Use what inspires you and fits your style.
• Your tone starts with your hands — the rest is just enhancing that.

Guitar Neck & Feel

• I play a range of guitars — from my Ibanez Prestige RG1570 (with a Wizard neck) to my American Telecaster, and I also favor ESP/LTD, Dean, and Jackson guitars.
• Neck shape is totally personal. Go with what feels right and keeps you inspired. You may prefer thin necks like Ibanez’s Wizard, or you may prefer more round or even thicker necks. We’re all a little different and there is no one-size-fits-all.

Main takeaway:
You probably already own the perfect guitar for you. Once it’s properly set up and dialed in, you can focus fully on tone, expression, and developing your own unique lead style.

Main takeaway 2:

Give yourself the freedom to like what you like and not like what you don’t like. When it comes to tone (and your style of playing guitar), there’s no right or wrong answer. There’s only what fits you best.

Dialing in Your Tone for Metal Leads

Tone doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need a wall of amps or twenty pedals to sound great. You just need a few key settings that let your guitar breathe and your notes shine.

Simple EQ Settings

Here’s my general EQ formula that works on almost any amp, amp sim, or amp pedal:

• Bass: Slight boost for body and fullness.
• Mids: Around 6–7 to help solos cut through the mix.
• Treble: Around 6–7 for clarity and brightness.
• Gain: High for sustain. If your amp sounds a little loose, run a light overdrive in front (drive low, level high) to tighten it up.

Boosting the mids helps your solos stand out from your rhythm tracks. Especially if your rhythm guitars have the mids slightly scooped.

You can use these settings with any amp or amp sim, and they will at least serve as a good starting point.

What About Cabinets, Speakers, and Mics?

Sure, cabinets and mics can make a huge difference, whether it’s a real 1×12, 2×12, or 4×12 cabinet, or the virtual cabs/mics with amp sims, or if you’re using IRs (impulse responses). The way I look at this is it’s not so much about finding the perfect cabinet/mic combination (or mic placement). It’s more about realizing you have different options.

You may like the sound of an Orange cabinet for your solos. Or you may prefer a Marshall. Or Mesa. Or EVH. Or it may be an array of options you have with amp sims and IRs.

Again, there’s no right or wrong answer here. Just don’t allow yourself to overthink this to the point where you’re not doing what you love: playing and writing guitar solos.

Tone Comes from You

Some say tone is all in your hands; others say it’s all in the gear.
I believe both are true — but what really defines your tone is your style.

You could plug Joe Satriani into ten different amps and still know it’s him.
That’s what we’re working toward here: developing your signature sound.

Using Delay Tastefully

A touch of delay can bring your solos to life. It adds ambience and makes each note feel bigger without cluttering your tone.

My go-to delay setup:

• Timing: ¼-note
• Level & Feedback: Moderate — just enough to notice, not enough to distract

You’ll hear this effect throughout the Melodic Soloist course in the Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy. It’s subtle, but it makes a huge difference in how the guitar feels and responds.

Watch: My Simple Metal Lead Guitar Tone Setup

Here’s a short video where I walk through my current lead guitar tone setup using the Blackstar Dual Distortion pedal.
You’ll hear how I dial in clarity, sustain, and feel — all without chasing complicated gear setups.

Even though I used Blackstar gear for this example, the same concepts apply no matter what amp, pedal, or plugin you’re using.

Keep It Simple and Play from the Heart

The biggest mistake most players make is overthinking gear.
You don’t need the newest amp or pedal. You just need to make what you have feel right and sound inspiring.

Start with your guitar setup. Then dial in your amp and add a touch of delay. That’s it.
Once everything feels good, focus on what really matters:
Your playing, your phrasing, and the emotion behind every note.

Because at the end of the day, the best tone and guitar solos are the ones you create.

Take the Next Step

Once your guitar and tone feel right, the next step is building the skills to play solos that sound as good as your tone.

Grab my free Metal Riffs & Licks Practice Guide — it’s packed with metal riffs, licks, tabs, and video lessons that help you build real-world playing skills and confidence.

Get the Free Metal Riffs & Licks Guide
***Chapter 3 covers everything you need to know for playing leads and has licks for you to learn!

And when you’re ready to dive deeper, check out the full Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy, where you’ll get complete access to all my courses, backing tracks, and growing library of metal guitar lessons.

Join the Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy
***Lead Guitar Apprentice

Keep it Metal,
Jason

The post Metal Lead Guitar Tone Made Easy: Get Smooth, Expressive Solos With the Gear You Already Have appeared first on Jason Stallworth.

By the way, Blackened uses a really cool technique called string skipping, and that’s just one of the many techniques I’ll share with you below.

In this post, I’m going to walk you through five metal guitar techniques that will take your riffs and rhythm playing to the next level.

Sure, power chords and palm muting are the foundation of heavy metal guitar (and pretty much every sub-genre of metal). But if you want to go beyond the basics and create more captivating riffs and write your own killer riffs, this post is for you.

Next Level Metal Guitar Techniques: Video Lesson

Oh, and these are the same concepts I teach in my free Metal Riffs & Licks guide and inside the Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy (get my free stuff first!).

1. Hammer-Ons and Pull-Offs for Metal Riffs

Hammer-ons and pull-offs are often associated with guitar solos, but they can also add a whole new dimension to your metal rhythm playing. Using them in riffs can give your rhythms more character and add a new dynamic.

Hammer-Ons

A hammer-on happens when you pick one note and then immediately “hammer” another finger onto a higher fret without picking again.

Example:

• Pick the 7th fret on the D string with your index finger.
• Then “hammer” your middle finger onto the 8th fret. No picking, just pressing down.
• That new note rings out from the force of your finger.

You picked once, but you got two notes.

Pull-Offs

A pull-off is the opposite. You pick a note and then release your finger in a way that makes the lower note sound.

Example:

• Start with the same 7th fret on the D string (index finger).
• Hammer-on to the 8th fret (middle finger).
• Now pull off your middle finger so the 7th fret note rings out again.

In this case, you picked once, but you heard three notes: 7th fret → 8th fret → back to 7th fret.

Expanding the Idea

Once you’re comfortable, try moving the pattern to different frets. For instance:

• Pick the 5th fret on the D string (index finger).
• Hammer-on to the 7th fret (ring finger).
• Pull-off back to the 5th fret.

Now you’re creating small licks that can be dropped into riffs anywhere across the fretboard.

Making It Sound Like a Riff

Here’s a cool way to make hammer-ons and pull-offs sound more like a riff and less like an exercise:

• Palm mute the open A string twice.
• Play your hammer-on/pull-off lick.
• Palm mute the open A string twice again.
• Repeat.

You can even take it a step further: on the D string 7th fret, hammer to the 8th fret, pull off back to 7th, then pull off again to let the open D string ring out. Combine that with your palm-muted A string, and you’ll instantly have a riff with attitude.

Don’t limit yourself to just these examples. Move this concept around the fretboard, mix it with palm muting, and see what riffs you come up with.

2. String Skipping for Creative Riffs

String skipping is a simple concept, but it can completely change the way your riffs sound. Instead of always playing notes that are right next to each other, you skip over a string to reach a note further away. This opens up new sounds and textures you won’t get from standard power chords or clustered single-note riffs.

There are two examples of string skipping below, both equally cool to add to your rhythm playing.

Example 1: Single-Note String Skipping

Let’s start with a basic example:

• Play the 2nd fret on the A string (index finger).
• Skip over the D string.
• Play the 4th fret on the G string, then the 5th fret, then back to the 4th fret.

You’ve just skipped over an entire string (the D string). You can also apply the technique we just covered for this 3-note riff, in hammer-ons and pull-offs.

This simple move immediately opens up your ‘note library’ for riffs. And once you get faster with it, your rhythm playing takes on a whole new dimension.

Example 2: Dual-Note String-Skipping

Another way to use string skipping is by playing two notes at the same time, almost like a chord, but with a string skipped in the middle.

Try this:

• Play the 2nd fret on the A string with your index finger.
• Skip over the D string.
• Play the 4th fret on the G string with your pinky (or ring finger, if that feels better).
• Pick both strings together.

You’ll notice that if you strum across, the muted D string might ring. To prevent that, let your index finger lightly touch the D string to mute it. That way, only the A and G strings ring out cleanly.

Now take that shape and slide it up the neck:

• A string 3rd fret + G string 5th fret
• A string 5th fret + G string 7th fret
• A string 6th fret + G string 8th fret

Note: Slide from one pair of notes to the next as seen in the tabs:

What you’re really doing here is playing the root note and its higher octave. This almost sounds like you’re using an effect or octave pedal, but it’s 100% organic and straight from your hands.

Why String Skipping Works

When your riffs start to feel stale or you’re tired of cycling through the same power chords, string skipping forces you into new territory. It spreads your notes out across the fretboard and instantly gives your riffs a unique vibe.

3. Arpeggiated Chords to Break Away from Power Chords

When we think of metal riffs, we usually think of power chords, palm muting, and single-note riffs. But if you want to add a completely new dimension to your rhythm playing, try arpeggiated chords.

Arpeggiating simply means picking the notes of a chord one at a time instead of strumming them all together. This can give your riffs a darker, more atmospheric vibe, which is perfect for metal and a change in your sound.

Note: You don’t have to play or arpeggiate every note within the chord, as you’ll see in the example below.

Basic Example Using an E Minor Bar Chord

Here’s a simple way to try this out:

• Hold down an E minor bar chord.
• Instead of strumming the whole thing, pick the B string → G string → D string one note at a time.

You’re still in the full chord position, but you’re just breaking it apart into smaller pieces.

Pro tip: Add a light palm mute to each note. With distortion, this keeps things tight and avoids unwanted noise or muddiness.

Changing It Up Within the Chord

You don’t have to stick to the same notes every time. For example:

• While in the E minor bar chord, your middle finger presses the 8th fret of the B string, pinky on the 9th fret of the G string, and ring finger on the 9th fret of the D string.
• Play those three notes (B → G → D strings).
• Now lift your middle and pinky fingers while keeping the bar in place.
• This changes your B and G strings from the 8th/9th frets down to the 7th fret (barred).
• Arpeggiate those three strings again.

Going back and forth between those two shapes creates a subtle but powerful movement. It almost sounds like you’re layering two riffs in one.

Beyond Chord Shapes

You don’t have to stick with full chords or even have your hand positioned for a complete chord. For example, you can try this:

• Choose two to five notes across different strings and arpeggiate them.
• Go from high strings down to low strings (or vice versa).
• Mix and match the order for unique rhythmic effects.

Why This Works for Metal

Metal guitar often defaults to heavy chugs, single-note riffing, and ‘power’ful chords (forgive the pun). Arpeggiating breaks that mold and opens up new textures. It’s a great way to get out of a creative rut or add variety to a riff you’re writing.

If you’re stuck writing the same riffs over and over, arpeggiated chords can be the key to unlocking something fresh.

4. Tremolo Picking for Darker Styles

If you’ve listened to bands in the death metal, melodic death metal, or black metal genres, you’ve definitely heard tremolo picking. It’s one of the defining guitar techniques of darker metal styles, and it can instantly give your riffs a sinister edge.

What Is Tremolo Picking?

At its core, tremolo picking is just fast alternate picking on a single note. You’re simply picking back and forth as quickly as possible, often repeating the same note several times before moving to another.

There’s no strict rule for how many times you need to pick each note. The key is to keep the motion tight, fast, and consistent.

A Simple Tremolo Picking Riff

Here’s a riff you can try to get started:

• Begin by tremolo picking the open low E string quickly (about eight times).
• Move up the same string and tremolo pick notes on the 3rd fret, 2nd fret, and 6th fret.

Once you’ve got this down, experiment with adding more notes, form dark melodies, and see where this takes your playing.

Pro Tip: Add a Light Palm Mute

One way to keep your tremolo picking tight is to add a slight palm mute. Not a full chugging mute, but just enough to stop the notes from ringing out too much. This helps prevent muddiness, especially when playing with high gain.

You don’t have to mute, though. Sometimes letting the notes ring out adds the raw chaos, and that may be what you want for that song, or part of a song. Other times, tightening it up with palm muting sounds more aggressive. Experiment with both and see which feels best for the riff you’re creating.

Beyond One String

Once you’re comfortable, try moving your tremolo picking across strings. For example, starting on the low E, then shifting to the A string, then the D string. This adds complexity and can make your riffs sound even more intense.

Try this riff below and see how these notes form a sinister-sounding melody (then add your own flavor to it).

Why Tremolo Picking Inspires Darker Riffs

Here’s the cool part: even if you don’t usually write death metal or black metal riffs, once you start practicing tremolo picking, darker riffs tend to just happen. Something about the speed and intensity brings out that sinister character naturally.

Remember: there’s no right or wrong here. Whether you mute or not, stay on one string or move across several strings. The best riff is always the one you create. That’s how you develop your own unique style.
If you’ve watched my YouTube videos or you’re in my guitar academy, you know I’m big on this; you being you!

5. Galloping and Next-Level Galloping for Killer Metal Riffs

Galloping is one of my personal favorite metal guitar techniques. It’s fun to play, it sounds powerful, and, well, it’s just cool.

At its core, galloping is just alternate picking with a specific rhythmic pattern. Think of it as a quick three-note sequence:

• Downstroke
• Upstroke
• Downstroke

…followed by a slight pause before repeating or moving to the next note.

The best way to describe it (if you’ve never heard it on guitar) is to imagine the sound of horses galloping: one-two-three, pause … one-two-three, pause. Or, as I like to say: It’s like demon bulls coming after you.

Getting Started with Galloping

A great way to practice this is on the open low E string with palm muting:

• Play: down → up → down → pause.
• Repeat: one-two-three, pause … one-two-three, pause.

Once you get that down, try these variations:

1. Gallop with Pre-Notes: Add two palm-muted downstrokes before the gallop. (Down, down, then down, up, down, pause).
2. Gallop with Post-Notes: Add two palm-muted downstrokes after the gallop. (Down, up, down, pause, then down, down).

These simple variations will prepare you for more advanced galloping.

Next-Level Galloping: Changing Notes Mid-Gallop

Here’s where things get really interesting. Instead of keeping all three strokes on the same fret, you change the note in the middle of the gallop.

Example:

• Start on the 6th fret of the low E string.
• Play: downstroke (6th fret), upstroke (6th fret).
• Then switch the final downstroke to the 5th fret.

So your gallop becomes 6–6–5 instead of staying on one note.

This creates an insanely fast, sounding riff. It’s only a split-second, but it makes your riff come alive.

Putting It Into a Riff

Here’s a riff idea you can practice:

• Gallop: 6–6–5 (pinky on 6th fret, ring finger on 5th).
• Then: 3rd fret → 5th fret → 3rd fret → open E → 2nd fret → 3rd fret → finish with an E power chord.

This way, you’re not just practicing galloping in isolation. You’re applying it in the context of a real riff, which is how you’ll actually use it when writing songs.

Why Galloping Works

Galloping has been used across many metal subgenres (especially thrash metal), and for good reason. It creates momentum, power, and aggression that keep a riff driving forward with power.

And once you start experimenting with next-level galloping, where you change notes mid-pattern, your riffs will sound more advanced and captivating.

Don’t just practice galloping as an exercise. Start using it in riffs you write. That’s where this technique really shines.

Putting It All Together

These five metal guitar techniques can definitely take your rhythm playing to the next level. But more important than simply playing faster riffs or mastering new skills is this: developing your own style.

Sometimes that style may mean aggressive thrash riffs with insane downstrokes or next-level galloping. Other times it might mean slowing things down into a heavy, doom-like chug. It doesn’t matter what direction you go. What matters is that it’s true to you.

At the end of the day, your riffs should reflect the feelings and emotions inside you. That’s what makes your playing authentic.

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: the most important thing you can do is create your own style of guitar playing. Not someone else’s style. Not someone else’s sound.

That said, techniques like the ones we covered in this post (and in the video above) are powerful tools to have in your back pocket. They give you more creative options and prevent you from being limited in what you can write and play.

So use these techniques, experiment with them, and let them fuel your creativity. Most of all, let them inspire you to keep writing riffs that are yours.

Keep it Metal,

Jason

If you’re ready to take these techniques further, grab my FREE Metal Riffs & Licks guide. It’s packed with riffs, tabs, and videos to help you keep leveling up.
Get Metal Riffs and Licks FREE

And if you already have the guide and want to go deeper, check out the Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy, where I’ve got full courses and monthly lessons waiting for you to help you continue progressing and developing your own style.
Learn more about the Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy

The post 5 Metal Guitar Techniques to Take Your Riffs to the Next Level appeared first on Jason Stallworth.

That said, this post is your quick-start guide to learning how to read guitar tabs – specifically for playing metal riffs. Once you understand these basics, you’ll be able to read and play almost any metal guitar rhythm or riff you come across.

Prefer to learn by watching? Here’s the full lesson in video form

Want riffs with tabs and backing tracks? Grab my free Metal Riffs & Licks guide.

What Are Guitar Tabs?

Tabs (short for tablature) are a simple way of writing music for guitar without needing to read traditional music notation. And it’s a much faster way to show exactly what’s being played on guitar.

Here are the basics of reading guitar tabs:

• The six lines represent the six strings on your guitar
• The numbers tell you what frets to play

So, instead of this (traditional music notation):

You get this (guitar tabs):

The Basics of Reading Metal Guitar Tabs

Now, let’s dive deeper into the basics and how that translates tabs to what to play on guitar. After that, we’ll expand and apply them to some actual metal riffs.

Six Lines of Tabs = Six Strings on Guitar

As you can see below, each line represents a string. And the easiest way to remember where to start is that the lowest line represents the lowest string, your low E string. From there, you just go up through the rest of the strings from the low E, A, D, G, B, and the high E.

Here’s what that looks like on your guitar. Simple. Easy.

What the Numbers Mean

The numbers you see on those lines represent frets that you will play. In the example below, there is a ‘2’ and ‘3’ on the lowest line, followed by a ‘2’ on the line above, then you go in reverse with the ‘3’ and ‘2’ played on the first line again.

On guitar, you’ll play:

• Frets 2 then 3 on the Low E string
• 2nd fret on the A string
• Frets 3 then 2 on the low E string

Let’s go over another riff example, but this time, we won’t start on the low E string. Here are the tabs for the next riff:

On guitar, you’ll play:

• Frets 5, 4, and 2 on the D string
• Frets 3 and 2 on the A string

Open Strings (The “0”)

Oftentimes, especially with metal tabs, you’ll come across a ‘0,’ which means you’ll play that string open. Let’s go back to the first riff above and add a ‘0.’

What you’ve seen so far is the beginning of playing single-note metal riffs. Now you’re starting to see how this works and how easy it is to read guitar tabs.

Numbers Stacked Vertically (Power Chords in Tabs)

Another thing you’ll see a lot in metal guitar tabs is two numbers stacked on top of one another. When the numbers are stacked vertically, it means you play them together. This is how power chords (the backbone of metal) are written.

Here’s an example of a power chord progression:

This progression of power chords is: E, F, G, B, B flat.

Below is a visual reference of a G power chord (E string = 3rd fret with A string = 5th fret):

Common Metal Guitar Tab Symbols

Now that you know the basics for reading tabs, there are a few symbols you’ll likely come across for metal guitar rhythms and riffs. In this section, I’ll cover:

• Palm muting
• Hammer Ons and Pull Offs
• Slides

Palm Muting (PM)

In some tabs, you may see ‘PM’ written above a riff. This will usually be on the very top of the tabs, above the first line, and will pertain to the numbers (notes) under the ‘PM.’

That means palm mute the notes for that classic metal chugging sound. In the example below, you’ll palm mute that open E string.

In cases like this, where you’re palm muting the same note consecutively, you may see ‘PM’ followed by dashes, as seen above.

Hammer-Ons and Pull-Offs

Curved lines connecting notes mean hammer-ons or pull-offs. An ‘h’ or ‘p’ may also appear above the notes. Here’s a riff example with a hammer-on/pull-off on the A string at the end.

You can see the curved line starts on the 7th fret of the A string. That note is picked. The 8th fret is for the hammer-on, followed by pulling off of that fret, which will make the original note (7th fret) resonate.

You can also see the ‘h’ and ‘p’ at the top, where the hammer-on and pull-off are applied. This is also known as legato picking. Playing notes without picking those notes.

Slides

A straight diagonal line means sliding from one fret to another. This is also a technique you’ll hear often in metal riffs and see in tablature.

This riff below has you sliding from the 7th to the 10th fret on the A string. So, you’ll pick that note on the 7th fret and slide your finger to the 10th.

This is a cool technique to use when you want to add something different to your riff – it can really make the riff come alive. And know you’ll know what to do when you see this symbol in the tabs.

More Symbols for Techniques and Timing

There are many more symbols for techniques like string bending and vibrato (mainly seen in tabs for guitar solos), legato, harmonics, and several others for guitar. Not all tabs will have these additional symbols, but some may.

There is also the timing of notes like whole, half, quarter, 8th, 16th notes, and so forth. I’ll dive deeper into this in another post and video. Right now, I encourage you to focus on using what you’ve learned here to learn your favorite riffs.

The intent of this post was to help you build your foundation in learning metal guitar tabs without overwhelming you. The idea is to get you playing some riffs, not overthinking.

Always Trust Your Ears

As I mentioned in the beginning, always trust your ears. Tabs are helpful, but they’re not always accurate. I started playing guitar in 1989, and I can’t tell you how many times the tabs in those old guitar magazines (that’s how we learned back then!) were a little off.

That’s why it’s so important to build the skill of listening and figuring riffs out on your own. In fact, I often encourage you to try doing that first – before looking at any tabs.

Yes, use tabs. But don’t let them hold you back if you don’t have them. You want to be able to listen and pick out the majority of the notes you hear.

Combine ear training with tabs, and you become an unstoppable metal guitarist (the word ‘unstoppable‘ came to me from Joe Satriani’s album ‘Unstoppable Momentum‘).

Next Steps for Metal Guitar Players

Tabs are just the beginning. Once you’re comfortable reading them, you’ll be ready to dive into full riffs, licks, and songs.

Want riffs with tabs and backing tracks? Grab my free Metal Riffs & Licks guide.
Ready to go deeper? Join the Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy for full courses, lessons, tabs, and tracks.

Keep it Metal,

Jason

The post How to Read Metal Guitar Tabs (Beginner’s Guide for Riffs, Power Chords & Palm Muting) appeared first on Jason Stallworth.

In this post, I’ll break down what makes this bundle special, why it’s perfect for rock and metal guitarists, and how it can simplify your tone setup so you can focus more on playing.

SIDE NOTE: This isn’t just another Marshall clone of a clone amp sim…this tone is pure, solid, and I did not want to put my guitar down!

What Is the Ampknob BDM Bundle?

Bogren Digital’s Ampknob series is known for its “one knob, killer tone” approach. The BDM Bundle gives you three amp sims, each modeled after legendary Marshall-style amps:

• BDM 800 – Punchy, cutting mids, perfect for that 80s sound and thrash metal.
• BDM ‘75 – Vintage and versatile with a gritty edge that can handle multiple styles from classic rock to heavy metal.
• BDM 410 JVH – Tight, aggressive, modern, and can handle death metal and more extreme sub-genres, perfectly

Each amp sim features:

• One gain knob
• Switchable pedal mode
• Killer built-in cab IR
• Ability to load your own IRs
• Minimal tweaking, maximum tone

How Does It Sound?

Before I even start talking, I wanted you to hear these amps in action.

The first 1:41 of the video is nothing but pure tone—each amp in a full mix setting, so you can hear how it actually performs in a song. No tweaking, no fluff—just plug in and play.

Start using these tones for your riff writing and recording:
https://www.jasonstallworth.com/bogren

Ampknob BDM 800

Based on the legendary JCM800

BDM 800: This one instantly gave me that classic ’80s metal vibe—think Queensrÿche, Dokken, Scorpions, and even early Metallica. It’s bright, punchy, and perfect for melodic riffs and solos.

This was the first of the three I tried, and I ended up jamming on it for quite a while before moving on. I also really dig the fact that it includes built-in delay and an extended reverb—that adds a ton of atmosphere without needing extra plugins.

Now, I don’t want to box this amp sim into just ’80s metal. I found myself dialing in darker, heavier riffs with it, and they sounded killer. You can also back the gain down or turn off the boost pedal to get lighter tones—great for those cleaner verses that explode into a full-blown chorus when you crank everything up.

Ampknob BDM ’75

Inspired by a hot-rodded ‘70s Marshall

BDM ’75: The most versatile of the bunch. Great for dialing in those gritty, vintage rock tones reminiscent of AC/DC, Kiss, and early Judas Priest. It’s got bite without being overbearing.

Even with its more classic approach, the gain still delivers a natural, sustaining tone that feels like you’re plugged into a real Marshall amp. That’s something a lot of amp sims miss—but this one nails it.

I can see myself using the BDM ’75 for rhythm tracks when I’m writing solo material or anytime I want that raw, gritty tone for classic rock or metal. The sound is pure and inspiring.

Ampknob BDM 410 JVH

Modern punch with brutal gain on tap

BDM 410 JVH: This amp sim packs the most punch. It pushed me toward heavier riffs with a death metal edge, but it’s surprisingly diverse—you can dial in everything from Joe Satriani-style leads to aggressive tones used by Slayer, Megadeth, and Children of Bodom.

While a lot of my style stems from 80s metal mixed with a heavy Satriani influence, I also play a lot of dark, melodic death metal, and sometimes obscure-sounding metal, even venturing into the black metal style. This amp nails that entire range.

What really sets the 410 JVH apart are the four modes, which act like four separate channels (just like the real JVM amp). You’ve got everything from clean and gritty to full-on metal assault. Plus, the built-in overdrive pedal gives you even more tonal flexibility.

I can honestly see myself using this one for most of my writing and playing. You’ll definitely hear it in upcoming lessons and YouTube videos.

Why It’s Perfect for Metal Guitarists:

• You’re not wasting time tweaking 10 EQ bands. Just plug in and play.
• Perfect for writing and recording. You can stay in the creative flow.
• Amazing, usable tone right out of the box.
• Clarity, versatility, and perfect for recording ideas and practicing.
• Affordable. For the price, it’s a no-brainer if you’re into amp sims.

My Favorite Amp in the Bundle:

After jamming with all three, the BDM 410 JVH is hands-down my favorite. It’s the most versatile and has the most edge—it fits perfectly in a full mix without needing a bunch of EQ tweaking. And it handles multiple subgenres across the metal spectrum with ease.

My only minor gripe? I wish it came with the same delay and extended reverb options that the BDM 800 has. That said, it does include a simple one-knob reverb that sounds great. For leads, I just pair it with the Beat Delay in PreSonus Studio One Pro (my go-to DAW), and the result is killer.

Try It for Yourself:

Get the BDM Bundle from Bogren Digital (Affiliate Link):
https://www.jasonstallworth.com/bogren

Final Thoughts:

Whether you’re a riff writer, solo artist, or bedroom metal shredder, the Bogren Digital Ampknob BDM Bundle delivers big tone with zero fuss. And if you’re tired of chasing tone, this could be the amp sim bundle that gets you back to actually playing.

It’s time to get focused, inspired, and productive. Because the more you play, the better you get—and this is one tool that’ll actually help you do that.

***If you’re new to the world of virtual amps and recording software, check out my complete guide on how to use and install plugins.

The post Bogren Digital Ampknob BDM – Killer Tones for Rock and Metal Guitar appeared first on Jason Stallworth.