The 7-Day Metal Guitar Reset – How to Get Back on Track Playing with Passion
You already know you’ve got to put the time in to get better on guitar.
But saying things like, “Well, just practice more,” – that doesn’t always work, does it?
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.
🔥 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:
1️⃣ 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.
2️⃣ 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:
1️⃣ Day 1: Reignite the Fire – reconnect with what made you fall in love with metal.
2️⃣ Day 2: Build on Your Strengths – reinforce what comes naturally.
3️⃣ Day 3: Focus on One Weak Technique – turn your weak spot into a strength.
4️⃣ Day 4: Play in Context – jam with a backing track to test your timing and groove.
5️⃣ Day 5: Make the Riff Your Own – play with bass and drums only and let your creativity flow.
6️⃣ Day 6: Record Yourself and Reflect – become aware of your strengths and growth areas.
7️⃣ 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.
🎸 Keep practicing, keep growing, and most of all,
Keep it Metal,
Jason 🤘
