Help On Downpicking!

I'm preparing for a talent show coming up, and I'm planning on playing "Master of Puppets" by Metallica. I've been practicing the hell out of this song for months, but I can't seem to get the down picking right, cause at the end of the song it seems I'm just worn out and my timing gets sloppy.

Does anyone got some drills for right-hand endurance I can use to get this thing nailed? :confused:

I'm no expert in muscle training but stamina to my knowledge can only be gained from working out.

So ... I would suggest that you come up with a simple rhythm section with powerchords maybe use the verse section of master. Then you get a metronome and play it over and over again. Do something like 8 repetitions at a certain speed (not your max speed) then turn up the speed a little, do another 8, then faster, then faster, then faster, until you start loosing your timing. Once you've hit that speed take it down again the same way to you first speed. Then go back again.

It's a principle used in many sports to gain stamina, you'll have better results making some type of uphill/downhill drill then constant tempo.

If you can, try to work on making your top speed higher than the tempo of the song. That way, when you start being comfortable at higher speed, it's going to be easier to play it at normal speed and hopefully will help you with your muscle fatigue.

Naturally you wanna sound good and accurate at that top speed ;) so take it slow.

Learn the intro and verse to Slayer's Angel of Death, and the intro/verse to Lamb of God's Ruin. Those are great songs (along with Master of Puppets) to build endurance as well as fast palm mutting. You just gotta practice every day, taking a day off from playing here and there, you'll get it up there.

Originally Posted by: BenoitIf you can, try to work on making your top speed higher than the tempo of the song...

That's how I used to work it... It's good psychologically as well - knowing that you're not even close to the limit.

I NEVER play live right on the edge - I may only back off a couple of % but that little bit makes a huge difference for me in terms of confidence, and knowing you've always got something in reserve if you need it...

Originally Posted by: ravenx495Does anyone got some drills for right-hand endurance I can use to get this thing nailed? :confused:

I know a routine that can build right hand endurance....but I don't think its appropriate to talk about on the forum :D

Originally Posted by: hunter1801I know a routine that can build right hand endurance....but I don't think its appropriate to talk about on the forum :D

yeah...hilarious... :mad:
You practice these often?

Hi ravenx495,

I know that James play it all with down-picking, but maybe can you try it with alternate-picking ? I'm an alternate picker and I can play Master very well and very relaxe this way, but don't ask me to play it with down-picking ! I will have to much tensions in my arm and I will not be in time after few bars.

I hope that it's help.

Originally Posted by: ravenx495I'm preparing for a talent show coming up, and I'm planning on playing "Master of Puppets" by Metallica. I've been practicing the hell out of this song for months, but I can't seem to get the down picking right, cause at the end of the song it seems I'm just worn out and my timing gets sloppy.
Does anyone got some drills for right-hand endurance I can use to get this thing nailed? :confused:

Hey Bro, Here's a couple of suggestions you can explore with and see if it helps. I believe that I read from one of your other posts in regard to holding a pick, that you mentioned tucking the extra fingers in the palm of your pick hand so they wouldn't be flipping all around. I gave it a try to get the feel and found it difficult for me to maintain control, especially with palm muting. It also brought on fatigue quickly and I too was worn out.
Maybe you could try completely relaxing your pick hand, then anchor (or rest)the extra fingers on the guitar body just below the high e string. This technique could bring endurance to the pick hand because you can lean on those extra fingers for support and relieve some of the fatigue.
I pretty much use this technique exclusively to gauge the different pressures applied for palm muting variances and sometimes even use those extra fingers to deaden the unplayed strings, especially at high volumn.
Good luck at the talent show.

Originally Posted by: ravenx495I'm preparing for a talent show coming up, and I'm planning on playing "Master of Puppets" by Metallica. I've been practicing the hell out of this song for months, but I can't seem to get the down picking right, cause at the end of the song it seems I'm just worn out and my timing gets sloppy.
Does anyone got some drills for right-hand endurance I can use to get this thing nailed? :confused:

Hey Bro, Here's a couple of suggestions you can explore with and see if it helps. I believe that I read from one of your other posts in regard to holding a pick, that you mentioned tucking the extra fingers in the palm of your pick hand so they wouldn't be flipping all around. I gave it a try to get the feel and found it difficult for me to maintain control, especially with palm muting. It also brought on fatigue quickly and I too was worn out.
Maybe you could try completely relaxing your pick hand, then anchor (or rest)the extra fingers on the guitar body just below the high e string. This technique could bring endurance to the pick hand because you can lean on those extra fingers for support and relieve some of the fatigue.
I pretty much use this technique exclusively to gauge the different pressures applied for palm muting variances and sometimes even use those extra fingers to deaden the sound of unplayed strings, especially at high volume.
Good luck at the talent show.

Alternate pick throughout - much easier and you can play it three times faster if you want;-) You only hear the difference of downstroke picking with a compressor before the premap in a studio... not to mention an insane ammount of multi-tracking - it's all lost when playing live. Alternate pick!

Okay, I practiced up and I got it down, but I alternate picked it anyway. So yesterday was the tryouts and I played Round Midnight...a jazz piece. And I just got home from the show, and I played master, of course, and when I walked offstage, the judges just stared at me in disbelief.

I was disqualified, but I sure as hell won over the crowd! :D

You had a full band right, not just yourself? At my old HS, it obviously came down to a senior who played Eruption and another song (forget what) and some step team crap. The step team won, I was shocked but not suprised since it was put on by the Black Cultural League and the step team was all black kids (not to be racist or anything.)

well, the thing is, I couldn't get my own band to play, cause we don't all go to the same school, so I had a bass, drums, and rythym guitar player who didn't come in till I played the solo. I didn't know the people, so I was considered a solo artist during that performance.

Those guys were there for people who were up onstage by themselves, y'know?

Oh, gotcha. That sucks though, some people just aren't reliable. How were you disqualified, you have the amp up to 10 facing the judges? :D I aint gonna lie, if they were looking at me like I was crazy, I'd kick the amp to face them and do a whammy squeal. :cool:

actually, that's sort of what I did at the end, and I gave em an evil look! :D
OH, it was hilarious. Everybody was like screaming, even though like one fifth of them actually knew what I was playing. At the end I turned up the amp and squeled on the whammy, creating this mass array of feedback, and everybody was screaming, it was so funny to see the look on the judges faces. They kinda looked like this: :mad: They expected Round Midnight, and I gave 'em hell.

Hahaha, yea man, thats how you get s*** done. I love the fact the the crowd went nuts but the judges still brushed you off, I think I'd rather have that than win the contest.

Originally Posted by: elklanderccHahaha, yea man, thats how you get s*** done. I love the fact the the crowd went nuts but the judges still brushed you off, I think I'd rather have that than win the contest.

Hell yes...

Hi,
I know I am late posting but I just joined and your question just stood out at me. You might try changing your string gauge. If you play 9's try switching to 10's or even 11's. Your fingers will be sore for a few days but you get used to it. Also, try a really thick guitar pick; like the thicker dunlop purples or the Yngvie whites (like 1.5 mm?) It really does work because you don't have to try so hard with your pick hand it will naturally relax and ...Boom, your nailing Exodus's Fabulous Disaster and any/all Meallica using all down strokes the way the song was intended to be played (sorry dude who posted earlier, alt. picking DOES make the song sound different if it's not picked properly ;-(. Give it a try and you may never go back.


PIN :D

Originally Posted by: pinfinityHi,
I know I am late posting but I just joined and your question just stood out at me. You might try changing your string gauge. If you play 9's try switching to 10's or even 11's. Your fingers will be sore for a few days but you get used to it. Also, try a really thick guitar pick; like the thicker dunlop purples or the Yngvie whites (like 1.5 mm?) It really does work because you don't have to try so hard with your pick hand it will naturally relax and ...Boom, your nailing Exodus's Fabulous Disaster and any/all Meallica using all down strokes the way the song was intended to be played (sorry dude who posted earlier, alt. picking DOES make the song sound different if it's not picked properly ;-(. Give it a try and you may never go back.

Here's the deal: I have a Jackson Dinky with a floyd rose, so forget going up a gauge with that. It's set up for 9s. Then, I have a strat with 54 11s beefy strings on it and I can bend those like hell. I use the small dunlop purples as well. Maybe this kinda thing just comes with practice...