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No Upstrokes Allowed!

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by Kai Muehlenbruch

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    • Tags:  Heavy metal, Metallica, Upstrokes, Riff

      Kai presents his first GMC lesson -heavy metal riffing. "Play no upstrokes or you will die! ;)". This is a common technique used by most metal bands (such as Metallica etc). Hop in!

    NO UPSTROKES ALLOWED!!!
    (Aka. Dragonballs of Steelfiremagic Pt.1)

    It is my pleasure to welcome you to my first lesson for this fine website!

    Well..., let´s just get it on! It might look easier than it actually is, mates. But don´t you worry, just listen! Playing only downs, like in this Playalong here, is quite an escential thing in Rockmusic generally. So I find it important enough to start a lesson about it. Most of all, this way of playing is used, to get a certain drive into a song, but also to get that kinda "heavy feeling", almost all the big metalbands have in their songs. For example, look at what Metallica said, back in time. It was something like "Downstrokes sound much "harder" than using up&downs...". So, I´m not saying that´s no good at all, to use up&down, but its the way I recorded this track ;) And therefore this Lesson is basicly about practicing accuracy in your "metal-type" downstroke-playing.

    If you have not played downstrokes on a 172BPM track before, please remember to keep the right hand relaxed, and don´t start on the original tempo at once!!! I can´t remember how many times I tell my students to practise slow and precisely, instead of trying it like 4 times faster than me!!! If you want to do fast metalsongs, this lesson might help to prepare, or help in general, for its "ONLY" at 172 BPM in the originaltempo ;) Besides playing at that speed, the dampening could become harder sometimes. Try using your right hand palm and your left hand, in combination for this.

    Speaking of Fast playing in general:
    - DON`T ACT LIKE YOUR IN A HASTE! Just keep cool, especially while playing fast ;)
    - DON´T LAUGH NOW, BUT : Breathe also slowly in and out this also will help! for it helped me a lot!

    Some Tipps:

    1. There are 2 Playalongs at 172 BPM (original tempo). One with guitars I played, one without any guitars for you to jam with.

    2. I made little bits out of this Song, also shown in the tabs, so it´s easier to chew, perhaps.

    -Verse Part 1
    -Verse Part 2
    -Bridge Part 1
    -Bridge Part 2
    -Chorus
    -Harmony A
    -Harmony B
    -Outro

    3. When you practise with the Playalongs, try using the voice of "Rythm B Track" found in the Tabs, the Bass guitar is also playing the the 1st voice like the "Rythm A Track", this will give you the little harmonies right before entering the chorus.

    This sounds like more work, than it actually is...
    I wish you all the best, and have fun with this one!

    Thanks for your attention,
    Kai Mühlenbruch
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