# Consistently galloping while palm muting



## JazzandMetal (Apr 30, 2012)

I can consistently down pick, up pick, or alternate pick the low E and A strings at a fairly fast tempo with no problems. However, when I start to gallop, it takes me a while to get the hang of it. If I work my speed up with a metronome I can get just as fast as single picking, but it takes a few minutes. I guess I should just keep practicing? It just seems awkward and wrong to get on the guitar and just gallop chug-diddity-chug-diddity-chug etc.


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## Overtone (Apr 30, 2012)

How are you picking the gallops? When I do it it is down-rest-down-up-down-rest-down-up-down-rest etc. so I am basically skipping one up stroke. If I tried to play down-rest-up-down-up-rest-down-up-down-rest etc. (always up then down) that would just mess me up! As long as I play with gallops fairly often then speed isn't a big problem. I'm assuming you're talking maiden gallops here? Which are actually more like chug-dity-chug-dity-chug-dity than chug-diddity-chug-diddity-chug, which is one letter away from being Quagmire chugs


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## Aerospace274 (Apr 30, 2012)

Well, you basically have it. I can play "Bleed" by Meshuggah start to finish, all entirely (D-U-D-U, ect) alternate picked. It's just an awkward motion sometimes. It takes time to get down but the more you do it the easier it becomes. Do you usually alternate pick? I strictly alternate pick except of course for sweeping. Try learning some fun songs you like that do it with some velocity. "Raining Blood" has a nice gallop section, as does "Drifter" by In Flames. Just gotta practice practice practice. Maybe write your own riffs or songs to exercise it? Sometimes I write songs with the sole purpose of getting better at a specific technique!


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## ittoa666 (Apr 30, 2012)

It's not exactly gallops, but the verse section in Disposable Heroes by Metallica will strengthen the same way as normal gallops will. It took me a while to get it.


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## Pezshreds (May 1, 2012)

when I learnt to gallop it was for battery by metallica and I literally spent two straight days of doing it slow then building speed from there. Unfortunately there's no easy way other than to keep practicing. I practiced it a lot and now I'm quite efficient speed and clean wise galloping at high speeds ^_^ best of luck


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## JazzandMetal (May 1, 2012)

Thanks everybody. It is definitely a chug-dity-chug. Just gotta keep on. Maybe I will learn that Metallica song.


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## FarBeyondMetal (May 3, 2012)

Just practice old school Metallica, as others have already mentioned...did wonders for my right hand


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## troyguitar (May 4, 2012)

If you want to gallop, you clearly need to learn Iron Maiden songs.


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## highlordmugfug (May 4, 2012)

Learn any/all songs from Ashes of the Wake by Lamb of God. That album is filled to the brim with gallops.


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## JazzandMetal (May 4, 2012)

troyguitar said:


> If you want to gallop, you clearly need to learn Iron Maiden songs.



I am learning Run to the Hills. That has the A power chord gallops. I can actually do that at tempo when I warm up a little. Just doing the Estring is harder than that for me. But I will keep practicing and learning some fast songs.


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## VBCheeseGrater (May 4, 2012)

I was going to mention Battery and Disp heroes, great songs for learning to gallop.


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## JazzandMetal (May 4, 2012)

Well, I played some more today, and it is much easier to gallop right off the bat. I played 3 min on Thursday, so I got the day off improvement effect. Run to the Hills, no problem. 

I even did some on my acoustic, going on the first few frets of the E string. It sounded really cool. 

Finally, I started to work on a chug-diddity-chug. Challenging, but it sounds awesome.


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## Grimbold (May 7, 2012)

learning some ensiferum a la new dawn should help get your galloping up too \m/


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## JazzandMetal (May 7, 2012)

I am holding the pick with the tip closer in. It helps a lot. Making up my own songs with galloping.


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## Varcolac (May 8, 2012)

troyguitar said:


> If you want to gallop, you clearly need to learn Iron Maiden songs.



Or Manowar songs. Hell, most any power metal will do, but I wholeheartedly agree: Maiden are kings of the gallop.


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## BringerOfBlood (May 9, 2012)

I think a good way to improve galloping and stuff like that is practicing downpicking. I play everything in alternate picking, but I started playing some parts in downpicking, because of the sound.

I think from downpicking its easier to get the rhythmic variatons, for me the approach to do

o o o o o o
and then add the upstrokes for
ooo ooo ooo

is easier than the approach of
oooooooooooo
and skipping some notes for
ooo ooo ooo

Especially when you are doing the "bleed-gallop" with 
ooo o ooo o ooo o ooo o ooo o
which is also a good way to practice picking.


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## The Norsemen (May 9, 2012)

Pshh. Iron Maiden is cool and all buuuuuuuut
If you wanna gallop listen to Iced Earth.
Had a huge influence on me when I first started playing. I can gallop like a beast because I had to be able to do that.

Gallops own.


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## TheOddGoat (May 10, 2012)

Go on youtube, put about 5 hours of videos you want to watch in a playlist.

Set your metronome going.

watch the playlist and practice this:

Meshuggah: "Bleed" Guitar World Lesson - YouTube


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## signalgrey (May 10, 2012)

its all about using that metronome and slowly speeding it up until failure. Then starting at the bottom and working your way back up. Tedious but really the best way IMHO.


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## Najka (May 10, 2012)

I use my wrist a real lot when galloping, it may help to use a softer pick and keep your joints loose


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## BrianUV777BK (May 10, 2012)

Almost all of my metal rythm technique came from learning the Metallica catalog backwards and forwards. When the material was new.


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## oompa (May 11, 2012)

Najka said:


> I use my wrist a real lot when galloping, it may help to use a softer pick and keep your joints loose



This. If you want to -control- the small movements, my experience is that making sure you do it from the wrist gives you much, much better control.

I am left-handed and I struggle a lot more with my right hand (naturally  ), I spent maybe the first 10 years (I am completely self-taught) shredding from the elbow, heard various advices that it can be decent (some great guitarists do it), some said you need to do it from the wrist, some said a mix is the best so I didn't bother to experiment with it.

I had a similar experience as you back then, until I eventually spent a good while practicing wrist-movement only as long as I was on the same string (for example galloping on the E string which is what half of metal music is all about anyway  ) and I give a much more controlled effort from the wrist nowadays.

I personally advice people to mix wrist/elbow, trying to use wrist as much as possible while staying on one or maybe two strings, and elbow for skipping/sweeping at least once you go past 2 strings.

Try it out for a while. A good way to make sure you don't cheat (and use the elbow without noticing) is to anchor (lock the pinky on a knob or a pickup or something for example), many great guitarists anchor, Michael Angelo is one guy to look at, Loomis is another example and he usually does just that, anchors his pinky around the knob or next to it. Then rest your palm gently around the trem area and go nuts best you can, you might feel very restrained at first 

good luck!


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## JazzandMetal (May 12, 2012)

So much good stuff, guys! I love "Powerslave," by Iron Maiden, actually I am playing it. Iced Earth has some awesome galloping, as well as tone. 

I have been practicing with my wrist and arm. The wrist definitely requires practice to get right, but is a lot less tiring. I am getting there. 

Thanks for all the support. You guys are awesome!


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## JazzandMetal (May 25, 2012)

I am learning Battery by Metallica. Such a good song.


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