# Megadeth - Holy Wars.... Does anyone pick the main riff like this?



## Max Dread (Aug 29, 2012)

Hi all

First up, by main riff I mean the riff that comes in straight after the intro (when all the instruments kick in). 

I've been playing this song for many years and have always played it the same until recently, when I've been experimenting with different picking patterns. I found that I sometimes snag on the 8th palm muted E (after the 10 - 7 fret on A). 

So, old (and I'm guessing usual) way to play it would be:

[DS = Downstroke, US = Upstroke]

5 - 7 = DS - HO

0 - 0 - 0 = DS - US - DS

10 - 7 = DS - HO

0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 = DS - US - DS - US - DS - US - DS - US

5 - 7 = DS - HO

0 - 0 - 0 = DS - US - DS

5 - 7 = DS - HO

0 - 0 - 0 - 0 = DS - US - DS - US CHORD CHORD

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The new way I've been thinking about is like this. To help make my crappy notation a little easier on the eye, I'll highlight the changes:

5 - 7 = DS - HO

0 - 0 - 0 = DS - US - DS

10 - 7 = DS - HO

0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 = *US - DS - US - DS - US - DS - US - DS*
*[Still alternate but starting with an upstroke]*

5 - 7 = *US* - HO

0 - 0 - 0 = DS - US - DS

5 - 7 = *US* - HO

0 - 0 - 0 - 0 = DS - US - DS - US CHORD CHORD

______________________________________________________________

The jury's out on which I prefer.... I'm just curious to know if anyone out there plays it like the second/new way, and what people think of that picking pattern?

Cheers

Max


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## Metalrulz (Aug 30, 2012)

I find that although the upstrokes make transitioning back to the E string a little easier, Its a bit awkward to do the upstroke since you have to cross over the A string then pick it. Almost like you're picking the string twice. Do whatever you feel comfortable with though!


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## potatohead (Aug 30, 2012)

When it comes to up or down-picking I'm of the "who cares" theory. If you're playing it well and it sounds good, who cares. If you watch Dave live that guy is all over the map with his strokes. He does so many upstrokes when I would never even consider it that way, and vice versa, it's just preference. Dave up-strums chords all the time and I friggin hate doing that unless I have to. In Symphony for example, he goes down-up-down on the main riff. I go down-down-down. Then in the pre-chorus he downpicks it all while I upstroke the palm muted E's... Sounds fine.


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## StevenC (Sep 5, 2012)

I've been playing it all along with up strokes on every phrase except for the first hammer on, which I play as a down stroke. And then I play the chords as down-up.

As has been said, Dave plays a lot of upstrokes and I never got the impression that he was giving any thought to his picking direction, so I think it's best to mess around with the picking to see what's comfortable to play.


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