# Gallop Picking



## Jackson_Shredder (Apr 20, 2013)

Hey guy's I have a question about Gallop picking. I am learning to gallop pick after 5 years of playing. I'm a intermediate player but have never been able to successfully gallop. I'm confused on which pattern you should use.

I've heard that you should use DDU DDU DDU
Some Say DUD DUD DUD

And others DUD UDU DUD UDU


I have heard that DDU is the correct way but I'm interested to hear how you guy's do it. It sounds good to me no matter what pattern you use.

Thanks in advance.


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## fantom (Apr 20, 2013)

Do whatever you can play comfortably and keep in time with consistent attack...

DUD DUD DUD DUD
IMO, this is the easiest way to do it. Consistent attack. Downstroke on all the beats so easier to keep timing.

DUD UDU DUD UDU
I can see this from an "efficiency" view. But it involves psuedo economy picking and will be harder to keep tight and consistent. But it isn't a bad approach.

DDU DDU DDU is just WTF?! Who the hell suggested this? I would kick someone out of a band for this. I can understand D DUD DUD DUD DU (In other words, this is just the first one with different "rest" spacing). But if it is actually DDU-DDU-DDU-, seriously wtf!?


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## yingmin (Apr 20, 2013)

I would discourage DUD UDU just because it requires you to pause, which disrupts the natural flow of playing. It'll be easier to maintain a DUD DUD pattern.


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## Max Dread (Apr 20, 2013)

fantom said:


> I can understand D DUD DUD DUD DU (In other words, this is just the first one with different "rest" spacing).



When I read the first post I took the DDU DDU DDU method to be what you have written above, just grammatically incorrect - so to speak. Will be good if the OP can clarify. 

I agree that D DUD DUD DUD or just DUD DUD DUD is best. at the end of the day, with gallops you are missing a note after every three, and it is that missed note which gives you the time to get the pick back in pace for the next down stroke.


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## Handbanana (Apr 20, 2013)

DUD for sure. It's just one of those things you need to keep playing over and over again to get proficient at. Turn it into a warm-up and you'll see results.


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## noUser01 (Apr 20, 2013)

Always DUD DUD DUD. Anything else just seems completely uneconomical.


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## Jackson_Shredder (Apr 20, 2013)

fantom said:


> Do whatever you can play comfortably and keep in time with consistent attack...
> 
> DUD DUD DUD DUD
> IMO, this is the easiest way to do it. Consistent attack. Downstroke on all the beats so easier to keep timing.
> ...



I agree Fantom. I was able to do it pretty good doing DUD DUD DUD. I'm glad All you guy's commented on it. It felt weird as hell to me doing the DDU DDU DDU. I will take the DUD DUD approach. I appreciate all you guy's answers. I'll get practicing this every day.


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## Jackson_Shredder (Apr 20, 2013)

Max Dread said:


> When I read the first post I took the DDU DDU DDU method to be what you have written above, just grammatically incorrect - so to speak. Will be good if the OP can clarify.
> 
> I agree that D DUD DUD DUD or just DUD DUD DUD is best. at the end of the day, with gallops you are missing a note after every three, and it is that missed note which gives you the time to get the pick back in pace for the next down stroke.



Yeah Max he said that if I did it that way I would always land on a UP and be ready for the next lick. DUD DUD is what I'm going to do after you guys opinions. Thanks..


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## redstone (Apr 20, 2013)

Jackson_Shredder said:


> DDU DDU DDU





fantom said:


> DUD UDU DUD UDU





Handbanana said:


> DUD for sure.









Sorry


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## Ginsu (Apr 21, 2013)

I actually always found DUD UDU DUD UDU to be far more comfortable. Sometimes I even start it on an upstroke.


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## noUser01 (Apr 22, 2013)

Ginsu said:


> I actually always found DUD UDU DUD UDU to be far more comfortable. Sometimes I even start it on an upstroke.



Well you're special. 

Just kidding... whatever is more comfortable is what's important. Though I will say that for metal, downstrokes generally sound more aggressive and heavier (probably because we use downstrokes way more than upstrokes no matter what type of player you are) so DUD DUD DUD would probably deliver a heavier sound. But it would depend on the person to see if it actually made an audible difference, and by how much.


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## Solodini (Apr 22, 2013)

I've always found DDU DDU to be better, as there's the pause betweed the two Ds (D-DU D-DU), which allows for the upward movement for the next downstroke, so it maintains consistent motion and each beat is then picked the same.


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## meambobbo (Apr 22, 2013)

Solodini said:


> I've always found DDU DDU to be better, as there's the pause betweed the two Ds (D-DU D-DU), which allows for the upward movement for the next downstroke, so it maintains consistent motion and each beat is then picked the same.


 
I think he was saying D D U (rest) D D U (rest). 1 uh and (uh) 2 uh and (uh). In this case, D D U is not economical or consistent motion. It will hinder speed. But depending on the riff you may want the different tonalities of the down and ups to fall as such. It would be unusual, however.


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## yingmin (Apr 22, 2013)

Solodini said:


> I've always found DDU DDU to be better, as there's the pause betweed the two Ds (D-DU D-DU), which allows for the upward movement for the next downstroke, so it maintains consistent motion and each beat is then picked the same.



What you're describing is DUD DUD.


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## noUser01 (Apr 22, 2013)

Solodini said:


> I've always found DDU DDU to be better, as there's the pause betweed the two Ds (D-DU D-DU), which allows for the upward movement for the next downstroke, so it maintains consistent motion and each beat is then picked the same.



I think you're describing something else. We're talking:

DUD DUD DUD DUD

You seem to be describing:

D DUD D DUD D DUD D DUD

Which is a different kind of galloping. Correct me if I'm wrong.


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## Solodini (Apr 22, 2013)

The rhythm I'm describing is 1 2& 3 4&.


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## Handbanana (Apr 22, 2013)

Solodini is on drugs.


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## JLP2005 (Apr 22, 2013)

Handbanana said:


> Solodini is on drugs.



Some of us haven't gotten over Saturday.

Edit: and probably never will.


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## yingmin (Apr 22, 2013)

Here's the thing: if you're doing a consistent three-note gallop, there is really only ONE way to do it, and that is D-U-D. What I refer to as a Slayer-style gallop (1e& 2e& 3e& 4e&) and Maiden-style gallop (1 &a2 &a3 &a4 &a) are EXACTLY THE SAME PICKING MOTION. The only difference is what part of the beat you start on. I think that's what was tripping Solodini up.

The other possibility is what I call the NoFX gallop: 1e a2e a3e a4e a. This would be picked DU UDU UDU etc. However, that's rarely played at the same speeds as the two gallop styles described above.

Edit: let me soften the first sentence in this post somewhat. It is possible to play either Maiden or Slayer style gallops DUD UDU, but I would strongly recommend against it.


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## groverj3 (Apr 22, 2013)

DUDUDUDUDUDUDUDUDUDUDUDFHYUSDFJKHDSJFJKDU8DUDUDUDUDUDFHDSJKHFJKDSUDDUDUDUD45657425465DDUDUDUDDDDUD

Do it like that 

I know... that was douchey...


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## Jackson_Shredder (Apr 22, 2013)

yingmin said:


> What you're describing is DUD DUD.



Yeah I think so cause on my DUD I do an extra D just the first time I start ut like: D DUD DUD DUD. So confusing, I find I'm making better progress with DUD.


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## MassNecrophagia (Apr 22, 2013)

I've had more success with UDU UDU UDU UDU for some reason


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## Hollowway (Apr 22, 2013)

Actually, it's NOT just a matter of what feels comfortable. You need to be on the correct notes. If the pattern is a repeated eighth note followed by two sixteenths then down down up is the pattern. If you play down up down then you're starting the next "down beat" with an upstroke. While there nothing inherently wrong with that, it is very unorthodox. It would be like playing Metallica with all up strokes. 

On the other hand, if the pattern is two 16ths followed by an eighth, then down up down is the pattern. This isn't really considered galloping, per se, because there isn't anything leading to the next beat. 

What I'm saying is the down beats should get a down stroke. In other words, galloping, when written in 16ths, is "1 and a 2 and a" ... Etc. Not, "1 e and 2 e and"


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## Solodini (Apr 23, 2013)

yingmin said:


> Here's the thing: if you're doing a consistent three-note gallop, there is really only ONE way to do it, and that is D-U-D. What I refer to as a Slayer-style gallop (1e& 2e& 3e& 4e&) and Maiden-style gallop (1 &a2 &a3 &a4 &a) are EXACTLY THE SAME PICKING MOTION. The only difference is what part of the beat you start on. I think that's what was tripping Solodini up.
> 
> The other possibility is what I call the NoFX gallop: 1e a2e a3e a4e a. This would be picked DU UDU UDU etc. However, that's rarely played at the same speeds as the two gallop styles described above.
> 
> Edit: let me soften the first sentence in this post somewhat. It is possible to play either Maiden or Slayer style gallops DUD UDU, but I would strongly recommend against it.


 
Aye, the Maiden gallop is what I consider a gallop. That's what sounds the most "galloping" to my ears!



Hollowway said:


> Actually, it's NOT just a matter of what feels comfortable. You need to be on the correct notes. If the pattern is a repeated eighth note followed by two sixteenths then down down up is the pattern. If you play down up down then you're starting the next "down beat" with an upstroke. While there nothing inherently wrong with that, it is very unorthodox. It would be like playing Metallica with all up strokes.
> 
> On the other hand, if the pattern is two 16ths followed by an eighth, then down up down is the pattern. This isn't really considered galloping, per se, because there isn't anything leading to the next beat.
> 
> What I'm saying is the down beats should get a down stroke. In other words, galloping, when written in 16ths, is "1 and a 2 and a" ... Etc. Not, "1 e and 2 e and"


 
This was essentially what I was meaning.


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## hairychris (Apr 23, 2013)

I play triplets UDU.

Probably got into the habit from throwing trips/quads/quints into downpicked riffs. Unfortunately my DUD triplets are shit.

I think that I need to sort my picking out! 

EDIT: Gallop would be D.UDU.UDU.UDU.UDU.D<and ring>... etc


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## redstone (Apr 23, 2013)

To sum it up :

Write constant 16ths DUDU

DUDUDUDUDUDUDUDU

Remove the notes you don't want to hear

D_DUD_DUDUD_DUDU

And play it


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## Hollowway (Apr 23, 2013)

redstone said:


> To sum it up :
> 
> Write constant 16ths DUDU
> 
> ...



Well said! That's waaay more concise than what I said.  What I hate is when all of a sudden there's a 32nd note in there, and you're like, "WTF do I do to pick that?"


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## yingmin (Apr 23, 2013)

Hollowway said:


> What I hate is when all of a sudden there's a 32nd note in there, and you're like, "WTF do I do to pick that?"



32nd notes are half as long as 16th notes, so all you do is subdivide the beat again, replacing two 16th notes with four 32nd notes. 


```
1 e & a 2 e & a 3-e-& a 4 e & a
D U D U D U D U DUDUD U D U D U
```


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## Hollowway (Apr 23, 2013)

yingmin said:


> 32nd notes are half as long as 16th notes, so all you do is subdivide the beat again, replacing two 16th notes with four 32nd notes.
> 
> 
> ```
> ...



Yeah, I know that, but sometimes you end up with two downs together, or wind up flipping the downs and up after the additional notes. I'll post up a tab of SoP later to show you what I'm talking about.


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## yingmin (Apr 23, 2013)

Hollowway said:


> Yeah, I know that, but sometimes you end up with two downs together, or wind up flipping the downs and up after the additional notes. I'll post up a tab of SoP later to show you what I'm talking about.



If you mean a rhythm like this:

```
1 e & a 2-e & a
D U D U DUD D U
```
then the consecutive downstrokes actually are what you want, because that means you're maintaining a consistent alternating pattern.


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## Hollowway (Apr 23, 2013)

yingmin said:


> If you mean a rhythm like this:
> 
> ```
> 1 e & a 2-e & a
> ...



Exactly - which drives me nucking futs, because it breaks up the pattern, and when it's fast it can be difficult to get in there (hence the Spawn of Possession reference - that's ungodly fast).


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## stem (Apr 26, 2013)

troy stetina said:


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## Whereistheclick (Jun 30, 2013)

as long as its in time and also leave room for creativity. Subdibide one of the 16 notes with 2 32nd notes or an 8th note for a 16th note depending on the tempo and work with a metronome. i hope i explained myself correctly lol


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## Wings of Obsidian (Jul 1, 2013)

I swear to God you guys have no idea what the hell you are talking about with all these DUDs and DUs and UDs.....this conversation/thread is a DUD. 

Galloping is simple and just takes time to learn so you can build up endurance and stay on time while keeping the divisions of notes even, within where they need to fall on each beat.

Here, take a listen to a demo song I tracked awhile ago. There is a tricky gallop in the first verse section of the song. (You'll hear it.) The gallop is as follows:

Group of three -> group of two -> group of three -> group of two. (It's just something that you can practice in order to control your pick hand and picking direction.)


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## vilk (Jul 3, 2013)

My advice would be DUD UDU DUD or reverse. Simply because it's alternate picking, which should be made into habit ASAP so that you never have to think about it again. I got into the habit of DUD, but it totally screws me over when I try to do more fast and technical gallops (Veil of Maya - Resistance (which is basically the same thing as the Meshuggah - Bleed pattern)). The extra down motion uses up precious milliseconds that cannot be spared. I also got into the stupid habit of DDU DDU picking 3 string triads which also screws me constantly in Veil Of Maya songs.


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