Alternate picking for metal
Alternate picking is strict down-up-down-up. For metal, the version that works is a small, mostly wrist-driven stroke that stays close to the strings and doesn't fall apart when you change strings. Build it slowly against a metronome until your 16ths are even. Don't try to add speed by tensing your forearm.
What it is (and what it isn't)
Every note gets the opposite pick direction from the one before it. In 16th-note metal riffs that usually means downstrokes on the beat and upstrokes on the off-beats, if you start with a down. The rule is the alternation, not which direction you start with.
It's not the only valid approach. Economy picking and sweeps are useful for certain arpeggios, and tremolo picking uses a smaller, faster motion. But if you can't alternate cleanly, those other techniques cover up the gap instead of filling it.
The mechanics
Grip: firm enough that the pick doesn't spin in your fingers, loose enough that your thumb joint isn't white. A slight downward pick slant helps the edge glance off the string instead of ploughing through it.
Motion: mostly from the wrist, or a wrist-and-forearm blend, but never pumping from the shoulder. The pick should travel only a few millimeters past the string before coming back. If it's travelling an inch, you're wasting time on every single note.
Anchoring: resting a finger on the body or floating the hand are both fine. What matters is stability that doesn't choke the high strings.
String crossing: where it usually falls apart
Most players can pick fast on one string and then fall apart in a real riff. The problem is the string change. Inside picking (the pick moves between the two strings) and outside picking (the pick has to go around the outside of both strings) feel very different, and outside changes are usually where time leaks. Practice two-string pairs (6–5, 5–4, 4–3 and so on) at a tempo where both notes are the same length and volume. The full drill is in the outside string-crossing drill.
The practice ladder
- Single string, 8th notes, even volume, 60–80 BPM.
- Single string, 16th notes, still even. If the upstrokes vanish, drop the tempo.
- Two neighboring strings, four notes on each, then two notes on each.
- One note per string across three strings. This is the real test.
- Accent beats 1 and 3 without changing the size of your stroke.
- Only now raise the tempo, 4–8 BPM at a time, after two or three clean passes.
Use the 1-bar metronome routine to decide when to speed up.
Practical advice
Record 20 seconds of yourself. Listen for ghost upstrokes and rushed string changes. Then practice those 20 seconds, not the whole song. Once single-note evenness is there, add palm muting. Muting a sloppy stroke just gives you a tight-sounding mess.
Common mistakes
- Speeding up while the notes are still uneven.
- Using a huge, angry stroke because it's metal.
- Ignoring outside string changes.
- Clenching your shoulder for "power".
Common questions
What is alternate picking?
Alternate picking means every note gets the opposite pick direction from the one before it: down, up, down, up. In metal it's the main engine for 16th-note riffs and fast single-note lines.
Why are my upstrokes quieter than my downstrokes?
Usually the pick is angled so it catches the string on the way down and skims it on the way up, or your stroke is too big and the upstroke is rushed. Slow down, shorten the stroke, and record yourself until both directions sound the same.
Alternate or economy picking?
Alternate by default for riffs and scales. Economy or sweep when the line moves across strings in one direction. More in alternate vs economy picking.