How to Play Death Metal Guitar Riffs

Death metal guitar riffs are the lifeblood of a genre known for its aggression and speed. To craft these riffs, you need more than just fast fingers; you need precision and a knack for unleashing chaos with control. Let’s break down the techniques and nuances that make death metal riffs so powerful and how you can start creating your own.

Understanding the Core of Death Metal Riffs

Death metal riffs are characterized by their intense pace and complex structures. But what really makes a death metal riff stand out? It’s all about the combination of speed, precision, and creativity. To get started, let’s look at some of the fundamental elements that define this style:

• Speed and Precision: Fast tempos are a staple of death metal, but speed alone isn’t enough. You need to hit each note cleanly, which means developing a strong picking hand and tight finger coordination.
• Complex Rhythms: Death metal often employs complex time signatures and syncopated rhythms. This adds a layer of intricacy that makes the music both challenging and rewarding to play.
• Heavy Palm Muting: This technique adds a percussive element to your playing, giving riffs their characteristic punch and aggression.
• Alternate Picking: Essential for maintaining speed and precision, alternate picking is a core technique for any aspiring death metal guitarist.

Interestingly enough, mastering these basics is where most guitarists face their first real hurdle. The good news? With consistent practice and a few strategic tips, you’ll find yourself shredding through complex riffs in no time.

Getting Started with Alternate Picking

Alternate picking is a technique that involves using up and down strokes in a consistent, alternating pattern. This method helps maintain speed and accuracy, which is crucial for death metal guitarists dealing with fast-paced riffs. Here’s how to get started:

Step-by-Step Guide to Alternate Picking

• Start Slow: Begin with a metronome set at a comfortable pace. This might feel painfully slow, but it’s important for building muscle memory.
• Focus on Consistency: Ensure each pick stroke is even and controlled. Your goal is to make your upstrokes as strong as your downstrokes.
• Increase Speed Gradually: Once you can play cleanly at a slow pace, gradually increase the metronome speed. Don’t rush this process—speed will come naturally as your technique improves.

One tool that might help here is the custom metronome available at Riffhard. It’s designed with guitarists in mind, helping you dial in the exact tempo you need for practice.

Perfecting Palm Muting

Palm muting is what gives death metal its signature chugging sound. This technique involves lightly resting the edge of your picking hand on the strings near the bridge, which deadens the strings slightly and creates a muted, percussive sound.

Techniques for Effective Palm Muting

• Find the Sweet Spot: Experiment with different positions to find where you get the best muted sound. Too close to the neck, and you’ll lose the mute; too close to the bridge, and the mute will be too subtle.
• Combine with Alternate Picking: Try practicing palm muting while alternate picking to ensure you can maintain the technique at speed.
• Dynamic Control: Use varying degrees of pressure to create different sounds. A lighter touch might be used for more melodic lines, while a heavier hand can create a thicker, more aggressive sound.

Mastering palm muting can be tricky, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature. Plus, it opens up a whole new range of sounds to incorporate into your playing.

Exploring Complex Rhythms

Death metal often uses unusual time signatures and complex rhythmic patterns to keep things interesting. These can be challenging to play, but they add depth and character to your music.

Breaking Down Rhythms

• Understand the Basics: Before tackling complex rhythms, make sure you’re comfortable with common time signatures like 4/4, 3/4, and 6/8.
• Practice with a Metronome: This will help you internalize the rhythm and ensure you’re staying on beat.
• Use Subdivisions: Break down complex patterns into smaller, manageable parts. For example, a 7/8 time signature can be broken into smaller groups like 4 + 3.

At Riffhard, we have lessons that delve into these rhythmic complexities, taught by experts who live and breathe metal guitar.

Building Speed and Stamina

Playing at the breakneck speeds required for death metal takes both physical and mental stamina. It’s not just about how fast you can play, but how long you can maintain that speed without sacrificing accuracy.

Exercises to Boost Speed

• Chromatic Exercises: These are excellent for building finger strength and coordination. Start slowly, using all four fingers, and increase speed as you become more comfortable.
• String Skipping: This will help improve your dexterity and ensure you can tackle complex riffs that require quick string changes.
• Endurance Drills: Set a timer and play a simple riff repeatedly for a set period. This will help build the endurance needed for longer performances.

The Shredule at Riffhard includes a bi-weekly lesson plan with exercises designed to boost your speed and endurance, curated from our extensive library of lessons.

Incorporating Melodic Elements

While death metal is known for its aggression, melodic elements can add a layer of sophistication to your riffs. Think of bands like Death and At the Gates, who seamlessly blend melody with brutality.

Tips for Melodic Riff Writing

• Understand Harmonic Minor and Phrygian Scales: These scales are frequently used in death metal to create dark, haunting melodies.
• Use Harmonics: Natural and artificial harmonics can add texture and interest to your riffs.
• Experiment with Dynamics: Introduce softer passages or clean sections to contrast with the heavier parts of your song.

Incorporating melody into your riffs doesn’t have to mean sacrificing heaviness. With practice, you can find a balance that works for your style.

Tuning and Gear Considerations

Your gear and tuning can have a significant impact on your sound. Most death metal bands use lower tunings to create a heavier, more powerful sound.

Choosing the Right Tuning

• Drop Tuning: Dropping the low E string to a D (or even lower) can give your riffs a deeper, more aggressive tone.
• Standard Tuning: While less common, some bands still use standard tuning to great effect, relying on technique rather than tuning for heaviness.
• Experiment: Try out different tunings to see which best suits your style and the sound you’re aiming for.

As for gear, a good distortion pedal and a solid amp are crucial for achieving the classic death metal sound. However, don’t overlook the importance of your guitar itself—string gauge, pickup selection, and even the wood can all influence your tone.

Writing Your Own Death Metal Riffs

Once you’ve got a handle on the techniques, it’s time to start writing your own riffs. This is where creativity meets technical prowess, and the possibilities are endless.

Steps for Crafting Original Riffs

• Start with a Theme: Think about the mood or message you want to convey and let that guide your riff writing.
• Experiment with Structures: Don’t be afraid to play around with different song structures. A typical verse-chorus-verse might not work for every song.
• Collaborate: Sometimes, bouncing ideas off other musicians can lead to unexpected and exciting results.

Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to write a riff. The key is to keep experimenting and refining your technique. And if you ever feel stuck, Riffhard offers lessons from some of the best modern metal guitarists to inspire you.

Final Thoughts

Death metal guitar riffs combine speed, complexity, and creativity to create music that’s both challenging and rewarding to play. By focusing on techniques like alternate picking and palm muting, and incorporating elements like rhythm and melody, you can start crafting riffs that are uniquely yours. At Riffhard, we provide lessons from some of the best in the business to help you on your journey. Keep practicing, and you’ll see your skills grow faster than you might expect.