How can I get my rhythm chops better?

[MetalHeadMat]

I'm into metal and death metal, and have been playing for 5ish years. In a lot of peoples opinions, I'm a pretty damn good soloist, and honestly I'm happy with where I'm at with soloing, at least for now, but I need to heavily improve my rhythm guitar skills.

My favourite bands are Death and Morbid Angel, and I really would like to write like them, but I need to upgrade my rhythm chops. Whenever I play songs like "Down For Life" by Testament, if I alternate pick it sounds way too sloppy, and when I down stroke only, it's tiring and extremely off time.

Another Testament example is the song "Legions Of The Dead." I give up immediately because I can't do anything that their doing.

My main question: What are some ways I can improve my rhythm chops?

[Trussrod]

You can play along with songs at half speed using a program like Amazing Slow Downer. You could also use a metronome and play songs at a slower tempo. Practicing scales, arps--everything--with a metronome is the best way to develop good timing.

[Hellbat]

Just keep working own your downpicking and alternate picking. Start out at a tempo you can manage and work your way up slowly. Time = results

[Trem]

and in addition to the above every once in awhile force yourself to play that fast for as long as you can till you start to feel your muscles getting pumped like lifting weights and trying to focus on relaxing your arm at the same time while trying to tell yourself just 4 more bars... a sure fire arm pooper outer and what i've always and still use is master of puppets all down picking, the way it's supposed to be played. play it along with the album, your down picking will get better eventually

Got that from Gary Holt actually when i was talking to him while he was warming up before a gig at a skating rink back in 86/87.

[Nimitz]

Another pooper as Trem calls them is down picking the verse riffs to "Eye of the Beholder" and "Through the Never"

[MetalHeadMat]

Thanks everyone for the responses!

You can play along with songs at half speed using a program like Amazing Slow Downer. You could also use a metronome and play songs at a slower tempo. Practicing scales, arps--everything--with a metronome is the best way to develop good timing.

I don't feel timing is one thing I need to work on, but it'll always help. I think I'll definitely try to slow down some music and play it.

Just keep working own your downpicking and alternate picking. Start out at a tempo you can manage and work your way up slowly. Time = results

To a metronome kinda thing?

and in addition to the above every once in awhile force yourself to play that fast for as long as you can till you start to feel your muscles getting pumped like lifting weights and trying to focus on relaxing your arm at the same time while trying to tell yourself just 4 more bars... a sure fire arm pooper outer and what i've always and still use is master of puppets all down picking, the way it's supposed to be played. play it along with the album, your down picking will get better eventually

Got that from Gary Holt actually when i was talking to him while he was warming up before a gig at a skating rink back in 86/87.

I'll try and learn the MoP, and do it Hetfield style... I've actually been doing that recently with the songs by Testament I mentioned above, but I never really thought of Metallica...

Another pooper as Trem calls them is down picking the verse riffs to "Eye of the Beholder" and "Through the Never"

I'll give those a try too

[Hellbat]

If you have Rock Band or guitar hero, load up some faster songs and only downpick. It's actually a great co-ordination exercise, especially if the fingertips are a little sore from lots of bending practice.

[Mr Sandman]

Completely different genre but you could easily convert this exercise into different styles...

Stumbled across this one while side-tracked on spew-tube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nFikXk2pW8

[Shawn Lutz]

metronome is your best friend. Not only will it help your timing with your lead playing it will also helps your sense of timing for rhythm as well.

[Nimitz]

Here is a video of poop arm... no warm up just went into it

[Newc]

You can alternate pick as long as you strike the string flat, not angled. That's what makes it sound different (in a bad way) than all downpicking.

As for improving your rhythms (structure, etc), there's really not much wiggle room in heavier Metal than palm-mutes, gallops, jugga-wugga-jiggidy-jig-jig, and scalar mutes. I guess you can mix in some odd-time stuff, maybe back off the gain and do more un-muted arpeggiated stuff (Megadeth).

Completely dissect most songs and you'll find the change-ups that make them sound more interesting to you than your own stuff, and might dispel the misconception you had about how to play it previously.

[Devotee]

The best way to improve timing and to get really tight is to practise with a metronome. Try doing chromatic runs (1-2-3-4) up and down all six strings along with a click. Try alternate picking, tremolo picking, downpicking, etc. Nimitz, no offense but you should practice with a metronome too

[Devotee]

My favourite bands are Death and Morbid Angel, and I really would like to write like them

One thing a lot of people forget is that Death Metal was originally all about the feeling, not technique and flashy fretboard wankery like most of it seems to be nowadays. You can't really write like Schuldiner or Azagthoth because they're them - you can only write like Matt. And if you want to improve Matt's technique then practise with a click!

[Grahf]

you just have to treat rhythm guitar with the same love and care that you've probably given to lead this whole time.

you have to do it with a metronome, figure out where you're gonna put your downpicks(You're not going to want to straight up alternate pick for most riffs, sounds much better if you have a good command of downpicks) and how you're gonna feel out the rhythm. TAP YOUR FOOT (that is sooo important) ande move the speed up slowly, just like lead. I was a shitty fucking rhythm player for a long time because I would learn solos note for note, taking my time, using the metronome to build up my speed, but I never realized you have to put that much if not MORE emphasis on practicing your rhythms. just hit the metronome hard