21 Day Fix: Downpicking

What’s it about?

Connor Kaminski invites you to elevate your downpicking chops, through an easy-to-follow system of daily riffs and exercises.

Every day you will crank up the difficulty and work on something new, from the fundamental basics of day one to the crazy “final boss” at this Masterclass’s end.

Nail the physical motion, timing and nuances in attack, of a must-know skill for metal, rock and funk players. All in the space of 21 days.

What will I learn?

Week 1: The Basics Principles and Movements

Understand how palm mutes work in tandem with the skill, and get comfortable with the physical motion of downpicking. You’ll also tighten your timing across a range of riffs, which use a varying number of strings throughout the week.

Week 2: Downpicked Chords and Open Strings

Step up the complexity in both the exercises and riffs, and make use of the chordal possibilities offered from Week 2’s Drop D tuning. There are also takeaways on open strings and rhythmic challenges that will further cement a rock-solid internal clock.

Week 3: Creative Application

Apply the ideas you have learnt, and throw in “double downpicking” for good measure. No exercises, just shorter, more challenging riffs with “The Only Way Is Down” being the final boss on the final day where you bring it all together.

What techniques are covered?

As well as downpicking, Connor has covered a number of other skills to give you a more real-world understanding of their application.

• Downpicking
• Double downpicking
• Palm mutes
• Open strings
• Hammer-ons
• Pull offs

What theory is covered?

• Diatonic chords
• Phrygian dominant riffs
• 7/8 time
• Triplets
• ”Djent” rhythms

Who is this for?

This is for players who want to step up their downpicking game. Take an essential aspect of rhythm guitar, and turn it into something creatively vibrant, across a clear, structured 21-day system of improvement.