Cinder Lancers · level 2 · goal 144 bpm

Cinder Lancers is an eight-bar gallop riff in standard tuning: NWOBHM gallop in E minor. This is level 2 of 3, played at 144 bpm; the three levels of the riff run from 116 to 162 bpm. It works on gallop picking, palm muting, power chords, hammer-ons and pull-offs, vibrato. The player loops the riff with drums and bass, starts at 70% speed and steps up 5% after every clean pass until you play it at full tempo.

Keep the gallops locked to the kick drum: the long note is on the beat, and the two short ones fill the back half. For the melody, shift to seventh position early in bar four so your first finger is already on B.

The three levels

1. Level 1 · 116 bpm · NWOBHM gallop in E minor. Let the first chord of each bar ring for its full quarter before you start muting.
2. Level 2 · 144 bpm · NWOBHM gallop in E minor. Keep the gallops locked to the kick drum: the long note is on the beat, and the two short ones fill the back half.
3. Level 3 · 162 bpm · NWOBHM gallop in E minor. The pickup at the end of bar four comes straight off the palm-muted B, so lift your palm the instant you move to the second string.