Northern Gallop · level 2 · goal 140 bpm

Northern Gallop is an eight-bar gallop riff in standard tuning: NWOBHM gallop in E minor. This is level 2 of 3, played at 140 bpm; the three levels of the riff run from 120 to 160 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.

Pick every gallop down-down-up and keep the palm on the bridge so the mutes stay short. Let the chord on beat one ring open, then mute again.

The three levels

1. Level 1 · 120 bpm · NWOBHM gallop in E minor. Count "one, two-and-a, three, four-and-a".
2. Level 2 · 140 bpm · NWOBHM gallop in E minor. Pick every gallop down-down-up and keep the palm on the bridge so the mutes stay short.
3. Level 3 · 160 bpm · NWOBHM gallop in E minor. The reverse gallop (two short, one long) lands on the "and"; keep the wrist loose and the pick shallow.