Metal · D Major · 138 BPM

Metal Backing Track in D Major

4-bar Power-chord riff form, at 138 BPM. Chord chart, scale positions and practice drills for D major.

Hear the metal feel: “Classic Metal” · E minor · 138 BPM

This recording is the original “Classic Metal” demo in E minor at 138 BPM. It is not transposed: it lets you hear the metal feel. The app generates your track in D major.

4-bar chord chart in D Major

4-bar Power-chord riff form. Count four beats per bar; each card shows where the chord starts.

Bar 1 D5 I5 · 4 beats
Bar 2 C5 bVII5 · 4 beats
Bar 3 G5 IV5 · 4 beats
Bar 4 D5 I5 · 4 beats

Open in the app: Metal, D, 138 BPM Open the original demo (E minor)

The app opens with the style, key, tempo and this chart filled in; press Generate to create your track (it counts toward your daily generations). The original demo opens the recorded arrangement without a generation.

Power-chord riff in D Major

Major-key metal — rare but punishing. Think Avenged Sevenfold uplift.

bVII

Generate a backing track over these changes →

Scales to solo in D Major

Three scales that sit well over metal in D major. Each one gives the line a different color — try them all and notice what changes.

Scale

D Major Pentatonic

D E F# A B

Scale

D Mixolydian

D E F# G A B C

Scale

D Major Scale

D E F# G A B C#

Where to play in D Major

Five-fret windows in standard tuning, anchored on D on the low E string. Highlighted notes are the root.

D Major Pentatonic
String	fret 9	fret 10	fret 11	fret 12
e		D		E
B		A		B
G	E		F#
D	B			D
A	F#			A
E		D		E

Notes: D E F# A B. Root on the 6th string at fret 10, on the 5th string at fret 5.

D Mixolydian
String	fret 9	fret 10	fret 11	fret 12	fret 13
e		D		E
B		A		B	C
G	E		F#	G
D	B	C		D
A	F#	G		A
E		D		E

Notes: D E F# G A B C. Root on the 6th string at fret 10, on the 5th string at fret 5.

Practice drills

1. Find the changes in D Major

Play only the root on the first beat of each change: D (bar 1, D5), C (bar 2, C5), G (bar 3, G5), D (bar 4, D5). Keep counting through every bar that holds the same chord; the form resolves back to D.
2. Target the guide tones

These are power chords, so there is no third to target. Alternate root and fifth on each change: D–A over D5, C–G over C5, G–D over G5.
3. D Major Pentatonic in position

Play D Major Pentatonic (D E F# A B) up and down in frets 9–13, one note per beat at 138 BPM. Start and finish on D: 6th string fret 10, or 5th string fret 5 for the next position up.

Guide tones for every chord in the chart
Chord	Root	3rd	7th / 6th
D5	D	—	—
C5	C	—	—
G5	G	—	—

Try Metal in another key

Chord chart, scale positions and practice drills in the keys metal is most often played in.

E Minor D Minor B Minor A Minor C Minor

← Back to all metal tracks

Play Metal in D Major

Open the app with Metal, D, 138 BPM and this chart pre-filled. Press Generate when you are ready.

Create Metal Track Now

Metal Backing Track in D Major

4-bar chord chart in D Major

More about “Classic Metal”

Power-chord riff in D Major

Scales to solo in D Major

Where to play in D Major

Practice drills

1. Find the changes in D Major

2. Target the guide tones

3. D Major Pentatonic in position

Keep practicing

Try Metal in another key

Play Metal in D Major

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