The intro/main riff to Iron Maiden’s Twilight Zone alternates the open A string and one note on the D string which requires inside picking between them. I have trouble playing it because my inside picking instantly becomes stringhopping. I try to apply DSX but it doesn’t feel right. Any hints on playing that riff? Is it actually supposed to be stringhopping? What would the best escape motion for it? Thanks in advance!!
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Welcome to the forum!!
Don’t know the riff but it sounds perfect for hybrid picking: downstroke on A string, finger pluck on the D string 
Edit: here is a link to the song. Pretty cool swing feel! I would either hybrid pick as above, or just go up on the A and down on the D. Since it’s swing, you have a little extra time to go back to the A string. So you could focus on the A->D transition to be efficient (e.g. Upstroke Escape = USX works for that), and you can get away doing the D->A string change with a secondary (perhaps a little less efficient) motion.
That being said, I would not plan this out academically. The theory is there as a guide, but you’ll always have to find what works for you by feel doing trial & error (different pick grips, hand positions etc. etc.)
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