What I Learned From Metallica

[@BenEller]

Thanks for learning what makes Metallica’s riffs GREAT! Watch the extended ad-free cut plus get the TABs here: www.patreon.com/posts/116571589?

[@jeffallen3382]

Aren't these A, B, C riffs just "call and response" riffs that you see a lot in Blues guitar?

[@MarvelNotMusic]

This is a great idea for a series, Ben. Kind of like Rick Beato's "What Makes This Song Great" but more of a "What Makes This Band's Guitar Parts Great" vibe.

[@BenEller]

Glad you dig it!

[@marcinczarnecki687]

Should be called : "What makes your aunt sick" or something

[@sheriewart8100]

My stepmom can’t stop talkin about your down stroke speed and power!

[@lyricbread]

😂

[@GonnaGetYouBoi]

@@lyricbread uncle ben s'bout to get lucky

[@Ryan_Messenger]

Speed and power is the name of the game

[@heavymetalmusictheory]

Congratulations on your soon to be 500k subs! You deserve it.

[@BenEller]

Thank you very much!

[@Besseloff]

He deserves more. Not only musically fascinating and helpful, but also charismatic and funny.

[@Jalex_Owns]

What, no "With THIS C-section, a RIFF was born" joke?

[@BenEller]

Lolllll

[@TheFatBrownKid]

That Struggle Within riff is the is the best riff on the black album

[@lyricbread]

That’s definitely a good one!

[@CD-gk9ix]

The song has always felt off to me. I can’t explain it, maybe it’s the vocals trying to keep up with the riff?

[@lyricbread]

Random Fact: The song “Dancing Queen” uses the ABBA formula.

[@standard_tuning]

😂

[@BenEller]

Lol

[@Onamorata]

Favorite Metallica riff…. Gotta say either Battery or blackened Saw them this summer two nights at Gillette here in Mass, and man it was amazing. I had put off seeing them, but now being 30, I needed to see them before it was too late. Lol

[@300WINMAG360]

You are playing my favorite guitar of all time. I have the blue one you are playing and the Burgundy one also.

[@AN0NYM00S]

Got the blue one too, such a nice guitar to play on

[@matheussantos9367]

This blue Ibanez Prestige is 🤌 *chefs kiss* just gorgeous

[@OgamiItto70]

This is a good one. Songwriting strategies are underrepresented in guitar instruction. That's good lookin' out, Stepson!

[@ChrisKAloha]

They call the end of the riff the tail

[@chrisbassartist4344]

No Lars calls it that because he’s dumb lol

[@stepitupandgo67]

Ben has probably taught me more about guitar than anybody. Ty, man!

[@HannahCope88]

Love this, really helpful to have a breakdown of these various structures with actual examples of the songs/ riffs they're used in. I have read about these structures before and worked on them in a couple lessons, but never tried to employ them in writing anything as yet. Will be sure to tag ya when I come up with something. Hope ya hit that 500k Sub count soon my friend! 🙂🤘🏻🔥

[@henmat3000]

11:13 This part of Eye of the Beholder features two distinct guitar parts played differently. It’s a two-part harmony guitar arrangement.The main part is played using E, G, and F#, while the higher part follows a completely different pattern. You can clearly hear it in the live performance of the Justice Medley.

[@Krullmatic]

Yay! It's my dang good old buddy Uncle Ben! Golly gee, that's swell!

[@mochunk]

Ya know. I've always written riffs in either AAAB or ABAC format. I never realized I got that from Metallica. They were the first records I sat down to learn on bass with the tab books all those years ago. Yes I still have the Justice "bass tab" book that is now derided all these years later.

[@chrisbassartist4344]

Those tab books are so inaccurate especially the Cliff era ones cherry lanes owes me so much money

[@user-ir2bj3re1z]

Love that guitar tone man. Very Capt Crunchy 😁🔥👍

[@adammichael3934]

The tone on this vid is sick

[@amesmilesoff4768]

Cheers Ben, love the Fishmans 👍

[@rickkelley4618]

Then, to top it off - on songs like Beholder, Sandman, Puppets - they repeat the A-B-C (mostly), but up a whole step to add intensity and tension, before finally resolving to the root once again. It’s brilliant simplicity. Thanks, stepdad!! Been watching you for a LONG time my friend. Love, your Metallidad.

[@KeirCampbell-wj5om]

You’re my favorite uncle

[@vicpnut1]

Only one i have left ,its weird when your uncle is younger than you though 🤷🏼‍♂️😜✌️👍🏼🤟🏼

[@Zakk_Ross]

remember Uncle Ben, you and your brain are appreciated. I'm thankful for your creations and the knowledge you share. You rock:)

[@BenEller]

I appreciate that!

[@charlesg.1207]

Very helpful lesson. Prefer these type of concepts over learning licks or riffs. So helpful and inspiring.

[@ThugLifeMarcus]

Good examples. Also love when them Metallican boys bring back riffs with a new variation, like adding the chugs on the last appearance of the Fade to Black bridge or the second chorus in Outlaw Torn.

[@deltalegendsguitaramplific5450]

Thanks Uncle Ben !

[@ChristopherHemsworthCreative]

Awesome breakdown. I learned to play guitar on all of those riffs at age 13 and know them inside and out but this was still super fun and entertaining to watch because of YOU, Ben! I remember I saved up all my paper route money and went to our local music store and got these two epic books that were the COMPLETE works of Metallica (at the time) covering every single album from Kill "em All up to the Black album. I have always been a riff guy and so you can imagine I was in heaven! (while my parents were subsequently in hell while I practiced, haha)

[@robertspreitzer8126]

What not to suck. Love your channel.

[@tommyslatts3202]

Thing I love about your videos are they are all celebratory. It’s like this joyous haven I can come to away from the elitism this genre often dishes up, where you’re just positive and balanced and most of the people in the comments sections are too.

[@BenEller]

Lovely to hear that, thank you!

[@gunnarstar]

Again; I love how you make sense of everything! 👍🤘

[@adambelanger3976]

There's also AACA pattern in Jump in the Fire.

[@christran2484]

Uncle Ben is my favorite metal uncle 🤘

[@wce74wce15]

so well explained. legend

[@hasanmir]

Dude! Your down picking is ON POINT!

[@BenEller]

Thank you!

[@SerpentStar_]

If had to pick ONE Metallica song as all time favorite, got to go with Blackend 🤘

[@binkywarren21]

Blackend? Is that like a black backend?

[@TheMirrorify]

Great lesson and beautiful guitar.

[@BenEller]

Thank you kindly!

[@Maggai]

Uncle Ben doing a Metallica video again, this is a good day! I think the AAB on the black album was James and Lars just wanting to simplify after Justice. The black album demos that are pre Bob Rock are the exact same as the album riff wise. But kudos to Bob for slowing Sad but true way down! I never noticed that tritone (the c) in the eye of the beholder riff, I gotta go listen to that, I always played the same up until that and just f# and b on that C part.

[@sirtogii5216]

Funny, was watching a riff writing masterclass last night going over various alphabet combos and now I get a perfect walk through of some of my favourite riffages from Metallica. Cheers uncle Ben, heading over to Patreon ASAP

[@BenEller]

That's awesome! See you there!

[@Targon999]

What I noticed over the years is that James seems to like a certain riff a lot: he plays 0, 2, 2 (so basically an E power cord) and then plays the 3rd fret on the A and D string. He does that (at least) on Creeping Death, One, Atlas Rise and Through the never. Very effective. And can we please appreciate how our beloved uncle just played metallicas most awesome riffs like it was nothing?

[@Xplora213]

James likes the minor 2nd interval. You can apply it to the root, or the fifth, of any chord but E5 is as low as you can go. So he’s going to do F or C. James only has a couple chords he likes. Gmaj7 is another. Find your own chords, and squeeze them. ❤

[@Zakk_Ross]

C sections are gnarly! left my mom with a big scar. Also the trooper is an AAAB variation! same sequence moved through the scale 3 times then ending. Just pointing it for those who may not know of the diatonic sequence idea!

[@satchrules101]

Thank you so much for this amazing lesson , on structure, and arrangements for song writing! Please more like this !

[@BenEller]

Thank you! Will do!

[@PapaSancho666]

Another great video that provides insight into song structures, writing ideas etc. Thanks Uncle Ben!

[@BenEller]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@aas55]

I have that guitar Uncle Ben! She’s my number 1.

[@ronniecoffey9945]

Uncle Ben your step dad thrash skills freakin Shine, plz you sound great

[@pixel_seph]

Getting in the comments to say the other Metallica staple is repeating the tail as a way to transition sections (intro to verse, chorus to solo, etc). Love this kind of writing analysis video, Uncle Ben! Keep up the shred!!

[@jrlikeshockeyandmetal]

My favorite band

[@youWoNtLikeMe04]

First 5 or 6 riffs I ever learned were Metallica. And that also explains why my own stuff is a-a-b structured.

[@rossburton1]

Recently got a schecter evil twin with fishmans, LOVE THEM!!!!!🤘🔥🤘🔥🤘🔥

[@BBOZ83]

In the making of the Black Album Lars refers the B riff as the tail of the riff.

[@burnsZY85]

Lars is known to arrange riffs, the main riff of enter sandman being a prime example, kirk had orginally had it being ABAB but lars suggested it to what we know now as AAAB.

[@sandrarossi-l3h]

I like this guy Ben.

[@jswstella]

Eye of the beholder is tabbed like that, i believe, and i've always played it that way. it sounds right

[@bellasgardenfriends2291]

Good lord that palm muted low e is filthy

[@worgothcgd]

I love the breakdown 🎉

[@erichartwell6792]

I got the same pickups and they are amazing mine is gun metal black thow

[@chrisrosencrans]

I loved hearing that Shortest Straw riff. Metallica is the band that got me into music. Funny enough I don't play metal lol. Thanks for for video

[@Jeffmetal42]

No other band made an impact on me like Metallica did. Maybe Suffocation when I was digging into Death Metal but Metallica kicked the doors down for me to become a life long Metalhead.

[@KrwiomoczBogurodzicy]

Try the album “Kingdom of Downfall” by Parricide. The most creative deathgrind out there. Rifflords.

[@Jeffmetal42]

@KrwiomoczBogurodzicy will do. 🤘

[@Okay-George]

i thank god for ibanez everyday! such great guitars!

[@CompleteProducer84]

The crazy thing is that James was in his early 20's when he wrote his best riffs. I had barely learned to wipe my ass at 20

[@Xplora213]

Writing riffs is not writing songs. It’s why they needed Fleming and Lars AND CLIFF to guide James AND Kirk. It’s really easy to write riffs, it’s very hard to turn them into music.

[@redbloodedamerican2346]

@Xplora213 And much of its was also Dave Mustaines music which was stolen.

[@IndieGameDeveloper]

​@@redbloodedamerican2346 I think Metallica's best riffs came after Mustaine. MoP is peak Metallica for me.

[@redbloodedamerican2346]

@@IndieGameDeveloper I'll agree.

[@Xplora213]

@ not much of it at all. Try to remember that Dave didn’t produce the most iconic material they wrote. Not at all. If Dave was that good, he would have done far better later in his career. He wasn’t, and he didn’t. Look at Newsted for an Excellent example of former members achieving very little.

[@thehunter7422]

It's crazy how young they were back then when they wrote so many masterpieces like it was nothing lol in their 20s and they wrote albums like Master of Puppets , Kill em All, Ride the Lightning , ...And Justice for All etc, insane . They pretty much made me start guitar bout year and a half ago and my god I can't believe how simple some of their riffs were, lol , yet, SO DAMN EFFECTIVE . AND..satisfying ASF . Metallica are masters of Metal for a reason. Can't imagine what metal music would be without them 🤘🔥awesome vid as usual Uncle Ben, so close to 500k as well. Congrats 🤘🙏❤️

[@chriszoupa7898]

Ben's channel is so good it makes me want to rage delete mine.

[@BenEller]

Hahaha nooooo dooooon’t!!!

[@Pedrotheart]

great tone🤘

[@georgedomse]

I’m ABSOLUTELY going to call my amp Rectumfire from now on. Edit: dammit Uncle Ben, you’re once again the only one playing a riff correctly, in this instance Eye of the Beholder. Can we have a lesson on the whole song?

[@2Burgers_1Pizza]

It's the pick hand that gives me trouble. Metallica's so easy on the tabs. Guess I'll try those ab stimulators on my arm.⚡

[@DRock8040]

Great vid!

[@Robbie28]

Love metallica of course, BUT for me Iron Maiden just hits home more. Those guys are better at doing guitar harmonies. I can tell immediately when Adrian Smith and Dave Murry are playing. They are so locked into each other, its just ridiculous lol. Great video, as usual sir. You are the ultimate Shredi Master.

[@BenEller]

I should do one on them too!

[@mikesurel5040]

Metallica is like getting clubbed in the face. Maiden is more... elegant? I think it comes down to the Steve Harris gallop vs the James Heftield jackhammer. Look at powerslave or flight of Icarus against any Metallica song. Both bone crushing and heavy as hell, just different. Also, I agree 100%.

[@iduncanw]

​@@BenEller yes pretty please with 666 cherries on top 🍒🤘😈

[@randallhaney7909]

Wow Uncle Benny Bob. Awesome lesson, Cool and enlightening, The alphabet has never ben so fun. Thanks Boss. You're the Bomb.

[@TDAshton]

Very cool video. I wish riffs post St Anger would get the appreciation they deserve. Those first 5 albums are classic for a reason but Death Magnetic, Hardwired and 72 have some great riffs as well. Just was thinking about That was Just Your Life and Moth into Flame, both verse riffs are AAAB.

[@dennis4113]

4:13 you should use a string noise dampener Ben, the behind-the-nut ringing is killing the toan!!1!

[@BenEller]

Yeeeah it’s got a little ring-a-ding, don’t it???

[@dennis4113]

jokes aside, great video. Metallica’s got some cool shit. 👍

[@HabAnagarek]

Good lord, music doesn’t have to always be perfect

[@KrwiomoczBogurodzicy]

Amateur hour 🙄

[@SeriousPoo]

Great video, Ben. Absolutely fantastic.

[@BenEller]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@davemitchell6663]

I believe that's how Eye is played, yes.

[@TheShreddDude]

Ben really throwing the Metallica Hail Mary to reach 500k lol

[@BenEller]

Hahaha

[@uneartheros]

Metlica is the goat and will ALWAYS be the goat. Kill Em All to the Black album. 5 perfect records. No other band comes close.

[@Wanderlust073]

First three for sure, Justice was decent, then they aimed for radio. Rust In Peace still the peak of all thrash metal albums ever imo.

[@uneartheros]

@ Megadeth was a way better band as far as lead guitar playing and their drummers through the years, but Mustaine’s vocals just makes my soul cringe. I would rather listen to Load and reload before any Megadeth album.

[@ryanlinfoot]

Uncle Ben says, “Starttighteningupyourwritingtoday” and we starttighteningupourightening….stepdadspeeed….it’s over

[@michizer0]

Nice guitar! Have the same one and it's my absolute favourite! No need to buy another one

[@BenEller]

More hard tail RG’s!!!

[@davidwalton5359]

That Ibanez is on my dream list for sure!

[@ardaisik302]

I have the same guitar. You wont regret it man, its by far one of the best guitars that I´ve ever played.

[@davidwalton5359]

@ hell yeah dude

[@maplechill75]

EMG81 is king

[@BenEller]

That’s a classic!

[@redbloodedamerican2346]

Fishman fluence

[@TjByers369]

Best pick 'em up!

[@deweyoogwey]

EMG 81 is king EMG 81 is life

[@Xplora213]

81 only does one trick. These new amps and pickups have changed the game. And yes, new means “AFTER 1995”.

[@joeywalraven2840]

i guess you could say accuracy of the song lies in the… ears of the beholder (get it??) *slaps knee*

[@lyricbread]

7:58 No “Sad But Tuned?” 😆

[@thathandleistakentrythisone]

Could you please do Matt Pike / High on Fire? 🙏🤘🐐

[@FM-wc8gu]

OmfG, I was rolling my eyes at the 6 string waiting to hear which custom exotic guitar Ben will be using today however; he said it's an Ibanez, and I haven't seen my real Mom since .

[@corycourtney8923]

The C section was how I was brought into this world.

[@TheDeedeeFiles]

Awesome

[@amirsabokbar5916]

still fuckin with eye of the beholder

[@lManwel]

UB and Metallica. Cant get nicier than this. And I like things that are nice.

[@lManwel]

Oh, and I wonder how this would sound with your Jacksons and your beloved black Suhr

[@stephanpetersen8386]

I've got four superstrats with Fishman's and the exact same Ibanez. The Ibanez got me into Fishman's but the other guitars just don't sound nearly as bad as the Ibanez. Maybe it's just placebo, I don't know, but I compare all my other guitars to the Ibanez...

[@0421072]

Kirk showed them Enter Sandman as an AB riff.

[@davidmarsh9897]

Iommi, riffmeister General!

[@supremelordoftheuniverse5449]

I love ABBA

[@JJohnson616]

"It's over!" -Uncle Ben, aka Strong Bad

[@BenEller]

Hahaha yes!

[@bilosdiogee410]

I know it isn’t your usual thing guitar wise, but are you good at finger picking and would you ever do lesson vids about that? Everybody teaches it differently, I think your talent for communication might prove useful for many guitar players.

[@BenEller]

Yeah! I was heavily into classical guitar for a long time. Good idea.

[@Spikey09Ca]

I have always talked about riffs needing a "resolution" to be satisfying to me. I am not a fan of Through the Never for that reason. The main riff repeats without ever resolving. It's much the same for the main line of Master of Puppets during sections where they don't resolve it in the intro. Though they do eventually resolve that one. The A A A A structure essentially bores me.

[@ryansadauskis]

I'm not really into Metallica, but I feel like I need to able to play their songs otherwise I won't be able to get to where I want to be which is like prog tech death stuff. Like I need to learn the "basics" first.

[@BenEller]

You are on the right track with that thinking! I’ve always encouraged people to learn what their heroes learned; James didn’t learn his downpicking speed by writing Master of Puppets, he got it from Misfits, Ramones, and Black Flag songs! If you wanna learn someone’s skill set, learn where they learned it from. Get into it!

[@Lamb_slayer_213]

Plz do slayer !

[@timothyjamesjones]

Eye of the beholder is right

[@_____8106]

Can you do a video like this on marty freidman we want to know how he writes melodic solos every time

[@StuPedassol]

They are the kings for a reason. And people forget, Kirk down picks everything right along with James... He is no slouch! ❤ Thanks, Uncy Bang!

[@Woozy.0]

Toan is found in the bone

[@Alex_Short]

2:50 starts the reason you came here

[@Sparksnorthern]

Great analysis, UB! If I want to get a decent amp under $2k, would you suggest a used Mesa Rectal-plier or something else?

[@BenEller]

Well, it all depends on what you’re going for tonally!!! I looooooove my Rec.

[@Sparksnorthern]

@BenEller thanks my man! I'm going to go work on some rapid downstrokes!