Metallica's Tricky BATTERY (Gallop Riff) DECODED!

Hear it with new ears.
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[@Anywherethatisnthere]

1:53-2:12 that actually sounds really cool

[@prometheustv6558]

It sounds like it could be a bridge of a song off The Black Album

[@dimitripapadinikolaus]

Kinda sounds like Eye of the Beholder

[@JoseGonzalez-eq8gz]

Kinda sounds like Powerslave from Iron Maiden

[@kaiser7695]

Sounds like Iron Maiden

[@chr1llee]

holy shit it sounds so good?

[@congoose100]

James sings over that. Insane.

[@nihilist92]

My thought precisely!!

[@Mickocarbomb]

He sings and plays it with precision which scares and impresses me.

[@banticraider]

@TheHunterTV ok mr

[@deadstar44]

@Jose Soto Except Hetfield plays that insane gallop, belts over it AND interacts with the crowd like a showman across the stage all the way at ease through while Mustaine is stuck gnarling at the mic all constipated. Hetfield makes that look easy even it's anything but.

[@clcartlidge]

It's not that hard

[@DwayneRidgwayOfficial]

Battery is one of the most deceptively simple songs. Those gallops are crazy. Cliff played a groovier version of the riff that didn't gallop, but the differences don't make it any easier. Great video, thank you! Addendum: Thinking about it, Battery isn't really simple like I implied, I guess I just mean that on paper it seems fairly straight forward, but it has tons of nuances, like a lot of Metallica's songs.

[@weeabooman1465]

you’re a really cool dude and I appreciate your videos

[@MirrorMountain]

I fully agree with this

[@prometheustv6558]

If you look at James’ interview with Guitar Center he does the power chords with his pinky but uses his ring to play the thirds.

[@gregorywilson3318]

Funky but actually interestingly cool.

[@sludgerat666]

Counter intuitive but still badass

[@gbharris]

I love that james is my guitar idol because he plays funky just like i do

[@featheryfemme]

Huh, that's what I've always done. Just feels right, feels comfortable.

[@RaaZVan99]

1:53 what if battery was on load/reload

[@clichenachos3109]

Somebody should do vocals for it, or put slithers or king nothing vocals over it

[@jfo3000]

It wouldn't have the killer MoP guitar sound. Probably other key elements missing too.

[@Hoscitt]

I love it when you do these 'straight beat' versions, really changes how I hear the songs even after 30 years of obsessive listening! 👍🤘

[@JosephDunegan]

Young man (I say this with all due respect) I was there in '86 when Master of Puppets was released and Metallica was on tour with Cliff Burton before he died. I have to say you did a great break down of this song. I'm proud of you!

[@BlakeSpohn]

Radical!

[@pthibault630]

It still sounds like it inverts on the second pass when you bring it up to speed, but I know it doesn't. I've known for years how this riff is supposed to go, but even to this day when I listen to them play it I have to actually pay attention to it. If I stop concentrating on it, the beat still inverts in my head at some point. More so during the chorus than the verse

[@Chris-ec9xi]

Same here. I think a key factor, apart from the way the riff is constructed (and a bit of sloppiness in James' playing at precisely that 4th third i.e. the first beat of the new bar), is Lars not really emphasizing the downbeat plus a very prominent snare on the upbeat. It's even worse on fight Fire with Fire, where I it close to impossible to count it through

[@aleksandrkras6969]

I love how clean you play in slow speed there’s where real technic is

[@Trystero_]

Can you imagine a world without guitar you can’t cause guitar holds together the universe

[@airconditioningunit9777]

but bass holds together the mix

[@marvintimke3978]

@@airconditioningunit9777 It's everything....bass, guitar, drums and whatever else you have in your band

[@deadaccount5063]

@@marvintimke3978 the trash can

[@XxinsaneDavidxX]

The guitar is such a screechy annoying noise 💀😷 ooo a world without guitars you say!?😍😍😍WHEREE!? Sign me up!!

[@tomclarkson1257]

@@deadaccount5063 trash can important

[@wickhereticofficial7415]

That slide part 2>3 3>4 at the end makes me shift gears everytime...

[@kcpiranha58]

Mike you always have such a great tone and your playing is so clean.

[@middleclassthrash]

Lars is the secret sauce that makes metallica sound so much more original than other bands.

[@SlinkyJosh]

I have been listening to this song for 17 years and that riff has never made sense to me. Now it finally does, thank you!

[@Behdad47]

If you didn't understand what he's saying, it's completely okay. Your body needs to understand it as well. Start slow and build up speed.

[@vividpugzz]

When you played the riff at a slower tempo it sounded like something from the Black Album lol

[@gregorywilson3318]

You’re a legend, great video! I really like how it sounds a slower tempo!!!

[@JAF2991]

That tone, I love it!

[@0mik3mik3]

Your tone is amazing.

[@Golipillas]

Love your content, you're such a good teacher

[@tytholemewg2531]

Love your energy bro

[@michaeltian]

honestly these videos are just the best

[@austinhunt4260]

You’re a talented teacher! Humility goes A LONG WAY.

[@sylentstorm8422]

Thank you for these vids. Best lessons on KZbin.

[@floridajim3023]

Your vid is just where I want to be in20 years! But unfortunately I am 71 and have my doubts about that ! I watched you beginners vid with the spyder move and started on it a couple of months ago and I can’t get my little finger to cooperate with this but I will keep trying! Thank you for your time you give to these vids

[@craigpaulson3503]

Once you get passed that first 6 months to a year, you should start progressing by leaps and blind. One piece of advice I'd like to share concerns your breathing. Just like anything else that requires concentration, sometimes we breathe a lot more shallow. When you sit down to play take a few really deep breathes in through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth. Relax your body, especially your hands and fingers. Once you feel relaxed and you're ready to play, place your fingers lightly on the fret board and play through some scales. Press so light that you hear buzzing of the strings. Running through the sales like this will help muscle memory. At this point, what you play doesn't have to sound all that good. Keep breathing deeply and keep fingers not being immediately used as close to the fret board as possible. Very important to stay relaxed the entire time. Once you're familiar with the scale you can start applying more pressure to your fretted notes. Just enough until you get a nice full sounding note. In other words, stay as relaxed as possible and fret the string as light as possible to create a full note. Pressing too hard will cause hand fatigue and possibly lead to injuries such as tendonitis. Pressing too hard will also cause notes to become sharp because of unintended bends. Sorry if this isn't explained very well, but I hope it's clear enough to help. My playing really took off after learning this. Have fun.

[@andthebeatgoeson69]

Hope you're still practicing, Florida Jim

[@user-go6vb9vn2r]

Terrific lesson!

[@richkurtz9661]

DDDUUUUDDDEEE!!!! Thank you for this video. It finally unlocked in my head. Been trying for 30 years to understand this riff. Thanks dude.

[@stephenwinchester6668]

The slow tempo in the beginning sounds awesome!!

[@Living_EDventures]

You make it seem so easy. Great video Mike.

[@sonicclang]

Seriously the best video ever made showing how to play Battery. I've been a Metallica fan since I was 13 (1992). I could never figure this riff out. At least now I understand it, even if it's still hard to play. I'm going to keep practicing.

[@asymptoticspatula]

Battery is one of my favorite riffs ever. It’s so weird, both in timing and in note choices.

[@Flaming676]

I always thought that the 3 sixtieth notes with the sixth string open was the begining and the E minor diad (5th string on 7 fret and 4th string on 5th fret) was the end of the riff. I was felt it that way until now that I want to learn this song and I was struggling to get in time every single time! Thank you for this thorough lesson!

[@danielalejandro5674]

Man I was just starting to learn this riff, pretty nice breakdown

[@ajizzle4rizzle]

Really starting to enjoy your content 👊

[@jwalters8498]

Great breakdown of an awesome Riff, thank you, not quite at that speed yet but I will be then I can come back to this.

[@oozePOP]

I found this channel through randomly getting suggested the video of the drum part in One that feels off. Then I just randomly had the idea to do a search for a video on how to properly listen to the song Battery (because my brain does do the on beat off beat shift thing). Lo and behold, it's the same exact channel I had just encountered! Even better... all these videos were just recently uploaded! Finding this channel was definitely destiny.

[@jajus1485]

Love your videos

[@jayyoutube8790]

Great teacher. Thank you👍🏻

[@voronOsphere]

Whoah!!!! That sounds like a whole new song!!!!! I actually like it better than the regular speed (of course the original is a metal milestone)!!!!! Thanks, Mike!!!!

[@rayrayallday]

you sir just earned a follow for life. this is a great explanation.

[@BRO77TX]

Mike, that beginning riff could be an actual song!! 🤘

[@ThrashRoC]

You are a COOL Guitar Guy !! This Channel ROCKS !

[@bruh5687]

Holy crap I think I just mastered this riff off of this video. Thank you! Plus your They Live shirt is awesome!

[@xPBKM4x]

Love this song. My favourite all time Metallica song and especially with the SFO! Can’t get enough of that S&M album made in ‘99. My ultimate goal is to play and sing this like James is able to. It is a god-like skill to pull off such a fast moving riff. Anyone you could point me to so I could get lessons on the coordination it takes to play and sing at the same time?

[@pthibault630]

You know how I finally got this burned into my brain? By listening to the isolated drum and BASS track. Not only is it awesome to hear Cliffs parts... but he grooves so hard, it actually helps burn the rhythm into your head.

[@Liquor69]

This helped so much Thank you!

[@espkstm]

Thanks for breaking this down! Battery and Blackened are 2 of the hardest rhythms to get down! \m/

[@rizkiarya6257]

I feel you bro, been practicing for weeks but still cant get that rythm

[@Vau_]

Always cool to hear you play Metallica

[@MegadethFan9000]

I hope you one day do a video showing all the guitar techniques of Rodolf Schenker.

[@jimicoop]

Awesome work man. 🤘🤘🎵

[@ryanem969]

I've always played it as an Ebm, not a D. The root and 3rd part. I used to think it was a straight D, but years of obsessing... Try it out, sounds closer.. but cheers!

[@andthebeatgoeson69]

Same. It's sounds like the Ebm / Bmaj inversion. I honestly don't think it's D.

[@ianw.9185]

@@andthebeatgoeson69 I really don't think it is either, even though a lot of smart players say it is

[@mr.iiconic]

Couldn't agree more.

[@adambarkermusic]

This blew my mind. This has always messed with my ears/mind, thank you!

[@smarkmalark]

Aye! Love the "They Live" shirt!

[@clownpocket]

That riff always puzzled me, thanks for breaking it down so it makes some sense. I had given up on it. I have really bad rhythm, and get thrown off the beat very easily, so I’m always drilling repeatedly with a drum machine to get parts down.

[@ASSASSIN-ej7pp]

You should do a lesson on Of Wolf and Man

[@WizardOfArc]

Shape shiiiiiiiift!

[@gageclark2390]

Dude that’s like one of my favorite Metallica riffs right there.

[@phadrus]

@@gageclark2390 I’ll second that

[@voronOsphere]

Great tune!

[@keyable]

Thanks for anothet Metallica Rythm lesson, waiting for more Metallica stuff! cheers

[@lucalapaglia3941]

Oh my god I looked for a video like this for so long

[@mikkelbomholt247]

Thank you for this video! i finally learnt the right timing of the riff:)

[@MirrorMountain]

Really cool lesson, thanks! Never realised that i missed a couple of nuances.

[@floridajim3023]

You are a good man ! Thank you

[@satchrules101]

if it wasn't from one of ur older lessons on how to position ur wrist when down picking fast riffs ... my wrist would not be able to keep up it would die out! Thanks bro.

[@zane4575]

Awesome video

[@mrbigg7255]

Really liked the slowed down version. Sounded cool.

[@warrenstilwell2022]

Love you. Stop the contacts!!!!

[@rickgriego2844]

At first I thought this was a lot of hacking,but this is actually GOOD ADVICE.Thanks for the video bud!

[@doubleXchris]

Incroyable. Je travaille ce morceau a la guitare depuis 2 jours et youtube me propose cette vidéo alors que je lui ai rien demandé et que je ne connaissais pas cette chaîne... Cela dit bonne vidéo. Merci pour les explications 🙂

[@koalanectar9382]

There are so many metallica songs where it sounds like the snare drum is alternating between emphasizing downbeats and upbeats, but the part never changes. I can never tell if that's on purpose or not.

[@shaunshuping9768]

Heavy metal Paul Rudd has new video!!!! Lol,. Just picking.... You're a great teacher bro, really appreciate the videos and the piece by piece breakdowns you do, very very helpful!

[@v0ver]

The battery gallop riff is mistery for me =) thanks a lot!

[@Maxbev14]

You’ve earned a new subscriber 👌

[@ThrashRoC]

I´ve seen Metallica back in 91 in Basel /Swiss Live @the "Monsters of Rock" ..first row (standing at the PA) They were INCREDIBLE good on the day.. not ONE fucking wrong note !! I will NEVER forget this show, especially since I had a backstage pass and "meet & greet" with Hetfield .. They played Battery and it was so FUCKING good ..

[@alkamali7679]

Love the shirt

[@Metron3]

You should have posted this when I was like 16

[@corporalrich]

Your amazing. When you slowed it down I almost heard a malcolm young riff... you can guess which.

[@Mistertyrannosaurus]

Nice video dude, subscribed 👍

[@siddharthasiddhibajrachary4400]

thanks it helped me alot even if i m doing this in acoustic

[@satchrules101]

killer lesson ! more lessons on timing please .

[@dml-_2120]

Idk if you did this beforehand but I love how everyone plays that major 3rd diad after Uncle Ben's video :D

[@Squall6575]

dude i recently watched that vid and switched my playing too lmao

[@jdaniel.guitar]

But isn’t supposed to be a minor 3rd of D#,F# vs the major 3rd of D,F#? I am confused.

[@morganneher8643]

That shirt is lit!!!

[@aryankarecha5793]

I think that Lars’ crashes on the and, along with the snare, also make a big difference, because if you if listen to Seattle 89, where he does not hit the crashes, the snare still sounds like it’s on the and, but on the master of puppets tour, Lars does the crashes. So both the drums and the riff make a difference in this case.

[@sn00k24]

My thing is still getting lost when I focus on the drums. I can play the riff fine, it sounds like it adds a beat and then loses a beat somewhere in the phrase to me. I could hear the proper way on of the audio clips of them playing this during Jason's audition I believe, at least a lot better than the official album version and it made the song sound way better i thought. Not sure if that would help anyone too.

[@Swampster70]

As the great bassist Billy Sheehan once said, "if you have to think about it, you didn't practice enough." Battery isn't technically difficult, just be aware of the timing and the 'on' beats. Being able to dig into the strings and get the chug required in order to not crank the gain to get the sound, that for me was the really hard part. Jame's iron grip on the pick is key. You have command of the pick to that degree, the rest rhythmically is achievable He is smacking the crap out of his strings playing this whilst being super accurate. That's the hard bit..

[@Truthosaurus]

Ah man .... guitar and shirt are perfect match ))

[@yeetfeet1878]

Hey my birthday is tommorow. Thanks for this early gift. By the way I love playing battery on drums. Always very inspiring thank you for this. Have a great day.

[@DwayneRidgwayOfficial]

Hope you have a happy birthday! Mine's less than a week from now so I'm considering this a week-early birthday present.

[@yeetfeet1878]

@ Dwayne Ridgway Thanks. And happy birthday to you as well.

[@romanshredz]

Awesome video and thanks ! Slowing it down did finally make it it click … damn 👍

[@termikes174]

Nice shirt!

[@operationthrash9645]

Fun fact: It’s obviously still hard, but actually easier than you think to play and sing this song. Once you get into it, “meshing” the galloping motion with your vocals is actually pretty doable. I’d say the most impossible Metallica song to play and sing is creeping death.

[@TheRichie213]

This riff actually sounds really good slow!

[@voronOsphere]

Yeah! Like a whole new tune!

[@Frenchmelodymaker]

And what about the gallop picking of James in My apocalypse ? He somehow alternates between down picking and gallop picking, it’s quite difficult to get it by ear and it’s even harder to play. Any advise ?

[@nickweiler3693]

I find the album version to be especially difficult to listen to "correctly" because of the way it's played. The downbeat seems to be de-emphasized on both the drums and the guitar in such a way that it's uniquely confusing to keep the rhythm. I've had better luck with live versions of the song.

[@Perri138]

Nice shirt

[@oneminutefixed5003]

I play this everyday, but I can't go over 90% speed without getting sloppy

[@sillybastard79]

Love that your also a CNLien!

[@TheArtofGuitar]

Gotta love Craig's Newwwthhhhh. haha

[@sillybastard79]

@@TheArtofGuitar Indeed!

[@sillybastard79]

@@TheArtofGuitar while I have your attention, I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much your channel has inspired and helped me along my guitar quest. You rock, dude! Much love!

[@revolverrr]

Sick shirt

[@clownpocket]

I use index/pinky power chords a lot because of Iommi.

[@theendpyro4757]

1:53 i thought he was gonna play Barracuda for a moment there

[@jrb8081]

Nice

[@gregd5569]

I believe there is one more trick to the gallop. The accent in the 16h-16th-8th (3-note gallop grouping) is on the first note (TA-da-da) not the last one (ta-da-DA). In the context of the bar the accent is on AND ([one]-e-[AND-a-two]-e-[AND-a-three]-e). The first note in bar is never accented. It is very audible in the original song but not never in Guitar Pro style tabs. I suspect that when James created the riff he counted (or felt) it differently (to how it is represented in the tabs) with the first single open E of the riff being the AND of the previous bar and with the first notes of "the gallop 3" falling on ONE a TWO of the new bar.

[@8tonystark8]

Would've have loved to see you play at '86 speed 😊