Weekend riff: Metallica - Sad But True

This week's riff is a slice of classic thrash courtesy of Hetfield, Hammett and co...

First of all you'll need to tune your guitar to D standard (DGCFAD). That's the same as standard tuning, but with all six strings tuned a tone lower.

The riff combines a steady palm-muted down-picked D5 powerchord with three powerchords; two on the fifth string; one on the sixth string taking you back into the D5 powerchord again.

The fret hand part isn't too challenging, provided you are comfortable with the shift to and from the 5th fret, and making sure to generate plenty of level from your pull-offs. The delivery here is really down to controlled down-picking and making sure you keep the idle strings silent.

Click here to download the 'Sad But True' preset for the Peavey Vypyr VIP-2

'Sad But True'
© 1991. Metallica

Tutor: Jamie Hunt
Videographer: Martin Holmes

Check back every Friday at 16:00 (UK time) for a new riff

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