Weekend Wankshop 70: Metallica Blackened intro riff lesson
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- Опубліковано 30 бер 2016
- Twitter/instagram @BenEllerGuitars
Skype lessons: BenEllerGuitars@gmail.com
Suckamaniacs!!! Welcome to lesson 70 of Weekend Wankshop, where Uncle Ben Eller here will be teaching you how to play the intro main riff to Blackened by Metallica, off of the And Justice for All album! Usually i like to show you how to play licks and leads, but this one begs for attention. I've seen SO MANY incorrect tabs and lessons on this one all over the place, its about time we learn what's going on with it! I prowled through the guitar-only tracks available here on youtube, and i found what i believe is the RIGHT way to play this riff! I haven't gotten James or Kirk to confirm yet, but i'm working on it :)
This one will get your downstroke playing on BLAST, as well as work on your string skipping and palm muting. Good luck!!!
Suhr Modern Satin
Kemper Profiler
The tone on this album is ridiculous. Blackened is also one of my Top 3 Metallica songs.
I give 100% of my credit to James for helping me get a killer right hand. Well, him and also looking at my dads old Playboy magazines...
That riff was actually written by Jason, but more like inspired. Because James changed it a bit according to Jason.
The guitar tone is solid. But I’ve ears remixed versions that increase the bass levels, and the songs sound unbelievably better. James and Lars did their music a major disservice when they suppressed Jason’s tracks on the final versions. If you haven’t heard them, I suggest checking them out on UA-cam. I think the guy calls them “justice for Jason” or some bs like that. Great stuff, that album could have been epic.
The LP version is crystal clear. The beat is really tight.
Turn your mids down to around 2 and you'll be real close to the AJFA tone lol
Yeah yeh! LOL
Love the happy sounding Seek and Destroy on the intro :D
Harshil Seek and not Destroy.
Seek and enjoy
Major Seekage
It slightly annoys me. Im not generally a fan of happy sounding stuff lol
Seek and create
Fun fact: This riff was Jason Newsted's first contribution after joining Metallica. If you think it's too easy on guitar, try it on the bass.
too easy on guitar? dude my both arms are literally burning, I hope that helps my arms get stamina
@@RogerTears I was kidding. It’s not easy for me either, and I’ve been playing a long time. Thanks to this video I can sort of play it, though.
Definitely not a beginner riff! Maybe Metallica's most difficult riff in terms of both speed and complexity. Like, Puppets is crazy fast, but the riffs aren't that hard to memorize. Blackened is another level... Alternating strings ✔️ ridiculous bpm ✔️ and that weird sounding concluding part down near the headstock ✔️ ugh yeah this one takes a bit of practice.
But the crazy thing is apparently James simplified it a bit from Jason's original idea, which begs the question, how crazy was this riff when Jason first thought of it?!
Are u kidding...the riff is the toughest to play with constant down stroke...
@@mc12358totally agree with ur opinions..I've been playing this over years ...but not enough Alternative down stroke
Is not something we used to play
Haha, dig the redone version of Seek and Destroy for the intro
"Search" & destroy?? What album ya find that on? Hack em' all?
It's like the happy version of Seek and Destroy. Seek and give hugs.
BDaMonkey seek and enjoy
lol ikr everything sound funny in the other key. the funniest ones gotta be smoke on the water in major
ok. so, after 35 years, that "seek and destroy" riff is fucking haunting me AGAIN. mercy ;-) !!!
One of their best songs, thanks to Newsted!
You missed out the slight variation second time around
Richard Sawkins yeah the A# or Bb high then low octive.
Yeah. For 20 years I thought it was played this way, until recently when I realized that variation where the note is played an octave down. Mind was blown.
andersjaevel same here. I knew something always sounded different that second time around but I couldn't figure out what it was, until I saw another guy playing it right. It was like the heavens opened up and everything made sense.
And tabs?
Giovanny Herrera the second time playing the riff instead of the usual 07070787
You instead switch the 8th fret on a A string to the 6th fret on the low E string
my favourite album. easily. a masterpiece of harmonies. has an almost classical feel at times.
Played by James at lightning fast speed in Seattle 1989
licas de marchi
All the while singing at the same time.
Dao Yang and downpicking
@@daoyang6055 He sing on the easier parts of the song, in which proper accents coincide with start of words. The hard part is that the time signature changes pretty often during that same time.
Look into some earlier concerts immediately after cliffs death, you will be absolutely blown away
Thanks for taking the time to make this! As a long time fan of Metallica and "Playing" guitar for ten years, you corrected a major problem in my playing!
Man! How did I not know this existed this intro has stumped me for eternity. Thanks uncle Ben you're a life saver
I was watching James play this in their rehearsal studio or backstage and omg how he does that downstroke just amazes me. Another epic Vid Uncle Ben!!
Great lesson...and feel so much better it wasn't just me struggling with that riff tail end for the last 29 years.
In today's installment of things I should have learned to play 30 years ago. What I needed was the stepdad speed to make sure I had it right. And I did. Thank you, sir.
YES!! Thanks for taking the time to do this, Uncle Ben!
Regardless if there is a wrong note or not, I still appreciate you taking the time and effort to do this. I look forward to more videos from ya!
I'm more impressed with your picking on this riff than the fingering, even though the latter was a bigger focus in this video - masterful!
Thank you! Picking up a guitar for the first time since I was a punk kid, and I really enjoyed this.
I went through this exercise of working out the notes myself years ago, and I play them the exact same way as you, so that's a +1 from me!
Man you keep being awesome all the time! Loved this one.
Cool, made the riff a lot more manageable than in thought it would be, thank you. I found for me, the extra hit on bottom E after part b helps me bridge the step back to part A.
thank you. "that part" has bamboozled me for ever.
Thanks for taking your time to do this.
Thanks for these videos. Good material, helps me out a lot all the time.
Hey uncle ben!
I've always learned a lot from your short footage of weekend wankshops
I'll be joining Korean army on coming Monday, and have always wanted to show you respect and thankfulness!
Hope you gain the success you're looking for in your field!
Thank you very much for this. This intro riff really mess me up for a very long time. Never really satisfied with the tab that i've learned for years. This video really clear it up.
Thank you so much man,the blackened riff had me confused for so long😭😭
One thing left out… From what I understand, the main intro has a 1-note difference which alternates each time. The 7,8,7 on the A & D strings is played 7,6,7 on the E & A strings every other time. Carl Brown has it in his lesson, and it’s semi-surprisingly also noted in the tab on Ultimate Guitar.
yes, exactly, you can hear it, every second time it ends on E string 6th fret.
Good ear mate! 🤟👂 🤟
Where have you been 25 years ago when I first tried to master this riff,-)
Really awesome work - again!
The advise at 5:57 is what helped me nail the timing of this entire riff. So thanks for that!
Yep. That's the part that gets me. Up till now, I've just been sorta glossing over it, as it's really easy to do since there sounds like so much going on in it. This is a lot easier than what I had been doing, lol
Thanks!
The videos are great! I haven't picked a guitar up in over 10 yrs, my 5 year old is now taking an interest so these are great reviews of things I used to know or thought I knew. I think my wife and I are going to get him one of those four string seagull guitars just to get him used to playing on real strings. He's got the moves and the attitude down pat.
Awesome dude. Great lessons
Hey, great channel. Also you have a very nice tone even through the camera mic! Cheers.
Great breakdown, thanks!
I 😄 love what you did with the background tunes man 👍
I've been trying to figure that out for years! thanks!
This is gold. Thanks
The official tab has fucked me up on this song for so long and I never could figure out why I couldn't sound even close to the album. Now I know why! Thanks for the lesson!
Thanks a heap Uncle Ben!!!
I cant get off from my head seek n destroy in major key...
Finally! A correct lesson of Blackened 🤘
Well done uncle Ben thanks
Uncle Ben....playing a Suhr???.....AWESOME!!
Jeebus, been playing it this way for a decade now. Glad to see Uncle Ben confirming I did it correctly lol
5:40 through 6:00 has screwed me up for years!
Thanks so much
OMG.....you nailed the turn around. All these years....I was two notes off.. :)
Thanks Uncle!
Hey uncle ben you should do a lesson on butterfly picking. For example the intro to cowboys from hell goes back and forth between the E and A strings
Yes please! Would love to learn the best way to play that riff, as straight alternate picking makes it really awkward
Gotta love the Seek and Destroy in a Major key in the intro... NICE
FINALLY A NICE TUTORIAL!!!!
I am a Marshall guy. I have played JCM 800 2203 all my life. But I just bought a Mesa Boogie Mark III just to play the And Justice For All and Master of Puppets record. Holy shit they sound amazing
You play it exactly the way I play it! :)
Wow, that's been bugging me for 15+ years. Thanks so much for clearing it up.
That Seek and Destroy intro kills me!😂😂😂😂
buen aporte, me ayudo en ese riff, gracias
Someone should convince James to make an entire album of one of their previous albums, but the entire thing including the lyrics in MAJOR.
Thumbs WAY up! I’ve butchered that part for decades. Ty!!!!!!!
Been playing for 30 years , had rhe tab book , left guitar.... got back into guitar and I realllly struggle with this riff! Maybe not now!!!
More metal riff lessons please Uncle Ben! :D
I did the same thing long time ago and find exactly the same pattern as yours after looping the part forever. Must be it!!
Whatever you are saying is drowned by that amazing delightful version of Seek & Destroy
Hell yeah dude that’s exactly how I play it to. The changes in the rhythm are crazy fast. I feel like I’m having a stroke when I’m playing that song.
You are just the best.
This one has had me for a long ass time!!! Thanks for the video!
Very great job sir! Ez sub!
Already been playing it this way but thanks for the reasurance
That's not how it's played. Appreciate you taking the time to make a video on a legendary riff and not knocking you. I've met James twice, in which I tell the full story with pics and video of those two meeting back in 94'. In which I get my guitar signed and had James play that riff for me. The F on the A string is a pull off to the A# power chord. Just a fyi. Wishing you well.
Love your Vids! Subscribed.
As someone who grew up playing guitar almost exclusively to Metallica it's really fun to see that everyone else was struggling with the same sections after all these years. Especially to all of us with the Cherry Lane tab books.... /shudder.
I think what makes this riff difficult for most is the fact that it's in 7/4
Gibson Devens Main riff is 7/4, verse is 6/4, chorus is 4/4.
I think the only song worse than this is the middle section of Eye of the Beholder.
MKDumas1981 for sure the song has a little bit of a progressive tinge which is super cool but odd time signatures do give people trouble. I don't know why though every odd time signature can be broken down into groups of 2, 3 or 4 beats. Like 5/4 can be broken down into a bar of 3/4 followed by a bar of 2/4. Similarly 7/4 can be broken down into 4/4 followed by 3/4.
Gibson Devens That's true. The reason it's 7/4 is because that's the easiest way to contain the riff (reasonably) in as few measures as possible. Even an orchestra conductor would do four beats to the inside, then three outside. It is 4/4+3/4, but changing time signatures every single measure would kill people.
Heh, and then there is this band.
ua-cam.com/video/amodU65_Qt4/v-deo.html
@Orion Rahman 4:4 is what 99% of all hip hop and pop music is, four quarter notes. Like if you count 1, 2, 3, 4 to the beat while you nod your head. Now, follow that same beat but count to 7. That's 7:4. Disclaimer, this explanation is probably terrible! Just look for some vids explaining it with examples.
Thanks uncle ben man you have helped solve some of the most wanted riffs ever
dig the major sounding harmony seek and destroy bit...
+RENO USPSA I love how cheesy it sounds haha
Excellent stuff and a great track choice....step-dad speed here we come ;)
Correct! Except for one detail : the Bb tritone in the head of the riff is played first time high octave (D string) second time low octave (E string), etc… I grabbed that from the isolated guitar track available on youtube.
Been playing for 1 year and this riff always confused me, thanks for clearing it up Ben!
Mate I've been trying to nail this riff in and off for the past 30 years!!! Haha! I'm now 50!
I was just thinking about learning this....
Ben, dude, thanks for this. And I do think your way is the correct way (I wonder if they ever play it differently just to throw people off though??)
HAHA!! \m/ Disregard the Blackened request on one of your other videos. I finally saw the Search button at the top of your videos page! Love it!
Nice! Id like to see you rundown the shortest straw solo
man cannot live on shred alone!
thanks! Been struggling with that one since the CD came out... LOL
I was a touch off. Thanks Ben!!!!!!!!
Thank you!!!!!!!
Even James plays this riff wrong live. Too tricky/fast for live I guess
andersjaevel actually he played it like this I till around 2016 and I think it’s because Lars rushes everything nowadays so he just made it slightly easier for him and kirk
jonny j early 2000s ?? Even at the seattle live in 89 he plays it "wrong". Check it he plays it almost perfect the very first time and after that it s chopped throughout the entire song. It does not help he plays it much faster too
It's OK the lower Bb part of the riff wasn't included, it's not the part we needed.
hahaha THANK YOU, i have no idea how that slipped by me! I guess i was so focused on the gallopy ending part that it slipped my mind!!!
@@BenEller And in the the gallopy ending I think that the fisrt time play A#, Gb, G, B only 1 time C and then F and 2 times E. After, in the next riffs sounds 2 times C. And other thing I notice is that a couple of times he plays A#, Gb, G, B, 2 times C and also two times E, without F. I listened it with VLC at 0,25x and I'm pretty sure. What do you think?
i'd think to make a similar video for holy wars, i had to learn the song by watching mustaine play because out of 20 tabs, none was right, from the timing, to the first riff (dave tweeted the right progression because everyone was playing it wrong) to the singed rhythmic part. great vid as always.
Haha this also eluded me for freaking years!
On the end of the riff, where you play the B-flat power chord into those muted notes, I always played a B-Flat after the G.
In other words, I did B-flat chord, then the muted run of F#-G-Eb-C-C-F, then back to E.
Thanks for clearing this up, Ben. Struggled with this but even at "MTV unplugged" speed. Right, so the A# power chords are played thusly...🤘😖
Suhr that nice
this happy seek and destroy is great!
2:03 woah way cool transition effect
N.B. The second time round (i.e. once you've completed the riff as you show in the video), the first half of the riff resolves itself slightly differently on the last two notes: 6th fret on E-string then 7th fret on A-string; rather than 8th fret on D-string then 7th fret on A-string.
cool. good to know I was never playing it wrong.
Also, could you do a tips n tricks video for pull offs?
Nice Kemper!
I laughed at the tab when I saw it in the 90's too. But the way I've always done it the same as you but the last 3 notes of the riff (the descending duh duh dun dun) are G, F#, and open or 3rd fret, 2nd fret, and open E.
Awsome bud ! Great fuckin videos i wathed like 10 so far man well done ! Very helpfull
Thank you very much for this video , i´m working on that song atm and my Tab was also wrong , but i noticed it directly as i tried it is . Had to change the entire tab lol . Also the Verse was wrong haha
for me the hardest part was always that double pick on the A string, i discovered it got easier if i dont palm mute as hard