Toughest riff in the Metallica catalog?

[Special-K]

I agree with Chad...
RacerX I guess your names tells us all
You must get used to it and then it`s easy

[GodOfRhythm]

That tail on the blackened riff IS indeed a bitch. That little gallop on the A string gets me every time.

[Dan]

I have always heard Hetfield Uses Downstrokes as well.I agree "Justice" stuff is very technical. See I have a Problem,when I am bored,I "Pick" with my right had alot.Whether on my knee,on a chair,etc. MOP has some really hard parts,but one challenge is to pull of"Fight Fire with Fire",I remember back in the summer of 1991,I was laying down after going out,and ~ 2:00am, "Master" came on the radio.I heard something I never heard before,and called my friend IMMEDIATELY(he also went out with us) and I told him.Now I always catch it.

[RacerX]

I heard something I never heard before,and called my friend IMMEDIATELY(he also went out with us) and I told him.Now I always catch it.

What might that be, pray tell?

[Dan]

I always jacked around with the "Master of puppets" song and that night when the part said"Obey your Master" I noticed the guitar part.It sounded like a Hammer on and pull off.I never noticed that before. I am sure most of you guys heard that before,but that parts sticks with me,including the Phone Call.

[GodOfRhythm]

Yeah that's the coolest part of that riff, imho, makes it fucking evil sounding!

[delt]

THat Damage Inc riff is probably hardest, with the Battary main riff and Blacken main (chorus) riff coming in a close second

First songs i thought of when i saw this thread: Damage Inc, battery, and blackened =)

Though i do play riffs like the Master of Puppets thing with alternate picking, and even slower ones too. These days i try to alternate-pick most stuff and get rid of the habit of doing mini-sweeps ("economy" picking) when it's not necessary.


I like this riff from MoP, it's cool to play and sounds nice:


------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------4----
-------------------------------------------------------------4----
-----2-----3-----4-----3-----2-2-----2-----3-----4-----3-----2----
-0-1---0-1---0-1---0-1---0-1-----0-1---0-1---0-1---0-1---0-1------ etcetc...

[delt]

Pisses me off that I was such a alternate picker, sounds 10 times better when you play it all down.

It's not -supposed- to sound different if you have good RH technique. Your upstroke should be equal to your downstroke, ie. if you can play that riff (or anything else) all down, then you should be able to play it all up as well.

[Trem]

MOP, could never play it perfectly - comfortably, turned my arm to rubber.

[RobRR]

I usually "alternate" pick MOP... takes a bit to get it to sound right, but if you practice it enough noone will ever be able to tell youre not down picking the whole time. Battery is a pretty tough one to play all the way through, aleast on the picking hand... its a damn good workout!

[Soap]

It may not be the toughest, even so and regardless, I personally like the solo in One.

[wibble]

It sure can. Some recommend playing your guitar while watching tv or something, that will help get your mind off the guitarplaying. I think the trick isn't overfocusing on the playing, you should learn to let it "flow", so it almost becomes second nature, more of a subconcious thing It's just a matter of practise tho, like everything else!

Doesn`t work for me, i can sit and chat to someone whilst playing, or stare at the tv, no problems, start singing and it all goes to ratshit lol.

Metallica riff wise, i`ve no probs with the rythem guitar for most parts so long as its distorted, use a mix of picking, up/down, depending on how tired my wrist gets. Its the acoustic chordy riffs i have more probs with. Being self learnt and playing nothing but thrash & 80`s metal, chords and finger movements within chords just don`t come naturally. Example would be One, first couple of rythems are fine but then it gets all jangly and throws me out, just can`t get the notes/timing within that phrase that it changes right before the first verse.

Regarding Megadeth, Lucretia..... still can`t play that opening riff cleanly after umpteen years of practice lol, but its such a cool riff!!!

[MartinBarre]

We can all take heart from the fact Kirk probably couldn't learn those songs nowadays if he had to. Makes ME feel better anyway.

[XxKilgannonxX]

Ive always found the Dyers Eve riff hard
Also Battery...Im bad with Triplets...

[MartinBarre]

. Example would be One, first couple of rythems are fine but then it gets all jangly and throws me out, just can`t get the notes/timing within that phrase that it changes right before the first verse.

Regarding Megadeth, Lucretia..... still can`t play that opening riff cleanly after umpteen years of practice lol, but its such a cool riff!!!

Yeah I know what you mean - but remember certain songs are recorded using much more than one or two guitar tracks. So you could be trying to play something on one guitar that was recorded using ten different guitars.
And Megadeth? I really need to sit down and learn the "Tornado" riff.