Is This HETFIELD 'Live-Hack' the Down-Picking Solution We All Needed?

Is This HETFIELD "Live-Hack" the Down-Picking Solution We All Needed?
Worked like a charm for me and I know it'll help you keep up too.
Thanks for watching!
Thanks!!!

[AnEphemeralCollation]

Glad to hear that Kirk is taking care of the notes in between. He's come a long way.

[steveort]

He's been doing this for YEARS. At least since the late 90s. I think it mostly simplifies his playing whilst singing.

[paulwright]

According to Mr.Beato, they actually recorded MoP detuned, and slower. It was then sped up to concert pitch and the vocals layered on top. This gives the song a more "precise feel" and also, meant James could downstroke all the parts and not missing out notes.

[mason]

Thank you for your deep analysis on Hetpicking, this and your previous videos on downpicking have really helped me improve!!

[TheBranDingo]

I always figured he did these sorts of things in his songs to help him focus on his singing rather than just making it easier to play.

[alexandregarot]

Getting rid off the "notes in between" should be called a Hammet hack, actually ^^

[ink]

I don't always play the last two notes of the main riff to make it easier for me. Finding out that James does it like that makes me feel better lol

[tomt.]

There seems to be another hack, pointed out by Ben Eller and visible on this Metallica show: that James plays the downstrokes not so much "down" as "out", moving his hand, like, away from guitar, to save time and effort not having to return the pick above the string to initial position

[raffaeleguido]

James also uses the "three finger picking" technique, he said it helps him a lot in downstroking

[fit]

Mike, your attention to the smallest details like these are reasons your channel is my favorite guitar channel on YouTube. Thanks man!!

[NebMunb]

James is a rhythmic GOD!! Those micro-pauses, augmenting notes & note length....so good. You can definitely tell the difference between live and album when you hear it, but it's understandable that he had to change the rhythm up a bit 😅

[razeezar]

My MOP hack is in the (edit: pre verse) riff - Whenever it is the end of a bar with the two 8th note B notes (A string 2nd fret), upstroking that last B note helps heaps. As an added bonus, the notes on this string are not played muted anyway during this riff, therefore a sneaky upstroke here and there makes little to no compromise on how the riff should sound.

[robertocruz]

I am happy you put this video out. I noticed precisely the same thing recently in some video they posted and thought "Damn!!! Is it just me or is James playing it it differently?" Glad to see it wasn't me. I'll let you know how it goes. Been playing full version building up speed and am so far at 85-90/100

[kooldawg]

For him to play not only MOP, but probably half of their catalog after 30+ years, he's definitely earned a break here and there! It still amazes me how anybody from the metal community who tour so much can still do their older stuff justice after a 25+ year career! Being almost 50 myself and literally growing up with Metallica since '87, it will definitely feel weird knowing they're not touring and making music anymore when they call it quits😲

[jamesb]

Great video as always! I’ve been playing this song for 35 years and have never been able to play the intro full speed all down picking perfectly. Someday I hope, but time is not on my side.

[Hoscitt]

He's done this quite a bit for a few years now, starting alternate picking some parts as well. Age catching up!

[haydnthrelfall]

Hey thanks so much for sharing all these tips for MOP. My 11 yr old son is just beginning to learn the first few riffs with his guitar teacher and we all have taken on board your observations and tips. Cheers! 🤘🤘❤

[jameshetfieldtm]

I've been playing this song for almost 3 years now, and I still have to warm up to get every note in time! One hell of a song, and super challenging.

[llduck]

I can get through the whole thing exactly how it sounds on the album, no issues. once you've been downpicking so long you can eventually micro-downpick and that's how I manage so my wrist doesn't even hurt at all for the most part. I've actually noticed a lot of what you brought out in even earlier live performances so I've already been trying to implement mostly the upstroked power chords cause i just thought it looked cool.

[dominicteixeira]

Got a talent show on this song in 2 days, downstroking endurance is my only flaw with this song. This is definitely gonna help me out