Metallica - Nothing Else Matters Pt.2 - Solo - Guitar Lesson

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Metallica - Nothing Else Matters Pt.2 - Solo - Guitar Lesson

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Metallica (Remastered) album cover
Metallica (Remastered)
1991 6:29
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

Nothing Else Matters Pt.2 - Solo


"Nothing Else Matters" is a power ballad by Metallica, released on April 20, 1992 as the third single from their self-titled fifth studio album. It reached number one in Denmark and broke into the top ten across many European charts, making it one of the band's most recognized tracks. The solo section is a rewarding study for electric guitarists, blending melodic phrasing with emotional restraint that contrasts the heavier side of Metallica's catalog.

  • The song peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart and number six on the UK Singles Chart.
  • As a power ballad, the solo relies on melodic expression rather than speed, making it accessible for intermediate guitarists.
  • "Nothing Else Matters" has become a live performance staple for Metallica, appearing consistently in their setlists over the decades.
Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Kirk Hammett's vintage 1959 'Greeny' Les Paul Standard delivers warmer, more dynamic PAF-style tones that contrast his EMG-equipped ESP guitars, adding organic sustain to his lead work. This guitar's traditional construction gives his solos a thicker, less compressed character than his signature models.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

While not Hammett's primary choice, the Les Paul Custom shares the Les Paul's warm PAF pickup character and thick body resonance, offering heavier players an alternative to Strat-style designs for achieving Metallica's crushing rhythm tones.

Gibson Explorer
Guitar

Gibson Explorer

James Hetfield's early Gibson Explorer established his signature angular shape and thick body tone, delivering the aggressive midrange attack essential to Metallica's crushing rhythm style before his ESP signature models became his primary tool.

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier
Amp

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

Kirk Hammett's Dual Rectifier heads provide the high-gain, midrange-forward aggression that lets his solos cut through Hetfield's scooped rhythm tone, creating definition and clarity in Metallica's dense wall of distortion.

EMG 81
Pickup

EMG 81

Hetfield's bridge EMG 81 delivers the hot, compressed output with tight low-end that defines Metallica's palm-muted riffs, the ceramic magnet and active preamp cutting through heavy arrangements with focused, aggressive attack.

EMG 60
Pickup

EMG 60

Both guitarists use the neck EMG 60 for warmer, more articulate rhythm tones and smoother lead voicings, balancing the 81's aggression with clearer note definition across Metallica's dense arrangements.