Practice Studio

Metallica - ...And Justice for All - Guitar Tab

Sections · Loop · Speed · Metronome

Not in tune?

SECTIONS

Select a Loop

Start of your loop
End of your loop

Speed Control

Speed
100%

Tools

BPM
Key E minor
PLAY WITH BACKING TRACK
·
–50¢ 0 +50¢
· Tap to start

Your browser will ask for microphone permission.

Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
AI tone preset

AI-selected preset based on genre and era — adjust the knobs to taste.

Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.

The Songbook of Tails and Justice album cover
The Songbook of Tails and Justice
2026 5:20
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About ...And Justice for All


Few Metallica tracks test a guitarist's endurance and precision quite like "...And Justice for All." Running through a web of time signature shifts and relentless palm-muted riffing, the song demands that your right hand stay locked in and consistent across very long stretches. The tuning is Eb Standard, so drop everything down a half step before you start. At 102 BPM the tempo feels approachable at first, but the sheer number of distinct riff sections means there is a lot to memorize before any of it feels comfortable. Metallica built this track around angular, syncopated thrash metal riffing rather than flashy soloing, so clean palm-mute articulation and accurate chord changes are the real challenge. Pick out the trickiest transitions, set a loop around them in the Practice Toolbar, and work them at a reduced speed before pushing back up to full tempo. Getting the muting tight and the rhythm even is what makes this one sound right.

  • The song is in Eb Standard tuning, so tune every string down a half step before playing along with the recording.
  • Most of the work is in the right hand: tight, consistent palm muting across long syncopated riff sequences is the core technical demand.
  • The track moves through multiple distinct riff sections with shifting rhythmic feels, making section-by-section memorization the most practical way to learn it.

How to Play ...And Justice for All

Tuning: Eb Standard · Key: E minor · Tempo: 102 BPM

It is played in Eb standard, a half step down, so tune down before you start or every position and bend will sit a half step sharp against the recording.

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 102 BPM to build it up to tempo.

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.

Play with Backing Track

Play with Backing Track

Solo (Backing Track)

Solo (Backing Track)