Megadeth - Mary Jane - Guitar Tab

So Far, So Good...So What!

1988 4:25

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About Mary Jane

From the 1988 album "So Far, So Good...So What!", "Mary Jane" is one of the more unsettling tracks Megadeth ever recorded, and that uneasy quality comes through in the guitar work from the very first notes. The riff writing leans on chromatic movement and dissonant intervals that feel slippery under the fingers, so getting them clean at tempo takes real focus. E minor gives the low strings a lot of natural weight, and exploiting open-string resonance against fretted notes is part of what makes the main riffs feel so heavy. The song shifts between grinding mid-tempo chug sections and faster melodic runs, which means your left-hand muting discipline has to stay switched on throughout. The lead playing involves rapid position shifts and bends that can catch you off guard the first few times. Pick out the trickiest transition and use the Practice Toolbar to loop it slowed down until the fingering feels automatic before bringing it back up to speed.

• The riffs rely heavily on chromatic, semitone-step movement in E minor, so clean fretting and consistent pick attack are the main technical challenges.
• Tight palm muting is essential during the chug sections, since any slippage in muting technique quickly blurs the rhythmic groove.
• Use the Practice Toolbar to isolate the lead breaks and slow them down, as the position shifts happen faster than they first appear.