With 28 albums, 8 Grammy Awards, and a home in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Metallica have been creating iconic music together for over 40 years. Now, they’re teaching what it takes to build and sustain success as a group. Get an exclusive look into their process for songwriting, building an album, and performing, and how they took charge of their creative destiny so you can do the same.
Overview
Syllabus
- Meet Your Instructors
- Explore what it takes to thrive creatively and professionally as a band with rock pioneers Metallica. Your instructors—James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Robert Trujillo—share what it takes to be a band that lasts.
- From Riff to Song
- Learn to create music as a band with insights into how a Metallica song is built—from collecting guitar riffs and writing intros to using the jam to generate ideas and build tension in your songs
- Deconstructing “Enter Sandman”
- Delve deeper into the mechanics of songwriting with one of Metallica’s most beloved songs, “Enter Sandman.” The band breaks down the riffs of the song to reveal how the song was made and to unlock the key to its success.
- Navigating Egos and Giving Criticism
- Learn how to set up a communication style that is conducive to creative collaboration. Members will walk away with practical tips for giving constructive criticism and managing conflict in the service of doing what’s best for the project.
- Writing Lyrics
- As the writer of most of Metallica’s lyrics, James Hetfield has developed a unique method of letting the lyrics follow the music. Learn how to use the voice as a percussive instrument, keep track of ideas, and write lyrics inspired by life.
- Song Deconstruction: “Master of Puppets”
- Metallica’s members break down their iconic song “Master of Puppets” and explore what makes their sound “heavy”—from chord choice to techniques like downpicking. Band members also discuss their influences, and how they created their signature sound.
- Building a Rock Solo From the Blues
- Learn how to write a guitar solo by drawing inspiration from simple scales and blues chords. Get inspired to start improvising on your guitar with tips and tricks from Metallica’s lead guitarist, Kirk Hammett.
- Exploring Dynamics: The Song “One”
- Metallica reflects on the making of the song “One”: the inspiration for the song, its structure, and its accompanying video—the band’s first foray into making music videos.
- Performance Techniques
- The audience-performer relationship is complex. Learn how to perform at your best while creating intimacy with your audience. Boost your confidence on stage with strategies honed by Metallica over four decades of playing live stadium shows.
- The Bass Sound
- Bass guitar virtuoso Robert Trujillo explores the vast possibilities of his instrument. Learn how to construct the right sound for every situation and find your place within the song.
- The Fifth Member of the Band
- Metallica sees fans as the fifth member of the band. In this lesson, the band teaches how to connect with fans, and shares tips for elements such as stage design and ticket pricing to help develop and nurture a lifelong relationship with them.
- Putting Together an Album
- Metallica teaches the nuts and bolts of making an album, including how to sequence songs to create balance, and the process for moving multiple songs forward at the same time.
- Securing Your Band’s Future
- Musicians often feel tempted to give their work away for free. In this lesson, Metallica shares inspiring guidance for how to value your work and time as an artist and how to support your band.
- Taking Charge of Your Creative Destiny
- Metallica gives parting advice on how to embrace the challenge in your journey, harness collaborative energy, and take risks as you keep an eye on the possibilities just around the corner.
- A Live Performance With Metallica
- Now that you’ve had a firsthand look at Metallica’s creative process, see it all come together with an exclusive, members-only performance to close out the class.
Taught by
Metallica
