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Master of Puppets

MetallicaView all Metallica tabs

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Master of Puppets by Metallica

Released in 1986 as the title track of Metallica's album Master of Puppets, this song helped define the aggressive, precise style that would become thrash metal's blueprint. Written by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, with contributions from Kirk Hammett, it features relentless riffs and a commanding groove that remains a rite of passage for players chasing speed and control.

The writing and recording lore around Master of Puppets is legendary: the band pushed themselves to the limit to capture the track's machine-like propulsion, layering tight palm-muted chug with melodic leads and a dramatic lyrical concept about control and manipulation. Its cultural impact extends beyond metal fans, influencing generations of players and producers while becoming a benchmark piece for rhythm, timing, and dynamic technique.

🎸 Want to know the techniques, practice tips, and lesson details? Scroll below the lesson!

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What You'll Learn

In this lesson, you’ll break down the signature intro riff built on power chords and palm-muted chugs, then move through the verse riff with rapid alternate picking, the aggressive chorus stabs, and a focused lead break. You’ll learn how to keep even timing at high speeds, manage string muting to avoid squeals, and handle transitions between sections, plus practical practice plans and a suggested metronome progression to build speed safely.

Advanced; prior skills in tight palm muting, consistent down-picking/alternate picking, and clean power-chord transitions will help you master the pace and precision.

🎸 Techniques Used

Palm MutingDown-Picking / Alternate PickingPower ChordsTremolo Picking

Practice Tips

💡Start slow with a metronome; loop the main riff at a comfortable tempo (around 60-70 BPM) and increase speed by small increments while preserving accuracy.
💡Focus on crisp palm muting and precise down-strokes to avoid string noise; use a moderate amount of gain to hear the muting clearly.
💡Practice each section separately, then combine them with deliberate transitions until you can move between verse, chorus, and lead smoothly at higher speeds.