Solo Tone

My Friend of Misery

Metallica

Guitarmetal1990s

Original Gear

GuitarESP MX220 (James Hetfield's main guitar for the Black Album era)

AmpDirect-in (DI) from distortion pedal, likely Boss DS-1 or MXR Distortion+ (no amp mic'd for solo section)

PickupsEMG 81 (bridge), EMG 60 (neck) active humbuckers

Amp Settings

gain8

bass6

mid3.5

treble7

reverb0.5

presence5.5

Effects & Signal Chain

distortionBoss or MXR Distortion pedal (Boss DS-1 or MXR Distortion+ likely, exact model unknown)

Notes

Studio recording, 1991. Solo section was recorded direct from a distortion pedal, not through a traditional amp. No evidence of live rig or amp being used for this part.

Tone Character(10)

tight and percussivescooped midshigh-gain saturationarticulate lead linesminimal ambiencecompressed and focusedmetallic edgedry and directslightly nasal upper midsprecise note separation

Difficulty

The solo requires tight synchronization for harmonies, clean alternate picking, and accurate position shifts, but does not involve extreme technical demands like sweep picking or tapping.

Sources

Metallica's My Friend of Misery Solo Tone - Amps - Harmony Central My Friend of Misery : r/Metallica - Reddit My Friend Of Misery Harmony Part Guitar Tone : r/Metallica - Reddit

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