James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett give guitar lessons as Metallica partner with Yousician

“The best way to play like us is to play with us,” James Hetfield says in a new clip promoting Metallica's new partnership with online guitar lesson platform Yousician.

The just-launched collaboration – which consists of three guitar-focused video courses on riffs, lead and rhythm – offers Metallica fans a chance to do just that and learn the band's biggest hits – including Enter Sandman, Nothing Else Matters and One, as well as the “real way” to play Master of Puppets – straight from the thrash legends themselves.

With Yousician's gamified user experience and patented AI technology, players are given realtime feedback to help hone in on the specific techniques employed by Hetfield and Kirk Hammett in the band's biggest tracks.

Metallica x Yousician also sees Hetfield and Hammett break down essential skills like double bends, provide invaluable insight into songwriting, share details of their pre-show rituals and more.

Players will also receive a primer on downpicking from Hetfield, undoubtedly the most qualified man in the world on the subject. “I've always been infatuated with rhythm and syncopation – I basically play drums on guitar,” he says. “Probably the most important thing is the downpicking.”

Other songs that feature step-by-step tutorials include Fade to Black, Welcome Home (Sanitarium), The Unforgiven, Battery, Mama Said and For Whom the Bell Tolls.

“The Metallica x Yousician courses get guitar players up close and personal with the master musicians they idolize,” says Hadley Spanier, Head of Artist Partnerships at Yousician. “Players will have the opportunity to learn how to play like Metallica straight from Metallica.

“The unique course pairs unmatched access to the band with Yousician's AI technology so that guitarists-in-training not only get to learn from the masters, but also get the feedback they need to improve. Players will feel like they are part of the band, playing alongside their idols as they try to master some of the greatest guitar-driven songs of all time.”

“You'll learn how to play Metallica songs the way we play them,” adds bassist Rob Trujillo.

To try the platform for free for seven days, or to subscribe for a year at a limited-time offer of $97.99, head to Yousician.

Yousician is certainly on a roll in 2022. Back in April, the company launched GuitarTuna Play, an app which uses AI tech to auto-scroll chord sheets in time with your playing.