How Metallica Would Sound If They Played in C Tuning

(Image credit: Roger Kisby/Getty Images)

Two months ago, the gang from the Paranormal Guitar Channel asked the musical question, "What If Metallica Played a Whole Step Down?" They even made a very popular video that answered the question for us. (Note: That video has since been removed from YouTube.)

Anyway, they're back with a brand-new "downtuned Metallica" video. This time, they're demonstrating how 10 classic Metallica riffs would sound if were played in standard C tuning.

The 10 songs in the clip include a lot of the usual suspects: "Seek & Destroy," "For Whom the Bell Tolls," "Fade to Black," "Creeping Death," "Orion" and "Master of Puppets," plus "Wherever I May Roam" and, if our math is correct, three more.

They also created a bonus clip called "Downtuned Metallica Riffs Comparison: Original vs. Standard C Tuning" to drive home the point, and we've included that too (bottom video). Enjoy.

If you still haven't heard the brand-new Metallica song, "Atlas, Rise!" (released by the band last night), you can correct that by clicking here.

Damian Fanelli

Damian is editor-in-chief of Guitar World magazine. From 1998 to 2014, he was one third of Mister Neutron, an instrumental rock act that toured the universe and elsewhere and released three albums via Austin-based Deep Eddy Records. These days he performs with several New York City-area bands and can often be spotted with one of his many, many, many B-bender-equipped guitars. In past lives he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor – and he still can’t believe he got to write the liner notes for the latest SRV box set.