Nothing Else Matters

How to play Nothing Else Matters by Metallica on guitar

Nothing Else Matters is a great song to learn because it feels steady, dramatic, and rewarding right away. You get a strong, familiar flow that sounds big even when you play it simply, so it is a good choice if you want something expressive without rushing.

Most of the song uses open shapes like Em, D, C, G, A, Am, and E, with B as the harder barre shape to watch for. The main change to listen for is the move from Em - D - C - Em, since that shift sets the feel and can trip you up if your hand lifts too far between shapes.

Start by looping the opening progression slowly and cleanly, making each chord ring. Then practice the tougher B shape by itself before putting it back into the full sequence. Once the changes feel automatic, bring it up to tempo in small steps and keep your strums even.

Use the play-along above to follow each chord change in time with the music, or learn the shapes first with the chord diagrams below.