How did Kirk Hammett become a guitar god?

Metallica’s lead guitarist Kirk Hammett was listed as number 11 on the Rolling Stones’ list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. While playing with Metallica, Hammett contributed to many hit songs, developed some killer riffs and earned him and his band seven Grammy Awards. Metallica is considered one of the best known heavy metal bands and has produced many very popular albums, including their self-titled album which sold 15 million copies. Four of Metallica’s albums reached number one on the Billboard 200 and their combined record sales for all albums are around 95 million. If you’re a guitarist and you’d love to replicate Kirk Hammett’s rock star hit, follow some advice from the man himself.

Hammett has a true love for playing the guitar and for music in general. This could explain why he claims to play the guitar 361 days a year. If you’re looking for guitar tips from Hammett, the first is to practice obsessively. Hammett started playing guitar when he was 15 years old with an unimpressive guitar he got from a Montgomery Ward catalog. He decided he needed an amp for his guitar, so he made one out of a shoebox and a four-inch speaker. Eventually, he got a job as a dishwasher at Burger King to finance his musical bent. It wasn’t long before Hammett was able to upgrade to a Fender Stratocaster and then move on to his all-time favorite, a 1974 Gibson Flying V. Another suggestion from Hammett is that he doesn’t have to be in possession of the best gear. available. He just has to start somewhere and work with what he has until he gets better and can upgrade. Hammett definitely didn’t start out with the fanciest musical gear, but his love of music and playing the guitar kept him going.

Hammett is a man who is constantly curious and interested in learning new things. He is quoted as saying that “a life lived unexplored is a life not worth living”. This character trait worked well for him at some levels of his career as a guitarist. His curiosity kept him experimenting with different techniques on his guitar in a quest to develop something truly unique. This gave rise to the “Frankenstein” technique that Hammett invented by using different pickups and amplifier combinations. After Hammett joined Metallica, his desire to learn and explore motivated him to join the ranks of other guitar greats and take guitar lessons from Joe Satriani. This was a great career move for him because it enhanced his skills as a well-rounded musician when he learned to play jazz, classical and blues from Satriani.

Finally, Kirk Hammett is a humble guy. One night at 3:15 in the morning when he was on tour with Metallica and staying in a hotel room, he composed the famous riff that is included in Metallica’s most popular single “Enter Sandman”. “Enter Sandman” was the first single from Metallica’s self-titled album, which sold 15 million copies. Hammett could have considered himself an accomplished great musician at this point and given up trying to improve his craft. However, even after the huge success of Metallica, Hammett had the humility to admit that he could learn much more about guitars. He enrolled in guitar lessons at the local San Francisco City College to continue improving his skills and working on his craft.

Overall, Kirk Hammett is a passionate guitar player who is consistent with his practice and dedicated to learning and improving his skills. He remains humble even after the great success of his band and his music. These traits combine to make Kirk Hammett one of the greatest guitarists of all time.