The Thing That Should Not Be Bass Tab by Metallica

The Thing That Should Not Be bass tab by Metallica (Ver. 2)

Bass Tab

Song: The Thing That Should Not Be
Artist: Metallica
Album: Master of Puppets (1986)
Bassist: Cliff Burton

Standard tuning, Drop D (DADG)

🏷Legend:
r = rest
() = sustained note
s = 16th note (appears above bar)


INTRO:
       (Rest x7)                                       (x4)
G |-----------------||-----------------||-----------------|-----------------|
D |-----------------||-----------------||-----------------|-----------------|
A |-----------------||-----------------||-------1-------2-|(2)----3-----3---|
D |-r---------------||-r-------------0-||-0-1-2-------2---|-----2---------0-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

🎸

Accuracy Rating: - Votes: -

                                                                       ss
G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-------1-------2-|(2)----3---------|-------1-------2-|(2)----3---------|
D |-0-1-2-----1-2---|---1-2-----1-2-0-|-0-1-2-----1-2---|---1-2-----1-220-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

                                                            ss
G |-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-7-7-7-7-10-7-10---|-6-3-3-3-6-3-6---|-7-4-4-4-7-4-7---|-441-1-1-1-1-1-0-|
    1 & 2 & 3  &  4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &


PRE-VERSE:

G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-2---------------|(2)------------0-|(2)--------------|(2)------------0-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &


VERSE 1:

G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-2-----2-----2---|-2-----2---2-2-0-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-0-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-------1-------2-|(2)----3-----3---|-------1-------2-|(2)----3-----3---|
D |-0-1-2-------2---|-----2---------0-|-0-1-2-------2---|-----2---------0-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
D |-2-----2---2-2---|-2-----2---2-2-0-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-2-2-2/10\0-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4  &


PRE-CHORUS:

G |-----------------|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|
A |-------1-------2-|(2)----3-----3---|
D |-0-1-2-------2---|-----2---------0-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &


CHORUS 1 (Repeat 1st staff x2):
                                                            ss
G |-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-7-7-7-7-10-7-10---|-6-3-3-3-6-3-6---|-7-4-4-4-7-4-7---|-441-1-1-1-1-1-1-|
    1 & 2 & 3  &  4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

   6/4                       4/4                                 6/4
G |-------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------------|
D |-------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------------|
A |-0-------1---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------1---------------|
D |-----------------5-6-6-5-|-6-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-5-6-6-5-|-----------------5-6-6-5-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 &

   4/4
G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-0-------1-------|---------0-------|
D |-6-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-5-6-6-5-|-----------------|-1-------------0-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &


PRE-VERSE:

G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-------1-------2-|(2)----3-----3---|-------1-------2-|(2)----3-----3---|
D |-0-1-2-------2---|-----2---------0-|-0-1-2-------2---|-----2---------0-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-------1-------2-|(2)----3---------|-------1-------2-|(2)----3---------|
D |-0-1-2-----1-2---|---1-2-----1-2-0-|-0-1-2-----1-2---|---1-2-----1-2-0-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-2---------------|(2)------------0-|-2---------------|(2)------------0-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &


VERSE 2:

G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
D |-2-----2---2-2---|-2-----2---2-2-0-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-10\0-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4  &

G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-------1-------2-|(2)----3-----3---|-------1-------2-|(2)----3-----3---|
D |-0-1-2-------2---|-----2---------0-|-0-1-2-------2---|-----2---------0-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
D |-2-----2---2-2---|-2-----2---2-2-0-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-10\0-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4  &


PRE-CHORUS:

G |-----------------|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|
A |-------1-------2-|(2)----3-----3---|
D |-0-1-2-------2---|-----2---------0-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &


CHORUS 2:
                                                            ss
G |-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-7-7-7-7-10-7-10---|-6-3-3-3-6-3-6---|-7-4-4-4-7-4-7---|-441-1-1-1-1-1-0-|
    1 & 2 & 3  &  4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

                                                            ss
G |-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-7-7-7-7-10-7-10---|-6-3-3-3-6-3-6---|-7-4-4-4-7-4-7---|-441-1-1-1-1-1-1-|
    1 & 2 & 3  &  4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

   6/4                       4/4                                 6/4
G |-------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------------|
D |-------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------------|
A |-0-------1---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------1---------------|
D |-----------------5-6-6-5-|-6-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-5-6-6-5-|-----------------5-6-6-5-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 &

   4/4
G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-0-------1-------|---------0-------|(0)--------------|
D |-6-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-5-6-6-5-|-----------------|-1---------------|---------5-6-6-5-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &


GUITAR SOLO:
                 (x4)                          ss                ss
G |-----------------|-----------------||-----------------|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------||-----------------|-----------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------||-0-----0-10--1-0-|-0-----0-310-1-0-|
D |-6-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-5-6-6-5-||---3-5-----3-----|---3-5-----------|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
                              ss
G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-0-------1-------|-0-----0-530-1-0-|-0-------1-------|---------0-------|
D |-----------------|---3-5-----------|-----------------|-1-------------0-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &


INTERLUDE:

G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-------1-------2-|(2)----3---------|-------1-------2-|(2)----3---------|
D |-0-1-2-----1-2---|---1-2-----1-2-0-|-0-1-2-----1-2---|---1-2-----1-2-0-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

                                                                      ss
G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-------1-------2-|(2)----3---------|-------1-------2-|(2)----3---------|
D |-0-1-2-----1-2---|---1-2-----1-2-0-|-0-1-2-----1-2---|---1-2-----1-220-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &


PRE-VERSE:

G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-2---------------|(2)------------0-|-2---------------|(2)------------0-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &


VERSE 3:

G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
D |-2-----2---2-2-2-|-2-----2---2-2-0-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-10\0-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4  &

G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-------1-------2-|(2)----3-----3---|-------1-------2-|(2)----3-----3---|
D |-0-1-2-------2---|-----2---------0-|-0-1-2-------2---|-----2---------0-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
D |-2-----2---2-2---|-2-----2---2-2-0-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-|-2-2-2-2-2-2-10\0-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4  &


PRE-CHORUS:

G |-----------------|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|
A |-------1-------2-|(2)----3-----3---|
D |-0-1-2-------2---|-----2---------0-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &


CHORUS 3 (Repeat 1st staff x2):
                                                            ss
G |-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
A |-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D |-7-7-7-7-10-7-10---|-6-3-3-3-6-3-6---|-7-4-4-4-7-4-7---|-441-1-1-1-1-1-0-|
    1 & 2 & 3  &  4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

   6/4                       4/4                                 6/4
G |-------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------------|
D |-------------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------------|
A |-0-------1---------------|-----------------|-----------------|-0-------1---------------|
D |-----------------5-6-6-5-|-6-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-5-6-6-5-|-----------------5-6-6-5-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 &

   4/4                                                                     6/4      ss
G |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|-0-------1-------|---------0-------|-0-----0-530-1-0---------|
D |-6-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-5-6-6-5-|-----------------|-1---------------|---3-5-----------5-6-6-5-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 &


OUTRO (Repeat to fade-out):
  4/4
G |-----------------|-----------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|
A |-----------------|-----------------|
D |-6-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|-0-0-0-0-5-6-6-5-|
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &   1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

Last updated: September 10, 2025

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