Tabs
Metallica - Black Album - Track 4 - The Unforgiven
This song has a mix between acoustic and distortion so underneath each
subheading I’ve labelled whether it is distorted or clean. Also, with the
subheadings I’ve put down whether it is played by Kirk or James. James is
written as first guitar since he plays first and Kirk comes second this
time.
Note that if you see one part written twice, it is usually going to be
played
a little different... so look carefully before moving on. If you are playing
the song by yourself then you will probably want to select the most involved
part.
🏷Legend:
h - Hammer on
p - Pull off
s - Slide
[]- Play when advised
{}- Don’t play when advised
^ - Bend
* - Can be played but doesn’t need to be
Tuning: Standard (E;A;D;G;B;e)
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Intro - First Guitar - James
Clean/Acoustic
Play this four times before Kirk’s Intro...
e|---------------------------------|
BB|-0-------0-----0-----0-----1-----|
G+G|-----2-----2-----2-----2-----2---|
D MajorD|-------2-----2-----2-----2-----2-|
A augmentedA|-0-------------------------------|
E MajorE|---------------------------------|
Then, during Kirk’s Intro, play this riff twice...
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
BB|-0-------0-----0-----1-----1-----|-0-------0-----1-----1-----1-----|
G+G|-----2-----2-----2-----2-----2---|-----2-----2-----2-----2-----2---|
D MajorD|-------2-----2-----2-----2-----2-|-------2-----2-----2-----2-----2-|
A augmentedA|-0-------------------------------|-0-------------------------------|
E MajorE|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Intro - Second Guitar - Kirk
Clean/Acoustic
e|----------------|----------------|
BB|----------------|----------------|
G+G|-2-4-4h5--5-4-2-|-2-4-4h5--5-2---|
D MajorD|----------------|----------------|
A augmentedA|----------------|----------------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|
After playing Kirk’s first riff twice, then play the following...
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|
BB|----------------|----------------|----------------|
G+G|-2-4-4h5----5---|-5-5-4----4-----|-----2-2h4--2---|
D MajorD|----------------|-------5----2---|-2-2------------|
A augmentedA|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|----------------|
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|
BB|------------5---|-5-3------------|-0-----0--------|
G+G|-2-4-4h5--------|-----4-2s1--1---|---1-2---2------|
D MajorD|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A augmentedA|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|----------------|
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Verse - First Guitar - James
Clean/Acoustic
If you are playing on your own then I suggest playing this part instead of
Kirk’s because it has Kirk’s part in it along with various other notes that
makes it sound much better.
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|
BB|-------0-1----1-|--1-------------|----------------|
G+G|-----2----------|-------0---0----|-----2-2h4--2---|
D MajorD|---2--------2---|-2----0---------|-2-2------------|
A augmentedA|-0--------3-----|----------------|----------------|
E MajorE|----------------|----3----3------|----------------|
e|--------------0-|--0-------------|----------------|
BB|-----0-1--------|-1-1-3-0---3----|-0-----0--------|
G+G|---2------------|------------1-1-|---1-2---2------|
D MajorD|--2---------2---|----------------|----------------|
A augmentedA|-0--------3-----|----------------|----------------|
E MajorE|----------------|---------3------|----------------|
^^^
NOTE: The two notes above are played at faster pace than the first time you
played it.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Verse - Second Guitar - Kirk
Clean/Acoustic
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|
BB|----------------|----------------|----------------|
G+G|-2-4-4h5----5---|-5-5-4----4-----|-----2-2h4--2---|
D MajorD|----------------|-------5----2---|-2-2------------|
A augmentedA|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|----------------|
^ÓWhat I’ve felt...^Ô
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|
BB|------------5---|-5-3------------|-0-----0--------|
G+G|-2-4-4h5--------|-----4-2s1--1---|---1-2---2------|
D MajorD|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A augmentedA|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|----------------|
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Chorus - First Guitar - James
Distortion
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|
BB|----------------|----------------|----------------|
G+G|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D MajorD|-------5--------|-----7--7--7--7-|----------------|
A augmentedA|-7--7--3--2--2--|-----5--5--5--5-|-7--7--[0-0]----|
E MajorE|-5--5-----0--0--|-0-0------------|-5--5-----------|
This part is played four times, however, on the fourth time he gets rid of
the
two notes played inside the ^Ñ[ ]’ and moves on with the next riff...
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|
BB|----------------|----------------|----------------|
G+G|-5------4-------|-2------0-------|----------------|
D MajorD|--0------0------|--0------0------|-5--------------|
A augmentedA|---0-0----0-0---|---0-0----0-0---|-3--5-3--5------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|-------5-3------|
^ÓOn and on...^Ô
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
BB|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
G+G|-5------4-------|-2------0-------|----------------|----------------|
D MajorD|--0------0------|--0------0------|-5--------------|--------2-------|
A augmentedA|---0-0----0-0---|---0-0----0-0---|-3--5-3--5------|-2------0-------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|-------5-3------|-0--------------|
^ÓThat never from...^Ô
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Chorus - Second Guitar - Kirk
Distortion
Play this right along with James’ part...
e|----------------|----------------|
BB|----------------|-8-8-7-7--------|
G+G|-7-5-4-4h5------|---------5-5----|
D MajorD|-----------5----|----------------|
A augmentedA|----------------|----------------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|
When James moves onto the second part of his chorus riff, Kirk stops playing
until the verse.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Interlude - First Guitar - James
Clean/Acoustic
In the background, James plays the Intro verse until the Solo...
e|---------------------------------|
BB|-0-------0-----0-----0-----1-----|
G+G|-----2-----2-----2-----2-----2---|
D MajorD|-------2-----2-----2-----2-----2-|
A augmentedA|-0-------------------------------|
E MajorE|---------------------------------|
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Interlude - Second Guitar - Kirk
Clean/Acoustic (Lots of Reverb)
The Interlude really isn’t all that hard to play. If you’re playing on
Acoustic it’s still quite easy.
e|----------------|----------------|-0-0-0-0-0-0----|
BB|----------------|----------------|-0-1-3-5-3-1-1h3|
G+G|---4-5-7----5---|-4h5p4---4------|----------------|
D MajorD|-7--------------|-------7---5-7--|----------------|
A augmentedA|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|----------------|
e|-3h5-3---2------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
BB|-3h5-3---3--3h5-|-3-----3--------|----------------|----------------|
G+G|----------------|---5-4---4------|--------------5-|----------------|
D MajorD|----------------|-----------5----|------------5---|-5-5h6----------|
A augmentedA|----------------|----------------|----3s5-6-7-----|----------------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|-3-5------------|----------------|
e|----------------|-7-7--10------12|---------14-----|-15--17---------|
BB|-8-7h8p7--7-8-10|--8--8--8-8s10--|-10-10s12--12-12|---14-----------|
G+G|---------9------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D MajorD|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A augmentedA|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Solo - First Guitar - James
Distortion
James continues playing his power chords in the background. Play this riff 6
times... by then Kirk should be playing the parts indicated in his part just
below... and James will move onto his next riff.
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|
BB|----------------|----------------|----------------|
G+G|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D MajorD|-------5--------|-----7--7--7--7-|----------------|
A augmentedA|-7--7--3--2--2--|-----5--5--5--5-|-7--7--[0-0]----|
E MajorE|-5--5-----0--0--|-0-0------------|-5--5-----------|
Play six times and then move on to...
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|
BB|----------------|----------------|----------------|
G+G|-5------4-------|-2------0-------|----------------|
D MajorD|--0------0------|--0------0------|-5--------------|
A augmentedA|---0-0----0-0---|---0-0----0-0---|-3--5-3--5------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|-------5-3------|
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
BB|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
G+G|-5------4-------|-2------0-------|----------------|----------------|
D MajorD|--0------0------|--0------0------|-5--------------|--------2-------|
A augmentedA|---0-0----0-0---|---0-0----0-0---|-3--5-3--5------|-2------0-------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|-------5-3------|-0--------------|
Then the solo fades out...
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Solo - Second Guitar - Kirk
Distortion
Unfortunately, you will need to be able to hit the 22nd fret on the first
string to be able to play this properly. An easier way (if you don’t have 22
frets) would be to tune your guitar down a step or two and you will be able
to
play it around the 20th fret... but that would mean changing the rest of the
tab...
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
BB|-7^^7^^---------|----------------|----------------|-5---5-7--5-7-8-|
G+G|-7^^7^^--5------|----------------|--------5--7-5-7|---7------------|
D MajorD|----------7^^-7-|-5--------------|------7---------|----------------|
A augmentedA|----------------|--7-5-3-5-3-----|-3^-------------|----------------|
E MajorE|----------------|-----------5-3-5|----------------|----------------|
e|-----12---10-12-|---8-----10---8-|-15^^15^15^15^^-|-12-22^^-22^^22^|
BB|-7-8------------|-10-10-10--10---|----------------|----------------|
G+G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D MajorD|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A augmentedA|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
e|-17-17-20-15-17-|-15^^------10-9-|-7-8---7--------|----------------|
BB|----------------|-------8--------|----10---8-7-5--|-7-5------------|
G+G|----------------|---------9------|----------------|-----7-5-7-5-4-5|
D MajorD|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A augmentedA|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
e|----------------|-12---12---12---|-12---12---12---|-12-------------|
BB|-------------13-|--13---13---13--|--13---13---13--|--13---15^^-15^^|
G+G|-4--------14----|---14---14---14-|---14---14---14-|---14-----------|
D MajorD|---7------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A augmentedA|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
^^^^^^^^^^^^
James moves to his next riff around this point in Kirk’s solo.
e|----15^^-15^^---|-17--19-20-19-17|-19-17h19p17-15-|---17-15-12-10--|
BB|-13-------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
G+G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D MajorD|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A augmentedA|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
e|-15-12-10-10--8-|-10-8-10^^-10-8-|-15^^--13h15p13-|-12-----13p12---|
BB|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
G+G|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
D MajorD|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A augmentedA|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
Then they play the verse riff...
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Ending Part - First Guitar - James
Clean/Acoustic
During the final verse riff you can hear James playing a few chords... they
are as follows...
e|-0---0-0---0----|*3*3--*3*3*-*3*-|-3-3---3-3---3--|-0-0-0-0-0---0--|
BB|-1---1-1---1----|-1-1---1-1---1--|*3*3*-*3*3*-*3*-|-0-0-0-0-0---0--|
G+G|-2---2-2---2----|-0-0---0-0---0--|-0-0---0-0---0--|-0-0-0-0-0---0--|
D MajorD|-2---2-2---2----|-2-2---2-2---2--|-0-0---0-0---0--|-2-2-2-2-2---2--|
A augmentedA|-0---0-0---0----|-3-3---3-3---3--|-2-2---2-2---2--|-2-2-2-2-2---2--|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|-3-3---3-3---3--|-0-0-0-0-0---0--|
A minorAm 
C majorC G+G 
E minorEm
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Ending Part - Second Guitar - Kirk
Distortion
Right at the end of the final verse riff, Kirk plays a short riff while
James
does some chords...
e|------------0---|-0-3-5----7-----|-8--------------|
BB|--------1-3-1---|-1-3-5----------|----------------|
G+G|-2-2h4--2-------|----------7-----|-5--------------|
D MajorD|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A augmentedA|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|----------------|
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Ending - Second Guitar - Kirk
Clean/Acoustic
Instead of playing the riff near the Intro, Kirk plays a new riff similar to
the first...
e|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
BB|--0-1--1-1-1-0--|-0--------------|--0-1--3h5--5-5-|3---------------|
G+G|-2------------0-|---1-1-2-2h4-2--|-2--------------|-4-4s1-1-2-2h4-2|
D MajorD|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
A augmentedA|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
E MajorE|----------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
And that’s the whole song... Everything should be quite easy unless you are
trying to do the solo on an Acoustic guitar... Enjoy!
Other versions of The Unforgiven
Alternative guitar chords and tabs for The wait (Ver. 2) by Metallica
