Fade To Black Analysis

In this lesson we will analyze another song by Metallica, 'Fade To Black', which is not as easy as the previous one. Here is a tab of the song.

Intro

The intro is an acoustic riff, and a guitar solo played over the riff. The notes are of D Major. The most emphasized note is F#, so i'm guessing it's the root note. To make sure, we'll play the riff, and end it with the F# note (listen).

Try it. It does sound a bit at rest. Before procalaiming it as the root note, we'll try some other notes, because our guess is that another note could be more resolved.

Next we'll try the G note (listen). This is even worse than before. This doesn't sound a bit like an end.

Now we'll try the B note (listen). This definitely sounds like the end. Try comparing it with the F# ending. This will sound the more at rest.

Therefore, we conclude, the intro riff was in B minor. If we play the the complete intro, (riff and the solo), and end it an a B note, it sounds like an end.

At the end of the intro, there is a key change. This part is not in B minor:

Electric:
|------------------------|---------12-13-15-13h15p13----12-|
|------------------------|-12-13-15------------------15----|
|------------------12-14-|---------------------------------|
|----------12-14-15------|---------------------------------|
|-12-14-15---------------|---------------------------------|
|------------------------|---------------------------------|

Acoustic:
|------------------------|---------------------------|
|------------------------|-------------------0----3--|
|------------------------|-------1--------1----------|
|-------0-----------2----|----2--------2-------------|
|----3-----------2-----2-|-2--------2----------------|
|-1--------1--4----------|---------------------------|

This part is actually in A minor, with some out-of-key notes in the acoustic part. The song has changed to a closely-related key. This part leads into the verse.