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Boss KatanaCleanRiffMetal Ballad

Nothing Else Matters on a Boss Katana

Metallica

Written for the Katana 50 MkII and the Katana 50 Gen 3, which share these knobs. The Katana 100 adds a Presence knob, and its value is given under the panel.

Nothing Else Matters Boss Katana settings: a starting point

On a Boss Katana, select the Clean amp type and start at Gain 2, Bass 5, Middle 5, Treble 6 and Reverb about 4, with the neck or middle position.

Clean amp typeNothing Else Matters on the Katana
  • Gain 2
  • Bass 5
  • Middle 5
  • Treble 6
  • Reverb about 4

Gain sits a step over the song's generic 1: Tonelify's Katana clean settings start at 2.

The Katana 50 has no Presence knob. On a Katana 100, set Presence to 5.

Positions on a 0 to 10 scale, with 5 at twelve o'clock. These are Tonelify's starting points for the Katana, written from the documented rig and BOSS's manual. They are not BOSS's numbers and not the settings on the record.

Picked by gain range

Which Boss Katana amp type for Nothing Else Matters?

Clean. The clean amp on the record is not documented, so there is nothing to match by name. Use Clean, which BOSS describes as a clean and natural sound, and keep the Gain low enough that a hard-picked open string does not break up.

Pick the amp type first: it changes the gain structure more than any knob does, so the same Gain position gives far more distortion on Lead or Brown than on Crunch. Gain sets the amount of distortion, Volume the level of that sound and Master the overall volume. Neither Katana 50 has a Presence knob, so on a 50 the top end is the Treble's job.

Boss Katana effects for Nothing Else Matters

Mod
ChorusThe chorus in the starting point's chain.Green in bank A on a MkII as shipped. Knob low to middle.
Reverb
Hall ReverbThe hall reverb in the starting point's chain.Orange on a MkII as shipped. Knob about 4.

The Katana runs five effects at once, one each on Booster, Mod, FX, Delay and Reverb. Each button cycles green, red and orange, and each colour holds its own effect. The colours below are the ones BOSS's MkII manual lists from the factory. On a Gen 3 the factory effects differ from channel to channel, so check what a colour holds before you rely on it; BOSS Tone Studio, over USB, can change any of them.

Does it sound off on your Katana?

Pick what you hear. You get the knobs to turn on the Katana from the settings above, and how far.

What the Katana cannot do for Nothing Else Matters

The starting point's chain is a compressor, a chorus and a hall reverb. On a Katana as shipped, Chorus and Comp are both on the Mod knob, which runs one effect at a time, so the panel gives you the chorus or the compressor. Keep the Chorus and even the notes out with your picking hand.

How to store it on the Katana

Hold CH1 or CH2 for one second. It stores every knob and button except Master, so use Volume to balance stored sounds and Master for the room.

What Metallica used on Nothing Else Matters

James Hetfield playing every guitar part himself, solo included, with a Gretsch White Falcon for the clean dive-bomb, recorded with Bob Rock for the Black Album; Kirk Hammett does not play on it.

Rig sources: Wikipedia: Nothing Else Matters, Guitar.com: the gear used on Metallica's Black Album

Boss Katana facts checked against BOSS's own documents on : BOSS: KATANA Mk II Owner's Manual (PDF), BOSS: KATANA Gen 3 Reference Manual (PDF)

Metallica's rig and the generic five-knob settings for the Nothing Else Matters tone →

A different guitar, or pedals in front?

This page sets the Katana on its own. Name your guitar and your pedals and Tonelify rewrites the settings for that whole rig, pickup position included. Your first match is free with an account, and needs no card.

Match Nothing Else Matters to my rig

Nothing Else Matters on the Katana: questions

What Boss Katana settings do you need for Nothing Else Matters?

Select the Clean amp type and start at Gain 2, Bass 5, Middle 5, Treble 6 and Reverb about 4. On a Katana 100, set Presence to 5. These are Tonelify's starting points for the Katana, written from the documented rig and BOSS's manual. They are not BOSS's numbers and not the settings on the record.

Which Boss Katana amp type is closest to the amp on Nothing Else Matters?

Clean. The clean amp on the record is not documented, so there is nothing to match by name. Use Clean, which BOSS describes as a clean and natural sound, and keep the Gain low enough that a hard-picked open string does not break up.

Which Boss Katana effects does Nothing Else Matters use?

Mod: Chorus. The chorus in the starting point's chain. Reverb: Hall Reverb. The hall reverb in the starting point's chain.

What can the Katana not do for Nothing Else Matters?

The starting point's chain is a compressor, a chorus and a hall reverb. On a Katana as shipped, Chorus and Comp are both on the Mod knob, which runs one effect at a time, so the panel gives you the chorus or the compressor. Keep the Chorus and even the notes out with your picking hand.

Does it matter for Nothing Else Matters that the Katana 50 has no Presence knob?

Not much. Neither the Katana 50 MkII nor the Katana 50 Gen 3 has a Presence knob, so the Treble at 6 sets the top end on its own. On a Katana 100, which has the knob, set Presence to 5.

Is there a Nothing Else Matters patch for the Boss Katana?

Tonelify does not offer a patch file. The settings on this page are dialled in by hand, which takes a couple of minutes and needs no computer. Hold a channel button for one second to store them.

What if you have a different guitar or pedals in front of the Katana?

These settings assume the unit on its own. Tonelify's matcher rewrites them for the guitar, pedals and amp you name, pickup position included. Your first match is free with an account and needs no card.

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