A sitar is heard in the intro to Metallica's “Wherever I May Roam.”
The song begins with instrumentation that stands apart from Metallica's usual guitar-and-bass sound. Its introduction uses Asian instruments including a gong and sitar, along with an overdubbed Warwick 12-string bass. The unusual combination gives the opening a spacious, exotic texture before the main heavy-metal arrangement enters.
The 12-string bass was used for effect rather than as the song's main bass throughout. It emphasizes accented notes in the introduction, after which a standard-tuned four-string bass carries the principal bass part. All the song's stringed instruments use standard tuning, despite the distinctive timbre of the opening.
During live performances, Metallica has relied on the original sitar recording for the intro. For the S&M concerts, Kirk Hammett used a Danelectro electric sitar before switching to his ESP electric guitar. The song was the fourth single from Metallica and became a recurring part of the band's concert repertoire.