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DNCE

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Cake By The Ocean - Guitar Cover

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Band Overview

DNCE burst onto the pop-funk scene in 2015, formed in Los Angeles by Joe Jonas (vocals), JinJoo Lee (guitar), Cole Whittle (bass), and Jack Lawless (drums). The band drew heavily from retro funk, disco, and New Wave influences, channeling the spirit of bands like Chic, Prince, and the Bee Gees into modern, radio-friendly anthems. Their debut single "Cake by the Ocean" became a worldwide smash, and it is JinJoo Lee's guitar work that gives the band its rhythmic backbone and funky edge. For guitarists, DNCE represents a masterclass in groove-oriented rhythm playing and tasteful pop arrangement. JinJoo Lee is the guitarist who makes DNCE tick from a six-string perspective. A Berklee College of Music graduate with serious chops, JinJoo brings a disciplined, funk-influenced approach to her playing. Her style is defined by tight, percussive 16th-note strumming, crisp muted chord stabs, and a knack for locking in with the rhythm section to create infectious dance grooves. She rarely solos in the traditional sense; instead, her guitar parts function almost like a percussion instrument, driving the feel of each track. This makes her an excellent study for guitarists who want to improve their rhythm accuracy, dynamics, and sense of groove. Difficulty-wise, DNCE songs sit in the beginner-to-intermediate range for most guitarists. The chord shapes are generally straightforward (lots of barre chords, partial voicings, and power chords), but the real challenge lies in the rhythmic precision. Playing funky 16th-note patterns with clean muting at tempo is harder than it looks. If you can nail the strumming hand dynamics and keep your muted ghost strokes consistent, you will level up your rhythm playing significantly. DNCE is perfect for guitarists who want to move beyond basic open-chord strumming and develop a tighter, more groove-conscious feel. For electric guitarists looking to expand beyond rock and blues, DNCE offers a fun gateway into funk-pop rhythm guitar. Learning JinJoo's parts will sharpen your sense of pocket timing, teach you how to use dynamics within a strumming pattern, and show you how a great guitar part can be simple yet absolutely essential to a song's identity.

What Makes DNCE Essential for Guitar Players

JinJoo Lee's rhythm guitar on "Cake by the Ocean" is built around percussive 16th-note strumming with precise palm-muted ghost strokes between chord hits. Mastering this technique is the single most important skill you will develop from learning DNCE material.
Her chord voicings tend toward partial barre shapes and funk-style triads played on the upper strings (D, G, B, and high E). This keeps the guitar cutting through the dense pop-funk mix without stepping on the bass frequencies.
DNCE's guitar parts emphasize dynamics over complexity. JinJoo frequently shifts between full strums, muted scratches, and accented stabs within the same bar, making her parts feel alive and danceable even though the actual notes are simple.
The clean-to-slightly-overdriven tone that defines DNCE's guitar sound relies on a bright, snappy pickup selection (usually bridge or middle position) with minimal gain. This exposes every nuance of your strumming hand, so sloppy technique will be immediately audible.
JinJoo occasionally adds single-note fills and octave-style riffs between vocal phrases, drawing from a funk and R&B vocabulary rather than traditional rock licks. These moments teach you how to add melodic interest without overplaying in a band context.

Did You Know?

JinJoo Lee is a graduate of Berklee College of Music, where she studied guitar performance. She brought serious jazz and funk training to a mainstream pop band, which is why DNCE's rhythm guitar parts have such a polished, locked-in feel.

"Cake by the Ocean" was reportedly inspired by a mishap during songwriting sessions with Swedish producers Mattman & Robin, who kept confusing the phrase "sex on the beach" with "cake by the ocean." The guitar riff was built around that playful, funky energy.

JinJoo has cited Prince as a major influence on her rhythm guitar approach. You can hear it in her choppy, percussive strumming style and her preference for clean-toned funk voicings over distorted power chords.

Before joining DNCE, JinJoo toured as a session guitarist for CeeLo Green, which sharpened her ability to play tight, groove-locked rhythm parts in a live setting. That experience directly shaped the band's guitar sound.

DNCE's recordings often layer multiple guitar tracks with slightly different tones and voicings to create a fuller sound. When learning their songs, the single-guitar arrangement you play will sound a bit thinner, so consider adding a touch of chorus or reverb to fill the space.

JinJoo is known for playing Fender guitars live, favoring Stratocaster and Jazzmaster models that deliver the bright, articulate clean tones essential to DNCE's funk-pop style.

Despite being a pop band, DNCE performed at rock-oriented festivals and events, proving that funky rhythm guitar chops translate across genres and audiences.

Essential Albums for Guitarists

DNCE 2016

This self-titled debut album is the essential starting point, featuring "Cake by the Ocean" alongside other groove-heavy tracks like "Toothbrush" and "Body Moves." Each song teaches a slightly different rhythmic feel, from disco-funk strumming to laid-back pop groove. Working through this album will significantly improve your 16th-note rhythm accuracy and dynamic control.

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SWAAY (EP) 2015

This debut EP contains the original version of "Cake by the Ocean" along with tracks like "Pay My Rent" and "Jinx," which showcase JinJoo's percussive rhythm style in a more raw, less polished production context. It is a great way to hear the guitar parts more clearly before the full album's denser arrangements, making it easier to pick out exactly what the guitar is doing.

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Tone & Gear

Guitar

JinJoo Lee is most commonly seen with Fender Stratocasters and Fender Jazzmasters in live settings. The Stratocaster's bright, bell-like single-coil tone is ideal for the crisp funk strumming that defines DNCE's sound. She has also been spotted playing a white Fender Jazzmaster, which offers a slightly warmer, rounder clean tone with more midrange body. Both guitars feature standard tremolo bridges and stock electronics.

Amp

DNCE's guitar tone leans heavily on clean-to-edge-of-breakup amp settings. Live, JinJoo has used Fender-style amps (including Twin Reverb and Deluxe Reverb models) that provide headroom and sparkle. The key is keeping the gain low enough that muted ghost strokes stay clean and distinct while chord stabs have a slight pop of harmonic richness. Think clean channel with the volume around 5 or 6 for just a hint of warmth.

Pickups

Single-coil pickups are the foundation of DNCE's guitar tone. The Stratocaster's bridge and middle positions deliver the bright, snappy attack needed for funk-style strumming, while the neck pickup works for smoother single-note fills. The lower output of standard single-coils (around 5-6k ohms) keeps the tone responsive to dynamics, which is crucial when you are shifting between muted scratches and full chord hits within the same bar.

Effects & Chain

DNCE's guitar sound is relatively minimal on effects. The core tone is clean guitar into a clean amp, with occasional use of a light chorus or phaser to add width and movement on certain tracks. A touch of spring reverb from the amp (or a reverb pedal) helps fill out the sound without making it washy. For "Cake by the Ocean," you can get close with just your guitar straight into a clean Fender-style amp, maybe adding a compressor pedal to even out the dynamics of your 16th-note strumming and keep the funk groove tight.

Recommended Gear

Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

JinJoo Lee's primary choice for DNCE's crisp funk strumming, the Stratocaster's bright single-coil tone delivers the snappy attack needed for muted ghost strokes and punchy chord stabs that define their sound.

Guitar

Fender Jazzmaster

This white offset guitar provides JinJoo with a warmer, rounder clean tone with enhanced midrange body, offering tonal variety while maintaining the clean aesthetic essential to DNCE's funk-pop grooves.

Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

The Twin Reverb's massive headroom and natural sparkle let JinJoo keep her gain low for dynamic 16th-note strumming while built-in spring reverb adds subtle width without sacrificing the tight funk pocket.

Amp

Fender Deluxe Reverb

This amp delivers the clean-to-edge-of-breakup settings JinJoo needs, with enough headroom to keep muted scratches articulate and spring reverb that fills out DNCE's minimal effects approach perfectly.

How to Practice DNCE on GuitarZone

Every DNCE song page on GuitarZone includes a built-in Practice Toolbar. No app to download, no account needed. Open any song, then use the toolbar to slow the video to 0.5× speed, set an A/B loop around the exact riff you're working on, and jump between song sections instantly.

The toolbar appears automatically on every guitar tab, lesson, and cover page. Pick a song below, hit play, and start practicing at your own pace.

Practice Cake By The Ocean - Guitar Cover