Guitar Songs, Tabs & Lessons

Jason Derulo

1 guitar song · Tabs, Lessons & Tone Guide Pop Rock

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Want To Want Me - Guitar Cover

YouTube Stats: 54K · 1K

Artist Overview

Jason Derulo is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter who broke through in 2009 with his self-titled debut single. His music sits squarely in the pop, dance-pop, and electro-R&B space, and while he is not a guitar-driven artist by any stretch, his catalog offers some surprisingly rewarding material for electric guitarists who want to branch out beyond rock and blues. Songs like "Want To Want Me" are built on funky, syncopated chord work and rhythmic precision that translates beautifully to guitar, making them excellent vehicles for developing clean-tone rhythm chops. From a guitarist's perspective, the appeal of learning Derulo's music lies in the rhythmic and harmonic vocabulary rather than flashy solos or heavy riffs. His tracks often feature synth-based hooks that, when adapted to guitar, require tight muting, crisp strumming patterns, and a solid understanding of chord extensions like major sevenths, ninths, and suspended voicings. If you are used to power chords and pentatonic runs, tackling Derulo's material will push you into unfamiliar territory and make you a more well-rounded player. Think of it as the same kind of challenge you would face learning Nile Rodgers' funk parts or a clean-tone Prince groove. Derulo's studio recordings rely heavily on producers and session musicians rather than a consistent touring guitarist, so there is no single iconic guitar player associated with his sound. The guitar parts that do appear in his music tend to be layered in the background: clean, compressed single-coil tones playing tight rhythmic figures. For learning purposes, the difficulty level is moderate. The challenge is not in speed or technical complexity but in rhythmic accuracy, dynamics, and the discipline of locking into a groove without overplaying. If you can nail the feel of "Want To Want Me" on guitar, you have developed a skill set that crosses over into funk, neo-soul, and modern pop session work.

What Makes Jason Derulo Essential for Guitar Players

"Want To Want Me" is built on a bright, syncopated chord progression that demands tight 16th-note strumming and precise muting. Practicing this song will sharpen your funk-style rhythm guitar skills and ghost-note technique.
Clean tone is king when covering Derulo. You will want to focus on a shimmering, slightly compressed single-coil sound with minimal overdrive. This teaches dynamic control and forces your right hand to do the heavy lifting.
Chord voicings in Derulo's music often go beyond basic open and barre shapes. Expect to use partial barre chords, triads on the top three strings, and jazzy extensions that are common in modern pop and R&B guitar arrangements.
Palm muting plays a subtle but important role in creating the rhythmic pulse of tracks like "Want To Want Me." Learning to blend muted strums with open chord hits at tempo builds the kind of groove awareness that session guitarists rely on.
Because Derulo's songs are producer-driven, learning them on guitar is an exercise in transcription and arrangement. You will develop your ear by figuring out how to translate synth hooks and keyboard pads into guitar-friendly voicings.

Did You Know?

"Want To Want Me" was inspired by 1980s pop production, and its chord movement closely mirrors the kind of bright, major-key progressions that Nile Rodgers popularized with Chic. It is a great gateway into funk-pop rhythm guitar.

Jason Derulo rarely features prominent electric guitar in his studio recordings, which means any guitar cover requires creative arrangement skills. This is fantastic practice for guitarists who want to do session or worship band work.

The synth bass lines in Derulo's tracks can be adapted to guitar using an octave pedal, giving guitarists a fun way to explore bass-synth tones and expand their pedalboard creativity.

Derulo studied opera and musical theater before becoming a pop star, which means his vocal melodies often span wide intervals. Transcribing these melodies to guitar is an excellent exercise for fretboard knowledge and phrasing.

"Want To Want Me" hit number five on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2015, making it one of the most commercially successful songs that translates well to a clean-tone funk guitar workout.

Producer Ian Kirkpatrick, who helped shape Derulo's later sound, often layered subtle guitar parts deep in the mix. Isolating and learning these parts trains your ear for detail in dense modern productions.

Essential Albums for Guitarists

Everything Is 4 2015

This album contains "Want To Want Me," which is the standout track for guitarists looking to develop clean-tone funk rhythm skills. The album's overall 80s-influenced pop sound offers multiple opportunities to practice bright chord voicings, syncopated strumming, and translating synth-driven arrangements to guitar.

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Tone & Gear

Guitar

Since Derulo's music features background guitar parts rather than a signature player, the best fit for covering his material is a Fender Stratocaster or Telecaster. The Strat's position 2 and 4 (in-between) pickup selections deliver the glassy, quacky tone that suits funky pop rhythm work. A Telecaster bridge pickup offers more bite for percussive strumming patterns.

Amp

A clean Fender-style amp is ideal. Think Fender Twin Reverb or a Deluxe Reverb with the volume around 4 to 5 for sparkling headroom. You want zero breakup; the tone should stay pristine and articulate even during aggressive strumming. A Roland JC-120 is another excellent option for that ultra-clean, studio-polished pop sound.

Pickups

Single-coil pickups are the go-to choice for replicating the bright, defined guitar tones found in Derulo's production. Standard Fender single-coils with output around 5.5 to 6.5k ohms provide the clarity and high-end sparkle you need. Noiseless single-coils (like Fender N3 or Kinman) are a practical upgrade since you will be playing clean at moderate volume where 60-cycle hum becomes noticeable.

Effects & Chain

Keep the pedalboard minimal. A good compressor (like the Keeley Compressor Plus or MXR Dyna Comp) is essential for evening out your dynamics and adding sustain to clean chord work. A short slapback delay or light chorus (Boss CE-2W or TC Electronic Corona) can add the shimmery depth found in 80s-influenced pop production. Skip the distortion and overdrive entirely. If you want to replicate synth bass lines, an EHX Micro POG octave pedal through a clean signal chain gets you close.

Recommended Gear

Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Jason Derulo's pop production relies on the Strat's in-between pickup positions for that glassy, quacky tone perfect for funky rhythm guitar work. The instrument's versatility handles both percussive strumming and smooth chord voicings that sit cleanly in his studio-polished arrangements.

Guitar

Fender Telecaster

The Telecaster's bright bridge pickup delivers the percussive bite and attack Derulo's rhythm parts demand, cutting through dense pop production. Its twangy character adds definition to strumming patterns without requiring any overdrive or grit.

Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

This legendary amp provides the pristine, headroom-rich clean tone essential to Derulo's sparkling pop guitar textures. Its built-in reverb adds studio-quality depth while maintaining the articulate clarity his production style requires.

Amp

Fender Deluxe Reverb

The Deluxe Reverb delivers the same clean, articulate response as its bigger sibling in a more compact format, perfect for capturing Derulo's glimmering background guitar work. Its natural breakup point well above practical volumes keeps tones studio-polished and pristine.

Pedal

Boss CE-2 Chorus

This classic chorus pedal adds the shimmery, 80s-influenced depth found throughout Derulo's pop production when applied lightly to clean guitar tones. The subtle effect enhances the sparkle of single-coil pickups without muddying the rhythm section or vocals.

How to Practice Jason Derulo on GuitarZone

Every Jason Derulo 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 Want To Want Me - Guitar Cover