Practice Studio

Harry Styles - As It Was - Guitar Cover

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Key A major
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Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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AI-selected preset based on genre and era — adjust the knobs to taste.

Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.

Harry's House album cover
Harry's House
2022 2:47
Capo Advisor 0 A major · Original key

About As It Was


At 174 BPM in A major, "As It Was" moves faster than it feels, and that deceptively light pulse is one of the first things to get under your fingers. The production leans heavily on synths, but the guitar parts reward close attention: clean, punchy chords and a bright single-note melodic line that sits right on top of the mix. Getting those chord stabs to lock with the beat without over-strumming is the real challenge here, since the tempo leaves less room for slop than the breezy feel suggests. E Standard tuning means no retuning needed, so you can focus entirely on dynamics and timing. If the melodic lead line trips you up, pull it into the Practice Toolbar, slow it down, and loop just the phrase causing trouble until the muscle memory clicks. Harry Styles pulls from a Pop Rock sensibility throughout the album, and that blend comes through clearly in how this track balances rhythm guitar texture with vocal-melody-driven lead work.

  • The track runs at 174 BPM in A major, so a tight, controlled pick attack matters more than it might seem at first listen.
  • The guitar part features clean chord stabs and a bright single-note melodic line, both of which benefit from a light, precise touch.
  • E Standard tuning is used throughout, meaning no retuning is required and you can jump straight into working on rhythm accuracy.

How to Play As It Was

Tuning: E Standard · Key: A major · Tempo: 174 BPM

Loop the hardest passage and creep the speed up from around 70 percent until it holds at 174 BPM.

Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Harry Styles relies on vintage-spec Stratocasters for their bright, articulate bridge-pickup tone that cuts through on rhythm work without sacrificing warmth. The natural single-coil response lets him shape tone through amp dynamics rather than heavy effects, preserving the clean attack his studio recordings demand.

Fender Telecaster
Guitar

Fender Telecaster

Styles uses Telecaster Plus models for their punchy midrange and clarity on both electric and acoustic-influenced tracks. The stock Fender pickups deliver the exact brightness heard on his records while maintaining organic resonance without modification.

Fender Deluxe Reverb
Amp

Fender Deluxe Reverb

The Deluxe Reverb's 40-watt tube amp provides Styles' signature warm midrange and natural compression when driven moderately in studio sessions. Its integrated spring reverb and tube saturation at practical volumes allow direct amp-to-mic capture without pedal-based tone shaping.

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9
Pedal

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9

Styles uses the Tube Screamer for subtle tone shaping and light overdrive, not volume boost, keeping single-coil pickup dynamics intact. Set minimally, it enhances amp breakup rather than replace it, fitting his preference for natural tube compression over heavy gain staging.

Play with Backing Track

Play with Backing Track

Solo (Backing Track)

Solo (Backing Track)