Creator Area
Sign in Creator Area

Practice Studio

Walk the Moon - Shut Up and Dance - Guitar Cover

Sections · Loop · Speed · Metronome

Not in tune?

Select a Loop

Start of your loop
End of your loop

Speed Control

Speed
100%

Tools

BPM
Key E major
Walk the Moon - Shut Up and Dance guitar cover video
Kfir Ochaion
Kfir Ochaion Top Contributor
YouTube: 2.4Msubs 192Kviews
Creator Page →
·
–50¢ 0 +50¢
· Tap to start

Your browser will ask for microphone permission.

Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
AI tone preset

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.
Walk the Moon Funk Rock E major
Capo Advisor 0 E major · Original key

About Shut Up and Dance

At 128 BPM in E major, "Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon has an energy that sits right between tight rhythm work and loose, danceable Funk Rock feel. The signature guitar part leans on crisp, percussive chord stabs and a driving eighth-note pulse that has to lock in precisely with the bass and drums or the whole groove falls apart. Playing it in E Standard keeps the open strings available, so you can let certain voicings ring while muting others, and that contrast is what gives the part its bounce. The challenge is not the individual chord shapes, which are fairly straightforward, but sustaining that rhythmic tightness at a full 128 BPM for the whole song without letting your strumming hand get lazy. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the verse and pre-chorus at a reduced speed until your muting and attack are consistent, then bring the tempo back up gradually. Getting the feel right matters more here than any single technical hurdle.

  • The guitar part relies on tight palm muting and percussive chord stabs to create its driving, danceable groove in E Standard tuning.
  • At 128 BPM, maintaining consistent right-hand rhythmic precision across the full track is the main technical challenge for guitarists.
  • Practising the verse riff looped and slowed down helps lock in the muting pattern before pushing back up to performance tempo.

How to Play Shut Up and Dance

Tuning: E Standard · Key: E major · Tempo: 128 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 128 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Eli Maiman uses the Stratocaster's versatile single-coils to deliver bright, articulate tones that cut through Walk the Moon's synth-heavy arrangements. The guitar's natural clarity complements the band's new wave aesthetic while maintaining the dynamic ghost notes essential to their rhythmic style.

Fender Telecaster
Guitar

Fender Telecaster

Maiman's primary choice, the Telecaster's cutting single-coil brightness and snappy attack are perfect for the band's percussive strumming parts and indie-pop sensibilities. Its inherent twang naturally sits above synth pads without requiring heavy processing.

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

This clean, headroom-rich amplifier provides the pristine foundation Maiman needs for his effects-driven tone, staying uncompressed and dynamic. The Twin Reverb's natural reverb and sparkling clean channel let his pedal effects shine without competing artifacts.

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9
Pedal

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9

Maiman uses the Tube Screamer sparingly to add light, transparent overdrive during chorus sections, preserving the clean signal integrity that defines Walk the Moon's sound. Its mid-focused character enhances brightness without mudding the mix.

Boss DD-3 Digital Delay
Pedal

Boss DD-3 Digital Delay

The DD-3's digital delay creates the rhythmic, 80s-shimmer foundation of Walk the Moon's signature sound when set to dotted-eighth or quarter-note repeats. This pedal adds spatial depth while maintaining clarity essential to the band's synth-pop aesthetic.

Recommended for You