Creator Area
Sign in Creator Area

Practice Studio

Alice In Chains - Angry Chair - Guitar Lesson

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 minor
Alice In Chains - Angry Chair guitar lesson video
Guitar 365
Guitar 365 Top Contributor
YouTube: 1.6Msubs 78Kviews
Creator Page →
PLAY WITH BACKING TRACK
·
–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.
Dirt (Remastered) album cover
Dirt (Remastered)
1992 4:48
Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Music
Alice In Chains Grunge 1992 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Angry Chair

"Angry Chair" is one of the more hypnotic guitar workouts on Alice In Chains' 1992 record Dirt, built around a slow, heavy riff that settles into a groove and refuses to let go. The main riff sits in E minor and leans on open low strings for that thick, downtuned feel, so getting your palm muting tight and consistent is the first thing to nail. Jerry Cantrell's phrasing here is deliberately behind the beat, which can trip up players who rush it. The challenge is not the individual notes but locking in with the drum pattern and trusting the space between notes. If the riff keeps slipping out of pocket, use the Practice Toolbar to loop it slowed down until the timing feels natural before bringing it back to full speed. The mood of the song depends entirely on restraint, so focus on tone and dynamics as much as accuracy.

  • The main riff in E minor relies heavily on palm-muted open low strings, so right-hand muting control is the core technique to develop.
  • The tempo is deliberately slow and heavy, meaning rushing the riff even slightly will break the brooding feel the song depends on.
  • Looping the verse riff at reduced speed using the Practice Toolbar is the most effective way to internalize the behind-the-beat phrasing.

How to Play Angry Chair

Key: E minor · Tempo: 98 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 98 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Jerry Cantrell's Les Paul Standard delivers the open, dynamic PAF-style humbucker tone that defines Alice In Chains' heavier material. The moderate output and natural resonance allow his riffs to cut through with clarity while maintaining the compressed crunch his amps provide.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

Cantrell favors the Les Paul Custom for its sustain and tonal warmth, using stock Gibson humbuckers that push his Bogner and Friedman preamps into that signature scooped-mid aggression. The Custom's weight and construction give his drop-tuned riffs the body and presence essential to Alice In Chains' sound.

ESP Eclipse
Guitar

ESP Eclipse

The ESP Eclipse became Cantrell's live and studio workhorse during the reunion era, offering reliability and consistent output for his articulate, tight distortion tone. Its modern craftsmanship paired with quality humbuckers delivers the clarity needed for Alice In Chains' intricate riff work.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

The Marshall JCM800 provides the raw, compressed crunch that influenced Alice In Chains' early heaviness, offering tight low-end aggression when pushed by Cantrell's high-output pickups. Its natural breakup characteristics contribute to the band's signature sludgy yet articulate distortion.

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier
Amp

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

The Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier's thick, scooped midrange and tight bass response align perfectly with Cantrell's need for articulate, aggressive distortion that doesn't lose definition in drop-tuned passages. Its headroom allows his dynamics to shine through heavy compression.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Cantrell's Cry Baby is his primary tone-shaping tool, famously parked in positions for the haunting filter effect on 'Man in the Box' and used expressively throughout Alice In Chains' catalog. The wah adds emotional color and presence to his otherwise direct, amp-focused signal chain.

Recommended for You

Play with Backing Track

Play with Backing Track

Solo (Backing Track)

Solo (Backing Track)