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Alice In Chains - Your Decision - Guitar Lesson

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Key D minor
Alice In Chains - Your Decision guitar lesson video
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Black Gives Way To Blue album cover
Black Gives Way To Blue
2009 4:43
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Alice In Chains Alternative Rock 2009 D minor
Capo Advisor 0 D minor · Original key

About Your Decision

"Your Decision" is one of the quieter moments in the Alice In Chains catalog, but that restraint is exactly what makes it a worthwhile study. The song is built almost entirely on fingerpicked or softly strummed acoustic guitar, so your right-hand control and consistency matter far more here than any flashy technique. Playing in D minor, the chord voicings carry a lot of the emotional weight, and small things like how cleanly you mute between changes and how evenly you pick will define whether your version feels settled or sloppy. The slow, deliberate tempo gives you nowhere to hide, so every note rings out and any timing hesitation is immediately obvious. If a particular chord transition keeps tripping you up, use the Practice Toolbar to loop that passage slowed down until the movement feels automatic. Getting the gentle, controlled dynamic right across the whole song is the real challenge.

  • Built on acoustic guitar with a fingerpicked or lightly strummed feel, the song demands consistent right-hand control and an even, restrained touch throughout.
  • The key of D minor shapes the chord voicings, so pay close attention to clean fretting and smooth transitions between chords.
  • The slow, exposed tempo means any timing or muting sloppiness is instantly audible, making it a great piece for building disciplined technique.

How to Play Your Decision

Key: D minor · Tempo: 78 BPM

Loop each section and focus on clean, even timing rather than speed, with the metronome at 78 BPM.

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.

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