Creator Area
Sign in Creator Area

Practice Studio

Stone Temple Pilots - Big Bang Baby - 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
Stone Temple Pilots - Big Bang Baby guitar lesson video
Guitar 365
Guitar 365 Top Contributor
YouTube: 1.6Msubs 29Kviews
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.
Tiny Music...Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop album cover
Tiny Music...Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop
1996 3:23
Listen on Spotify
Stone Temple Pilots Alternative Rock 1996 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Big Bang Baby

"Big Bang Baby" has one of those deceptively loose feels that can trip you up if you play it too tight. Stone Temple Pilots recorded it in Eb Standard, which means every string sits a half-step lower than concert pitch, so make sure your tuner is set before you start. The key of E minor gives the main riff a slightly dark, swaggering quality, and at 104 BPM the groove sits in a comfortable mid-tempo range that still rewards a relaxed, behind-the-beat attitude rather than a rigid strummed attack. The chord work is not technically demanding, but nailing the rhythmic feel and the light, almost jangly tone is where most players need to put in the real work. If the verse rhythm feels slippery at first, use the Practice Toolbar to loop that section slowed down until the placement of each hit feels natural in your hand before you bring the tempo back up. This is a great track for studying how alternative rock rhythm guitar can carry a song on feel alone.

  • The song is played in Eb Standard tuning, so drop every string one half-step before playing or the riff will sound off against the recording.
  • At 104 BPM the groove is mid-tempo, but the rhythmic feel is deliberately loose and relaxed, making tight mechanical strumming sound out of place.
  • The chord shapes themselves are beginner-friendly, so intermediate players should focus their practice on tone and rhythmic attitude rather than finger placement.

How to Play Big Bang Baby

Tuning: Eb Standard · Key: E minor · Tempo: 104 BPM

It is played in Eb standard, a half step down, so tune down before you start or every position and bend will sit a half step sharp against the recording.

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 104 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Fender Telecaster
Guitar

Fender Telecaster

Dean DeLeo uses Telecasters for STP's cleaner, stripped-back arrangements, leveraging their bright single-coil twang to cut through without muddiness. Their articulate bite provides the sparkly contrast to the band's heavier Les Paul-driven riffs.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

The Les Paul Standard's warm PAF-style humbuckers deliver the core-era STP crunch, offering rich midrange that bridges DeLeo's clean tones and overdriven Marshall breakup. This guitar anchors the band's signature heavy yet melodic sound.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

While less documented than his Standards and Deluxe, the Custom's fuller PAF voicing suits STP's dense, layered arrangements. Its premium construction complements DeLeo's preference for guitar-amp interaction over heavy effects.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

DeLeo pushes the JCM800 into natural tube saturation for Stone Temple Pilots' signature overdriven tone, avoiding heavy distortion pedals. This head provides the warm, organic breakup essential to tracks like 'Plush' and 'Vasoline.'

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

The Twin Reverb's pristine headroom and lush reverb define STP's clean, atmospheric parts heard on ballads like 'Big Empty.' Its sparkle complements DeLeo's Telecaster work and dynamic volume knob manipulation.

Vox AC30
Amp

Vox AC30

The AC30's natural chime and breakup character provide warmth and psychedelic texture for STP's cleaner passages and atmospheric moments. Its vintage British tone balances the Marshall's aggression in the band's dynamic arrangements.

Recommended for You

Play with Backing Track

Play with Backing Track

Solo (Backing Track)

Solo (Backing Track)