Practice Studio

Muse - Blackout - 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 G minor
PLAY WITH BACKING TRACK
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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.

Album Eins album cover
Album Eins
2019 3:43
Capo Advisor 0 G minor · Original key

About Blackout


Drop D tuning sits at the heart of "Blackout" by Muse, and it shapes everything about how the song feels under your fingers. The lowered sixth string adds weight to any open or power-chord passages in G minor, so getting comfortable shifting between that drop voicing and higher fretboard positions is your first real task. At 128 BPM the tempo is steady enough to feel controlled, but keeping your picking tight and even across that pulse takes more discipline than the speed alone suggests. Alternative Rock arrangements often layer clean and driven tones across a track, so pay attention to where your picking attack changes the character of each section. The chord transitions and any rhythmic riff work are the spots most players stumble on early, so isolate those passages with the Practice Toolbar, loop them slowed down, and only push the tempo back up once the fingering is clean and automatic.

  • The Drop D tuning lowers the sixth string a whole step, letting you fret power chords on the low strings with a single finger.
  • At 128 BPM the groove is mid-tempo, but keeping a consistent picking attack throughout is the main physical challenge.
  • Practicing the trickiest chord transitions looped and slowed down will help you build the muscle memory needed before playing at full speed.

How to Play Blackout

Tuning: Drop D · Key: G minor · Tempo: 128 BPM

The drop D tuning lets you fret the low power chords with a single finger, which is central to the heavier riffing here.

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.

Vox AC30
Amp

Vox AC30

Bellamy uses the Vox AC30 for clean, chimey passages that contrast with his high-gain rig, providing warm tube breakup and natural chime on atmospheric sections. Its low-wattage headroom lets him achieve responsive, dynamic tones without sacrificing clarity.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

The Cry Baby wah is essential to Bellamy's lead vocabulary, particularly on "Knights of Cydonia," where it sweeps across his sustained, pitch-shifted tones. The pedal's responsive sweep complements his aggressive playing style and synth-like effects chain.

Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi
Pedal

Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi

Bellamy pairs the Big Muff's smooth, sustaining fuzz with his bridge humbucker for soaring lead tones that retain clarity even under extreme gain. Its warm compression makes it ideal for long, singing sustain passages layered with the Fernandes Sustainer system.

DigiTech Whammy
Pedal

DigiTech Whammy

The Whammy is Bellamy's signature effect, enabling octave-shifted harmonies, pitch-shifted leads, and dramatic dive bombs used across nearly every Muse album. It transforms his sustained notes into orchestral layers that define Muse's progressive rock signature sound.

Play with Backing Track

Play with Backing Track

Solo (Backing Track)

Solo (Backing Track)