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Incubus - Drive - Guitar Lesson

Sections · Loop · Speed · Metronome

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Speed Control

Speed
100%

Tools

BPM
Key E minor
Incubus - Drive guitar lesson video
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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.
Stay Ugly album cover
Stay Ugly
1986 3:57
Listen on Spotify
Incubus Alternative Rock 1986 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Drive

Few songs reward a patient, clean approach the way "Drive" by Incubus does. The heart of the song is a gently arpeggiated guitar figure in E minor that relies entirely on touch and control rather than aggression. At 93 BPM in E Standard tuning, the tempo is relaxed enough to feel deceptively easy, but keeping the arpeggios even and the dynamics soft throughout is where most players slip up. The chord voicings themselves are not complex, but making them ring clearly without unwanted string noise takes real left-hand discipline. If any chord transition is breaking your flow, pull that section into the Practice Toolbar, slow it right down, and build the muscle memory before bringing it back up to tempo. The overall feel of the song sits in Alternative Rock territory, but the guitar part asks for the kind of restraint you would more often associate with fingerstyle playing. Tone-wise, keep your gain low and let the note separation do the work.

  • The signature guitar figure is a fingerpicked or hybrid-picked arpeggio pattern in E minor, so right-hand consistency is the main technical challenge.
  • E Standard tuning and a 93 BPM tempo make this accessible for intermediate players, but clean note separation demands careful left-hand muting.
  • A clean or lightly chorused tone suits the part best, since any excess gain will blur the arpeggios and undercut the song's quiet dynamic.

How to Play Drive

Tuning: E Standard · Key: E minor · Tempo: 93 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 93 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Einziger uses Strats for their bright, jangly single-coil character on tracks requiring thinner, cleaner textures. Their natural sparkle complements Incubus's alternative rock aesthetic without the fullness of his signature PRS guitars.

Fender Telecaster
Guitar

Fender Telecaster

The Telecaster's punchy single-coil tone gives Einziger a tighter, more articulate voice for passages needing definition and snap. Its twang cuts through Incubus's dense production while maintaining the clarity essential to their sound.

PRS Custom 24
Guitar

PRS Custom 24

Einziger's workhorse guitar, the Custom 24 delivers balanced versatility from chimey cleans to saturated drive with its responsive humbuckers. The 24-fret neck and coil-split capability enable seamless transitions between Incubus's dynamic song structures.

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

This amp provides the pristine, headroom-rich clean foundation Einziger needs in the studio for crystalline tones without breakup. Its natural reverb contributes to the spacious soundscapes integral to Incubus's atmospheric passages.

Vox AC30
Amp

Vox AC30

The AC30's warm, chimey breakup defines Incubus classics like 'Drive', offering the perfect balance between clean jangle and gentle saturation. Its organic response to dynamics captures the emotional subtlety Einziger brings to their alternative rock arrangements.

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier
Amp

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

This head provides the thick, saturated gain and tight low-end punch Einziger uses for Incubus's heavier riffs and power passages. Its responsive saturation maintains clarity and definition even at high gain levels, crucial for their technical rock style.

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