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Incubus - Pardon Me - Guitar Lesson

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BPM
Key E minor
Incubus - Pardon Me 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.
Make Yourself album cover
Make Yourself
1999 3:44
Listen on Spotify
Incubus Alternative Rock 1999 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Pardon Me

Few tracks from 1999 capture a guitarist's attention quite like "Pardon Me" by Incubus, a song built around a brooding E minor riff that locks in perfectly with the 92 BPM groove. The verse riff is deceptively simple but demands clean, controlled picking with tight muting between notes. What trips most players up is maintaining that coiled tension without rushing. The pre-chorus and chorus open things up considerably, so knowing when to dig in and when to ease off is central to nailing the dynamics. Running in E Standard, nothing about the tuning is unusual, but the feel of the song rewards players who stay deliberate and slightly behind the beat. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the verse riff slowed down until the muting feels natural before bringing it back up to tempo. Alternative Rock often rewards feel over flash, and this track is a clean example of that principle in action.

  • The main riff sits in E minor and relies heavily on palm muting to create its tight, percussive feel.
  • At 92 BPM the song is approachable for intermediate players, but nailing the dynamic contrast between verse and chorus takes careful practice.
  • The song is in E Standard tuning, so no retuning is needed, making it a practical choice for players working through an unaltered setup.

How to Play Pardon Me

Tuning: E Standard · Key: E minor · Tempo: 92 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 92 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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