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Jane's Addiction - Jane Says - Guitar Lesson

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Key G major
Jane's Addiction - Jane Says guitar lesson video
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Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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Jane's Addiction Alternative Rock G major
Capo Advisor 0 G major · Original key

About Jane Says

"Jane Says" is one of those songs where the guitar part is deceptively simple on paper but genuinely tricky to make feel right. Jane's Addiction built the track around a two-chord steel-drum-influenced figure in G major, and on guitar that translates into a repeating pattern that lives and dies by your right-hand consistency. The pattern needs to stay relaxed and even at 92 BPM, which is a comfortable tempo until you realize how exposed every small hesitation sounds against the sparse arrangement. Playing in E Standard keeps things accessible, but the real challenge is locking in the rhythmic feel rather than any left-hand complexity. If the strumming pattern isn't sitting in the pocket, use the Practice Toolbar to loop it slowed down until your picking hand finds its groove before you bring the tempo back up. This is a great song for developing steady, unhurried rhythm guitar in the Alternative Rock style, where restraint matters more than flash.

  • The guitar part revolves around a repetitive two-chord vamp in G major, making right-hand rhythm consistency the central challenge rather than fretting complexity.
  • Playing in E Standard at 92 BPM, the song rewards a loose, relaxed strumming touch, as tension in the picking hand quickly disrupts the groove.
  • The sparse arrangement leaves the rhythm guitar fully exposed, so looping short sections slowed down is the best way to clean up any unevenness before playing at full speed.

How to Play Jane Says

Tuning: E Standard · Key: G major · 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

Dave Navarro used Stratocasters for cleaner passages in Jane's Addiction, leveraging their bright, articulate tone to contrast with his heavier Les Paul work. The guitar's natural clarity lets his fingerstyle technique and atmospheric effects shine without muddying the spacious reverb textures.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

While less documented than his Custom, the Les Paul Standard provided Navarro with the warm, thick midrange and humbucker power essential for Jane's Addiction's saturated rhythm tones. Its PAF-style pickups deliver the fat, singing sustain that pushes Marshall amps into the band's signature overdrive.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

Navarro's primary rhythm guitar during the classic Jane's Addiction era, the black Les Paul Custom's PAF humbuckers produced warm, thick tones ideal for heavily saturated riffs while retaining clarity for clean arpeggios. This guitar defined the band's dense, layered guitar sound on 'Nothing's Shocking'.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

The JCM800's raw, aggressive tube overdrive was central to Navarro's tone on Jane's Addiction albums, delivering natural saturation when cranked with minimal master volume. This amp head created the band's iconic crunch and singing sustain that defined their '80s alternative rock sound.

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier
Amp

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

Navarro adopted the Dual Rectifier in later years for its tighter low-end response and modern high-gain voicing, complementing his Marshall setup in a wet/dry live rig. The amp's responsive dynamics allow him to maintain clarity and control across the band's dynamic range.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Navarro uses the Cry Baby Wah for expressive lead work and atmospheric textures throughout Jane's Addiction's catalog, adding emotional sweep to solos. The pedal's responsive sweep range pairs perfectly with his effect-heavy approach to create the band's signature spacious, cathedral-like guitar tones.

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