Pearl Jam - Just Breathe - Guitar Lesson

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Pearl Jam - Just Breathe - Guitar Lesson

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Backspacer album cover
Backspacer
2009 3:36
Capo Advisor 0 C major · Original key

Just Breathe


"Just Breathe" is a heartfelt acoustic-driven track by Pearl Jam, released in 2009 as the second single from their ninth studio album, Backspacer. The song grew out of a chord from "Tuolumne," an instrumental Eddie Vedder wrote for the Into the Wild soundtrack, giving it a reflective, stripped-back character. For electric guitar players, it offers a rewarding study in gentle fingerpicking, minimalist chord voicings, and expressive dynamics rarely heard in Pearl Jam's heavier catalog.

  • The song originated from a single chord Eddie Vedder used in "Tuolumne," an Into the Wild soundtrack instrumental.
  • "Just Breathe" shows Pearl Jam's quieter side, fingerpicking and soft chord work replace the band's typical distorted guitar sound.
  • It was released on October 31, 2009, as part of Backspacer, Pearl Jam's ninth studio album.
Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Mike McCready's signature instrument, with glassy single-coil pickups that deliver his iconic vocal-like leads and dynamic wah tones on classics like 'Alive' and 'Yellow Ledbetter.' The Strat's clarity cuts through Pearl Jam's heavy rhythm section.

Fender Telecaster
Guitar

Fender Telecaster

Stone Gossard occasionally deploys the Telecaster for its bright, cutting midrange to complement his primary Gibson arsenal, adding tonal variety to Pearl Jam's layered rhythm approach without sacrificing sustain.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Stone Gossard's main rhythm weapon, the '53 Goldtop Les Paul delivers the warm, thick humbucker tones that anchor Pearl Jam's foundation with sustain and midrange presence perfect for the band's sludgy grunge aesthetic.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

Gossard's alternate heavy hitter providing deeper, thicker tones than the Standard for songs demanding extra weight and sustain, crucial to Pearl Jam's ability to shift between raw and refined sonic textures.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

McCready and Gossard's tone weapon of choice, the JCM800 produces the warm, mid-heavy natural tube overdrive that defines Pearl Jam's 'Ten' era sound with enough grit for leads and clarity for chord definition.

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier
Amp

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

Gossard's heavy-duty amplifier option delivering aggressive, saturated tones with tight low-end for Pearl Jam's heavier material, offering more modern crunch than vintage Marshalls when maximum sustain is required.

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