Muse - Stockholm Syndrome Pt.4 - Solo & Ending - Guitar Lesson

About Stockholm Syndrome Pt.4 - Solo & Ending

The solo and ending section of "Stockholm Syndrome" is where Muse guitarist Matt Bellamy really pushes the technical ceiling. Played in G minor with the guitar in Drop D tuning at 120 BPM, this part demands precise picking speed alongside expressive bends and vibrato that need to feel controlled rather than frantic. The solo itself sits on top of a churning, heavy riff, so your pick attack and dynamics matter as much as the note accuracy. Getting the phrasing right is the real challenge here, since many players nail the notes but lose the tension that makes the section hit hard. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the most demanding phrases slowed down until your fretting hand is clean and relaxed before pushing back up to full speed. The Drop D tuning gives the low end extra weight, so make sure your rhythm parts underneath the solo are locked in tightly. This is a rewarding section to master within the broader world of Alternative Rock guitar playing.

• The Drop D tuning adds significant low-end weight to the rhythm parts underpinning the solo, so retuning only the sixth string is all that is required.
• The solo demands both speed and expressive vibrato in G minor, making right-hand pick control and left-hand relaxation equally important to practise.
• Looping the ending riff slowed down is especially useful here, as the passage combines fast single-note runs with heavy power-chord punctuation.