Practice Studio

Poison - Fallen Angel - Guitar Lesson

Sections · Loop · Speed · Metronome

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Select a Loop

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Speed Control

Speed
100%

Tools

BPM
Key D minor
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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.

Open Up And Say . . . Ahh! album cover
Open Up And Say . . . Ahh!
1988 3:58
Poison Hard Rock 1988 D minor
Capo Advisor 0 D minor · Original key

About Fallen Angel


From the 1988 Poison album "Open Up And Say... Ahh!", "Fallen Angel" sits on the softer, more melodic end of the band's output, and that character shapes everything about how you approach it on guitar. The song moves at a steady 120 BPM in D minor, giving it a mid-pace ballad feel that rewards clean tone and controlled dynamics rather than sheer aggression. The chord work leans on open and first-position shapes with smooth transitions, so beginners will find it accessible while intermediate players can focus on polishing their strumming feel and note articulation. The lead lines are lyrical and not overly fast, but hitting them with the right phrasing and vibrato takes real attention. If you find the melodic runs slipping, pull them into the Practice Toolbar, loop them slowed down, and lock in the phrasing before bringing the tempo back up. This is a great song for working on expressive playing in a hard rock context without having to fight a brutal tempo.

  • The song sits in D minor at 120 BPM, making it approachable for intermediate players focused on clean phrasing and smooth chord transitions.
  • Playing in E Standard tuning means no retuning is needed, so you can focus entirely on tone and dynamics from the start.
  • The lead guitar parts prioritize melodic phrasing and vibrato over speed, making them ideal for practising expressive soloing technique.

How to Play Fallen Angel

Tuning: E Standard · Key: D minor · Tempo: 120 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 120 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

C.C. DeVille used the Les Paul Standard in Poison's later years, leveraging its thick body and warm humbucker tones for a heavier, more classic rock foundation. The instrument provided a fatter sustain than his superstrats while maintaining the cutting presence needed to slice through the band's dense arrangements.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

The Les Paul Custom appeared in DeVille's setup during Poison's evolution, offering premium hardware and premium pickups that reinforced his bridge humbucker-driven lead tone with enhanced articulation and sustain. Its weight and construction allowed him to achieve singing, sustained solos while keeping the glam metal edge intact.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

DeVille's signature tone came directly from the JCM800's moderate-high gain voicing, which delivered that saturated yet articulate crunch essential to Poison's Sunset Strip sound. The amp's presence peak kept his leads cutting through the mix without needing excessive gain, letting the guitar's midrange shine through the drums.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

DeVille wielded the Cry Baby Wah as his primary expressive effect, adding vocal-like sweep and movement to lead passages and rhythm accents throughout Poison's glam metal anthems. The pedal's responsive taper complemented his flashy, over-the-top playing style and became a signature element of his soloing voice.

DigiTech Whammy
Pedal

DigiTech Whammy

While not a primary tool in DeVille's original chain, the DigiTech Whammy offered harmonic shifting effects that could enhance his signature whammy bar dive bombs and pitch-bend moments during solos. The pedal's tracking algorithms could layer synth-like tones beneath his squalling leads for added drama.

Play with Backing Track

Play with Backing Track

Solo (Backing Track)

Solo (Backing Track)