Muse - Psycho - Guitar Lesson

About Psycho

Drop D tuning is the whole reason "Psycho" feels so aggressive and physical to play. That low open D string, dropped a whole step, gives the main riff its crushing, almost militaristic weight, and you need to lean into palm muting hard to get the right choked, mechanical feel. The riff itself sits in E minor and moves around simple shapes, but clean execution at 128 BPM with tight muting discipline is where most players struggle early on. The rhythm is relentless and precise, more like a drill than a groove, so sloppy fretting hand muting will expose itself fast. Muse have always pushed Alternative Rock guitar into heavier, more theatrical territory, and this track is a good example of how a straightforward riff can demand a lot of control. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the main riff slowed down and focus purely on the consistency of your palm mute pressure before bringing it back up to full tempo.

• The riff is built around Drop D tuning, which lets you hit power chords on the lowest two strings with a single-finger barre shape.
• Palm muting consistency is the core technical challenge: the tone depends on a tight, even choke across the low strings throughout the riff.
• At 128 BPM the rhythm feels brisk and mechanical, so practise with a metronome in short loops before running the full riff at speed.