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Motley Crue - Same Ol' Situation - Guitar Lesson

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Key E minor
Motley Crue - Same Ol' Situation guitar lesson video
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Classic Rock

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Mid7
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Master7
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Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
Dr. Feelgood album cover
Dr. Feelgood
1989 4:13
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Motley Crue Hard Rock 1989 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Same Ol' Situation

Tuned down a half step to Eb Standard, "Same Ol' Situation" sits in E minor and rolls at a steady 120 BPM, which gives Mick Mars's riffing a loose, swaggering feel that is easy to underestimate. The main riff is built around a chunky, palm-muted low-string figure that relies on tight right-hand control: if the muting is sloppy, the groove falls apart immediately. The chorus opens up into fuller chord stabs, so you need to shift cleanly between those two textures without losing the pocket. The lead work demands a mix of pentatonic phrasing and legato pull-offs typical of Motley Crue's style in the Hard Rock era. For the solo and any tricky transitional bar, use the Practice Toolbar to loop those sections slowed down until the fingering is clean before bringing the tempo back up. Getting the Eb tuning right before you start is non-negotiable, since every interval will feel slightly off if you play it at concert pitch.

  • The song is played in Eb Standard tuning, a half step down from concert pitch, so retune before playing or every chord voicing will clash.
  • Palm muting on the low strings is central to the main riff, and controlling the amount of mute determines whether the groove feels tight or muddy.
  • At 120 BPM the tempo is moderate, but maintaining consistent pick attack through the verse riff while switching to open chord stabs in the chorus is the key coordination challenge.

How to Play Same Ol' Situation

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

It is played in Eb standard, a half step down, so tune down before you start or every position and bend will sit a half step sharp against the recording.

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.

Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Mick Mars used custom Fender Stratocasters with humbucker pickups for specific recordings, providing tonal variety beyond his signature Les Paul thickness. The Strat's brighter character offered alternative textures while maintaining the aggressive humbucker-driven attack essential to Motley Crue's sound.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Mars' primary weapon throughout Motley Crue's career, the Les Paul Standard delivered the thick, sustained rhythm tones and warm PAF-style humbucker attack that define the band's heavy metal foundation. Its stock Gibson electronics and natural resonance let the cranked Marshall amp create the signature crunch without additional processing.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

Mars' most iconic guitar choice, the black and white Les Paul Customs from the late 70s and 80s provided the dense, aggressive tones that powered Motley Crue's biggest hits. The custom model's weight and construction contributed to the sustained, sludgy rhythm guitar sound that became the band's sonic trademark.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

The core of Mick Mars' legendary tone, his heavily modified JCM800 heads with scooped mids and cranked preamp gain created Motley Crue's characteristic thick, saturated crunch. Driven hard with a Les Paul's humbuckers, this combination produced the warm yet aggressive distortion that defined 80s hair metal.

Soldano SLO-100
Amp

Soldano SLO-100

Mars adopted the Soldano SLO-100 in later years for its smoother, more refined high-gain character compared to the Marshall's rawer saturation. The Soldano's tighter response and cleaner articulation suited Motley Crue's evolution while maintaining the band's heavy, sustain-driven aesthetic.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Featured prominently on 'Kickstart My Heart' intro and various solos, Mars' Dunlop Cry Baby wah pedal added dynamic expression to his otherwise amp-driven tone. The wah's sweeping character became an iconic texture in Motley Crue's arsenal of lead guitar effects.

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