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Stone Temple Pilots - Sex Type Thing - Guitar Lesson

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Key E minor
Stone Temple Pilots - Sex Type Thing guitar lesson video
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Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
Thank You album cover
Thank You
2003 3:38
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Stone Temple Pilots Grunge 2003 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Sex Type Thing

That opening riff is the whole lesson. Stone Temple Pilots built "Sex Type Thing" around a chunky, repetitive two-bar figure that sits deep in the low register, and nailing its attitude is harder than it looks. The riff lives in E minor and benefits immediately from the Eb Standard tuning, which drops every string a half-step and gives the whole thing a heavier, looser feel than concert pitch would deliver. At 104 BPM the groove is mid-tempo but demands a locked, almost mechanical picking hand. The temptation is to rush the accents, so use the Practice Toolbar to loop the main riff slowed down until your right hand stops anticipating the beat. The Grunge genre rewards a slightly behind-the-beat feel here, so resist cleaning it up too much. The power chords in the verses need palm muting that is consistent but not choked, keeping the low end thick without turning to mud.

  • The song is tuned to Eb Standard, dropping every string a half-step and thickening the low-register riff considerably.
  • The main riff relies on palm-muted power chords in E minor, so consistent muting pressure is the core technique to practise.
  • At 104 BPM the tempo is approachable, but locking the picking hand to the groove without rushing the accents takes focused repetition.

How to Play Sex Type Thing

Tuning: Eb Standard · Key: E minor · Tempo: 104 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 104 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Fender Telecaster
Guitar

Fender Telecaster

Dean DeLeo uses Telecasters for STP's cleaner, stripped-back arrangements, leveraging their bright single-coil twang to cut through without muddiness. Their articulate bite provides the sparkly contrast to the band's heavier Les Paul-driven riffs.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

The Les Paul Standard's warm PAF-style humbuckers deliver the core-era STP crunch, offering rich midrange that bridges DeLeo's clean tones and overdriven Marshall breakup. This guitar anchors the band's signature heavy yet melodic sound.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

While less documented than his Standards and Deluxe, the Custom's fuller PAF voicing suits STP's dense, layered arrangements. Its premium construction complements DeLeo's preference for guitar-amp interaction over heavy effects.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

DeLeo pushes the JCM800 into natural tube saturation for Stone Temple Pilots' signature overdriven tone, avoiding heavy distortion pedals. This head provides the warm, organic breakup essential to tracks like 'Plush' and 'Vasoline.'

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

The Twin Reverb's pristine headroom and lush reverb define STP's clean, atmospheric parts heard on ballads like 'Big Empty.' Its sparkle complements DeLeo's Telecaster work and dynamic volume knob manipulation.

Vox AC30
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Vox AC30

The AC30's natural chime and breakup character provide warmth and psychedelic texture for STP's cleaner passages and atmospheric moments. Its vintage British tone balances the Marshall's aggression in the band's dynamic arrangements.

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