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Joe Satriani - Tears In The Rain - Guitar Lesson

Sections · Loop · Speed · Metronome

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Speed
100%

Tools

BPM
Key E minor
Joe Satriani - Tears In The Rain guitar lesson video
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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.
Listen on Spotify
Joe Satriani Instrumental Rock E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Tears In The Rain

Quiet, spacious, and deceptively simple, "Tears In The Rain" gives you a glimpse of what Joe Satriani can do when he strips everything back to pure melody and feel. Written in E minor and sitting at 120 BPM, the piece is an unaccompanied solo guitar work that lives entirely on your phrasing, dynamics, and vibrato. There are no riffs to hide behind, no rhythm guitar filling the space: every note you choose to bend, sustain, or leave silent is exposed. The real challenge is not the technical difficulty but the emotional control, keeping your pick attack light and consistent while shaping each phrase so it breathes. Standard E tuning keeps things straightforward, but do not let that fool you into rushing the prep work. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop individual phrases slowed down, focusing on where the vibrato starts and how much width sounds natural rather than forced. This is a valuable exercise in instrumental rock phrasing for any player working on expressive lead playing.

  • The piece is an unaccompanied solo guitar work, so clean tone control and consistent pick dynamics matter far more than speed or technical complexity.
  • Played in E minor at 120 BPM in standard tuning, making it accessible to intermediate players who want to focus on phrasing and vibrato.
  • Because every note is exposed with no backing, use the Practice Toolbar to loop short phrases slowed down and refine your vibrato width and timing.

How to Play Tears In The Rain

Tuning: E Standard · Key: E 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.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

Satriani's early foundation amp, the JCM800 delivered the aggressive crunch and natural tube breakup essential to his 1980s instrumental rock sound on classics like 'Surfing with the Alien.' Its responsive gain structure shaped his initial lead tone before transitioning to higher-wattage rigs.

Soldano SLO-100
Amp

Soldano SLO-100

The SLO-100's tight, articulate distortion and supreme headroom allowed Satriani to achieve singing lead tones with exceptional clarity and note definition during his early touring years. This amp's transparency made every nuance of his phrasing and vibrato audible at stadium volumes.

Boss DS-1 Distortion
Pedal

Boss DS-1 Distortion

Satriani's modded DS-1 stacks with his amp's natural saturation to add aggressive midrange punch and sustain for fluid lead passages and shredding sections. The pedal's simplicity lets him focus on dynamics and technique rather than dialing in tone.

DigiTech Whammy
Pedal

DigiTech Whammy

The Whammy enables Satriani's signature harmonic effects and pitch-shifted lead lines, creating otherworldly textures that complement his ambient, melodic approach to instrumental composition. It's essential for his arsenal of experimental soloing techniques.

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