Creator Area
Sign in Creator Area

Practice Studio

The Strokes - Reptilia - Guitar Lesson

Sections · Loop · Speed · Metronome

Not in tune?

Select a Loop

Start of your loop
End of your loop

Speed Control

Speed
100%

Tools

BPM
Key C minor
The Strokes - Reptilia guitar lesson video
Guitar 365
Guitar 365 Top Contributor
YouTube: 1.6Msubs 19Kviews
Creator Page →
·
–50¢ 0 +50¢
· Tap to start

Your browser will ask for microphone permission.

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.
Room On Fire album cover
Room On Fire
2003 3:40
Listen on Spotify
The Strokes Alternative Rock 2003 C minor
Capo Advisor 0 C minor · Original key

About Reptilia

Few Alternative Rock tracks from the 2000s have a guitar intro as immediately recognisable as this one. "Reptilia" opens with a short, jabbing two-guitar figure in C minor that locks in tight before the full band enters, and nailing the interplay between those two parts is the first real challenge here. Both guitars stay in E Standard tuning, so there are no setup headaches, but the lines weave around each other in a way that can feel slippery at 160 BPM until you have each part completely under your fingers individually. The verse riff is deceptively simple, but keeping it clean and rhythmically tight at tempo is harder than it looks on paper. The solo, written by The Strokes' guitarists, is melodic and not technically extreme, but it sits in a specific register and phrasing feel that rewards careful listening. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the intro and the solo slowed down until your pick attack and timing feel confident before bringing things back up to full speed.

  • The song is in C minor in E Standard tuning, so no retuning is needed and you can focus entirely on rhythm precision.
  • The twin-guitar intro riff is the centrepiece to learn first: practise each part separately before attempting to play along with the recording.
  • At 160 BPM the verse rhythm parts demand tight, controlled picking, making it a good exercise for right-hand stamina and accuracy.

How to Play Reptilia

Tuning: E Standard · Key: C minor · Tempo: 160 BPM

Loop the hardest passage and creep the speed up from around 70 percent until it holds at 160 BPM.

Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Albert Hammond Jr.'s primary rhythm guitar, delivering the bright, snappy single-coil tone that perfectly contrasts Nick Valensi's thicker leads. The crisp attack and percussive quality sit cleanly in the mix without muddying The Strokes' minimalist two-guitar sound.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

While not Hammond Jr.'s main choice, a Les Paul Standard could provide the thicker, warmer humbucker tone closer to Valensi's semi-hollow aesthetic. It would sacrifice the rhythmic clarity The Strokes depend on for their tight, articulate interplay.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

Similar to the Standard, a Les Paul Custom's thick, dark character moves away from The Strokes' signature bright-and-warm contrast. It lacks the snappy attack needed for Hammond Jr.'s rhythm role or the midrange punch of Valensi's P-94 pickups.

Gibson ES-335
Guitar

Gibson ES-335

Valensi's semi-hollow alternative to his Riviera, the ES-335 delivers that warm, mid-forward lead tone with enough bite to cut through. Its slightly compressed character perfectly complements the band's focus on natural amp breakup and dynamic expression.

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

A signature amp for The Strokes' crunchy, slightly overdriven clean tone, the Twin Reverb breaks up naturally at moderate gain without high-gain distortion. Its tube circuitry and built-in reverb capture that lo-fi studio character that defines their early records.

Boss DS-1 Distortion
Pedal

Boss DS-1 Distortion

Used sparingly for subtle solo boosts rather than heavy distortion, the DS-1 fits The Strokes' minimalist pedal philosophy. It pushes their already-breakup amps just enough for lead definition without abandoning their core compressed, clean tone.

Recommended for You