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Van Halen - Pretty Woman - Guitar Lesson

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Key A major
Van Halen - Pretty Woman guitar lesson video
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Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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Van Halen Hard Rock A major
Capo Advisor 0 A major · Original key

About Pretty Woman

Van Halen's cover of "Pretty Woman" is a fantastic study in how a band can completely reinvent a classic through sheer attitude and guitar muscle. Where Roy Orbison's original is lean and pop-polished, Van Halen turns it into a full-throttle Hard Rock workout, and Eddie Van Halen's guitar work is the engine driving that transformation. The song sits in A major in Eb Standard tuning, so drop everything a half step before you start. At 120 BPM the rhythm feels comfortable, but keeping your right hand tight and percussive through the main riff is harder than the tempo suggests. The signature riff relies on a chunky, palm-muted attack with crisp chord stabs, and the transitions need to feel locked-in rather than rushed. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop those riff-to-chord transitions slowed down until the muting and timing are clean before bringing it back up to speed.

  • The song is played in Eb Standard tuning, so every string is tuned down a half step from standard before you begin.
  • The signature guitar riff leans heavily on palm muting and tight chord stabs, making right-hand control the main technical challenge.
  • At 120 BPM the tempo is approachable, but nailing the rhythmic precision of Eddie's riff cleanly is the real goal to work toward.

How to Play Pretty Woman

Tuning: Eb Standard · Key: A major · 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.

Gibson ES-335
Guitar

Gibson ES-335

Eddie Van Halen pulled a Gibson PAF humbucker from a ES-335 to load his original Frankenstrat, giving him a low-output pickup that maintained clarity during lightning-fast tapping and legato runs despite heavy gain.

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)
Amp

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)

Eddie's 1968 Marshall Plexi Super Lead, run through a variac at 90 volts, created his legendary 'brown sound' by pushing power tubes into sweet, spongy saturation at gig volumes, defining his harmonic sustain and responsiveness.

Soldano SLO-100
Amp

Soldano SLO-100

Eddie adopted the Soldano SLO-100 as a tonal alternative to Marshalls, delivering the high-headroom, articulate gain he needed for his finger-tapping technique while maintaining clarity in complex legato passages.

Peavey 5150
Amp

Peavey 5150

Eddie co-designed the Peavey 5150 to capture his signature tone in a modern platform, offering three channels from clean sparkle to crushing high-gain with EL34 power tubes for dynamic responsiveness across his entire playing vocabulary.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Eddie employed the Dunlop Cry Baby wah strategically on select solos, using it to add vocal-like expression and sweep to his lead lines without relying heavily on effect-driven tones.

MXR Phase 90
Pedal

MXR Phase 90

Eddie's MXR Phase 90 script-logo version created his signature swirling, vocal sweep on 'Eruption' and 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love,' becoming one of rock's most identifiable effect tones through minimal, tasteful use.

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