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Velvet Revolver - Fall To Pieces - Guitar Lesson

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Key D minor
Velvet Revolver - Fall To Pieces 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
Velvet Revolver Hard Rock D minor
Capo Advisor 0 D minor · Original key

About Fall To Pieces

At 95 BPM in D minor with Eb Standard tuning, "Fall To Pieces" sits in a comfortable mid-tempo range that can still trip you up if you are not careful about feel. The whole song rides on a clean, arpeggiated guitar figure that opens it, and getting that part to ring cleanly takes more left-hand discipline than the tempo suggests. Eb Standard drops every string a half step, so if you are coming from a standard-tuned guitar, your muscle memory for chord shapes will feel slightly off at first. The transitions between the clean picked intro and the heavier, driven chorus sections are where most players stumble, so use the Practice Toolbar to loop those crossover moments slowed down until the dynamic shift feels natural. Velvet Revolver brought together players with serious Hard Rock pedigree, and the layered guitar work here rewards anyone who takes the time to learn both the rhythm and lead parts rather than just one.

  • The song is in Eb Standard tuning, meaning every string is tuned a half step down from standard, which softens the overall tension and shifts all your familiar chord shapes accordingly.
  • The clean arpeggiated intro figure is the most-practised part of this song and requires careful finger placement to keep each note ringing without unwanted muting.
  • At 95 BPM the tempo is approachable, but nailing the dynamic contrast between the soft verse picking and the heavier chorus rhythm playing is the real challenge.

How to Play Fall To Pieces

The song moves through: Intro, Opening line, 2nd time through, Slash’s pre-chorus, Dave’s power chords, Main melody, Chorus, Slash’s bridge, Dave’s bridge, Solo chord progression, Slash’s solo, Ending.

Tuning: Eb Standard · Key: D minor · Tempo: 95 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. The arrangement runs through 12 distinct sections, and the solo is the steepest jump, so isolate it on its own.

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 95 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Slash's weapon of choice throughout Velvet Revolver, the late-'50s-style Les Paul Standard delivers the warm, thick mahogany tone that defines the band's bluesy hard rock sound. Its maple cap and vintage construction provide the natural sustain and clarity needed for his signature vibrato and bending technique.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

A variation Slash employed during Velvet Revolver sessions, offering slightly different tonal character while maintaining the same PAF-influenced warmth essential to the band's guitar-driven aesthetic. The Custom's construction ensures consistent output for his amp-driven, effects-minimal approach.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

Slash's occasional vintage alternative to his primary JCM2555, the JCM800 delivers raw, responsive tube saturation that cuts through Velvet Revolver's dense rhythm section. Its EL84 tubes provide slightly tighter breakup, allowing his lower-output pickups to shine with dynamic clarity on lead lines.

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier
Amp

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

Dave Kushner's anchor amp, the Dual Rectifier's high-gain voicing and saturated low-end create the heavier rhythm foundation that contrasts with Slash's warmer tone. The amp's aggressive rectifier tubes and configurable channels enable Kushner to layer thick, compressed rhythms without sacrificing note definition.

Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro
Pickup

Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro

Installed in Slash's Les Pauls, these PAF-style pickups preserve his picking dynamics and vibrato nuances by avoiding excessive output, allowing the Marshall's natural tube saturation to define Velvet Revolver's signature tone. The lower impedance ensures clarity even at high volumes.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Slash's only essential effect pedal in Velvet Revolver, the Cry Baby adds expressive sweep and personality to his lead solos without coloring his core amp-driven tone. Its responsive sweep complements his dynamic playing style and completes the band's straightforward, blues-rock approach to effects.

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