Practice Studio

Faith No More - Epic - Guitar Tab

Sections · Loop · Speed · Metronome

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Select a Loop

Start of your loop
End of your loop

Speed Control

Speed
100%

Tools

BPM
Key C# minor
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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.

Capo Advisor 0 C# minor · Original key

About Epic


Few songs from the early 1990s fused funk, metal, and rap-rock as bluntly as "Epic" by Faith No More, and the guitar work is a big reason why. In E Standard and rooted in C# minor, the riff is built on a tight, palm-muted groove that locks in with the bass rather than competing with it, so getting that muted attack clean and consistent is your first priority. At 94 BPM the tempo is very manageable, but the groove depends on staying behind the beat with your picking hand, because rushing even slightly turns the riff stiff. The chord stabs that punctuate the verses need a sharp, percussive right-hand technique: let them ring just long enough, then kill them. If the syncopation in the verse figure is tripping you up, use the Practice Toolbar to loop that section slowed down until the rhythmic pattern sits in your muscle memory. This is a great song for tightening up your palm-muting control within a heavy metal context without having to deal with blazing speed.

  • The central riff relies on consistent palm muting in E Standard, so keeping your picking-hand edge firmly on the strings throughout is essential for the right tone.
  • At 94 BPM the tempo is approachable, but the groove demands a slightly behind-the-beat feel that beginners often overlook when first learning the riff.
  • Chord stabs in the verses require precise right-hand dampening: each stab should be short and percussive, which is good practice for controlled rhythmic guitar work.

How to Play Epic

Tuning: E Standard · Key: C# minor · Tempo: 94 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 94 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Fender Telecaster
Guitar

Fender Telecaster

Jon Hudson deployed the Telecaster's bright, articulate single-coils to cut through Faith No More's dense arrangements with clarity and definition. Its twangy character provided tonal contrast to Jim Martin's thick Les Paul, allowing Hudson to voice atmospheric textures and rhythmic accents without getting lost in the mix.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

The Les Paul Standard's warm humbuckers and mahogany body deliver the thick, sustaining tone that Faith No More needed for both crushing rhythm riffs and smooth blues-influenced leads. Its moderate output maintains dynamic range for clean passages while pushing the amp hard enough for the band's heavy, scooped-midrange distortion.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

Jim Martin's signature black Les Paul Custom became the backbone of Faith No More's heavy sound, with its thick mahogany body and set neck providing maximum sustain and warmth. The stock Gibson humbuckers perfectly paired with his Mesa amps to produce the scooped, aggressive low-end that defined the band's rhythmic foundation.

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier
Amp

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

The Dual Rectifier gave Jim Martin the tight, aggressive low-end and scooped midrange essential to Faith No More's crushing rhythm tone while offering smooth lead channels for bluesy solos. This amp's gain staging and responsiveness to input dynamics made it ideal for Martin's relatively simple signal chain, letting the amp do the heavy lifting.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Jim Martin's Cry Baby wah became a signature element of Faith No More's sound, used extensively for solos and occasional rhythm accents to add expression and movement. The wah's dynamic response to his playing made it the perfect complement to his minimalist effects approach, serving as his primary tone-shaping tool beyond the amp.

Play with Backing Track

Play with Backing Track

Solo (Backing Track)

Solo (Backing Track)