Practice Studio

Queens of the Stone Age - No One Knows - Guitar Tab

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Speed
100%

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BPM
Key C minor
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Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.

Songs For The Deaf album cover
Songs For The Deaf
2002 4:39
Capo Advisor 0 C minor · Original key

About No One Knows


Few riffs from the 2000s hit as hard as the one that opens "No One Knows," and getting it right on guitar takes more care than it first appears. Queens of the Stone Age drop everything down to Eb Standard, which gives the main riff that extra low-end weight and slightly looser string feel, so make sure you retune before you start. The track sits at 95 BPM in C minor, and the groove depends heavily on playing behind the beat with a heavy, controlled pick attack rather than rushing. The main riff blends power chords with single-note lines, and the challenge is keeping the two feel distinct while staying locked in with the drum pattern. The guitar tone is thick and slightly saturated, so a medium-gain setting will serve you better than a scooped high-gain sound. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the riff slowed down until the rhythm feels completely natural before bringing it back up to tempo. This is Hard Rock playing where pocket and feel matter as much as technical accuracy.

  • The song is played in Eb Standard tuning, dropping every string a half step to add low-end weight to the main riff.
  • At 95 BPM in C minor, the riff demands a behind-the-beat feel and controlled pick attack rather than aggressive speed.
  • The main guitar part weaves power chords and single-note lines together, so keep each element rhythmically tight and distinct.

How to Play No One Knows

The song moves through: Intro, Verse 1, Verse 2, Chorus 1, Verse 3, Verse 4, Chorus 2, Bridge, Verse 5, Outro.

Tuning: Eb Standard · Key: C 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 10 distinct sections, so it helps to learn it in blocks rather than front to back.

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 ES-335
Guitar

Gibson ES-335

Josh Homme uses ES-335-style semi-hollows to achieve his signature warm, thick tone with natural resonance that complements the Ampeg VT-22's tube saturation. The semi-hollow body adds harmonic complexity and sustain crucial for Queens' heavy, mid-forward riffs in C-standard tuning.

Fender Jazzmaster
Guitar

Fender Jazzmaster

Troy Van Leeuwen's Jazzmaster, paired with the band's offset-body approach, provides bright, cutting single-coil tones that punch through Queens' dense guitar textures. Its natural jangle works perfectly for atmospheric leads and delayed textures layered over Homme's thick rhythm foundation.

Play with Backing Track

Play with Backing Track

Solo (Backing Track)

Solo (Backing Track)