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Pixies - Where Is My Mind? - Guitar Lesson

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Key E major
Pixies - Where Is My Mind? guitar lesson video
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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.
Death to the Pixies album cover
Death to the Pixies
1997 3:49
Listen on Spotify
Pixies Alternative Rock 1997 E major
Capo Advisor 0 E major · Original key

About Where Is My Mind?

That opening guitar figure is what most players come for, and it earns its reputation. The clean, arpeggiated riff in E major has a deceptively simple shape, but the picking pattern and the subtle timing feel between the notes take real attention to nail. Pixies built the song around a hypnotic, repetitive structure, so locking in with the rhythm and staying relaxed through the verses is the main challenge, not speed. At 120 BPM in standard tuning, nothing here is technically demanding in isolation, but consistency across repeated phrases is harder than it looks. The sparse arrangement means any hesitation or muffled note is fully exposed, so clean fretting hand contact matters throughout. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the intro riff slowed down until the picking pattern feels automatic, then bring it up to tempo. The Alternative Rock feel of the song rewards a light touch rather than any aggressive attack.

  • The signature intro uses a clean arpeggiated figure in E major, and keeping the pick attack even across all strings is the main technical hurdle.
  • At 120 BPM in E Standard tuning, the song is approachable for intermediate players but demands consistent, clean fretting across many repeated phrases.
  • The sparse arrangement leaves every note exposed, so using the Practice Toolbar to loop and slow the intro is the most effective way to build accuracy.

How to Play Where Is My Mind?

Tuning: E Standard · Key: E major · Tempo: 120 BPM

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.

Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Black Francis occasionally wielded this bright, versatile instrument for its snappy attack and cutting single-coil tones that define Pixies' clean rhythm foundation. The bolt-on neck delivers the direct, no-nonsense response that fits their aggressive playing style.

Fender Telecaster
Guitar

Fender Telecaster

Black Francis favored Telecasters for their punchy single-coils that produce the iconic bright, cutting tones on 'Where Is My Mind?' and 'Here Comes Your Man.' This guitar's simplicity and direct response align perfectly with Pixies' emphasis on playing hard over gear complexity.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Joey Santiago's workhorse choice, featuring humbucker pickups that deliver the fat midrange growl essential to Pixies' layered guitar sound. Driven into amp breakup, it provides the contrast needed against Black Francis' bright single-coils.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

Santiago used this premium Les Paul variant for its refined humbucker tones and added depth, maintaining the same aggressive midrange character that cuts through the mix without excessive compression on lead passages.

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

Santiago relied on this amp for clean headroom and shimmering reverb that adds atmosphere to Pixies' quieter passages. Its responsive breakup point allows pick dynamics to control whether tones stay clean or crunch with intensity.

Boss DS-1 Distortion
Pedal

Boss DS-1 Distortion

This compact distortion pedal exemplifies Pixies' minimal effects approach, pushing Santiago's Les Paul leads into nasty, saturated territory when needed while keeping the signal chain deliberately simple and focused on playing dynamics.

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