Practice Studio

Guns N' Roses - Back Off Bitch - Guitar Solo Tab

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Speed
100%

Tools

BPM
Key E minor
PLAY WITH BACKING TRACK
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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.

Use Your Illusion I album cover
Use Your Illusion I
1991 5:02
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Back Off Bitch


Originally written back in the band's early club days, "Back Off Bitch" finally landed on the 1991 record Use Your Illusion I, and the guitar work reflects that raw, street-level energy. The song sits in E minor and runs at a steady 120 BPM, giving the rhythm parts a mid-tempo swagger that rewards players who lock in tight with the kick drum rather than rushing. Guns N' Roses build the track around driving power chords and bluesy lead fills that sit comfortably within the minor pentatonic box, making it approachable for intermediate players but punishing if your pick attack is sloppy. The tuning is Eb Standard, so drop every string a half-step before you start. That small shift darkens the tone noticeably and also relieves string tension, which actually helps when you are bending up into the lead phrases. If the transitional licks between the verse and chorus are tripping you up, pull them into the Practice Toolbar, slow them down, and drill the pick-hand synchronisation before returning to full speed. Rhythmically, staying relaxed and behind-the-beat is what gives this style of Hard Rock its feel.

  • The song uses Eb Standard tuning, so tune every string down a half-step to match the recording and keep your bends in the right place.
  • At 120 BPM the rhythm guitar parts sit at a comfortable mid-tempo, but clean power-chord articulation and consistent pick attack are what the groove depends on.
  • Lead fills draw heavily from the E minor pentatonic scale, making this a practical song for cementing that scale across the fretboard in a real musical context.

How to Play Back Off Bitch

Tuning: Eb Standard · Key: E minor · Tempo: 148 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 148 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Slash's weapon of choice, particularly late-'50s specs with mahogany bodies that deliver the thick, singing tone heard throughout 'Appetite for Destruction.' The Les Paul's weight and sustain complement his cranked Marshall, allowing solos to bloom with harmonic richness.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

Offering a slightly different tonal character with a thinner body profile, the Custom gives Slash an alternative voice while maintaining the Les Paul's core warmth and sustain essential to his signature lead sound.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

The split-channel JCM 800 2205 defines Slash's crunch, delivering natural tube saturation and midrange presence without artificial scooping, crucial for maintaining clarity in heavily driven passages.

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)
Amp

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)

Modified 1959 Super Lead amps pushed hard created the iconic raw power and harmonic distortion of 'Appetite for Destruction,' with power tube breakup that shaped GNR's raw, blues-rooted rock sound.

Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro
Pickup

Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro

These lower-output Alnico II humbuckers retain dynamic expressiveness even when the Marshall is cranked, producing a warm, slightly soft attack that makes Slash's tone creamy rather than harsh.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Slash's signature SW-95 wah adds vocal expression to solos like 'Civil War' and 'Estranged,' staying true to his minimalist pedalboard philosophy where tone comes primarily from guitar and amp interaction.

Play with Backing Track

Play with Backing Track

Solo (Backing Track)

Solo (Backing Track)