This Plush guitar lesson breaks down one of Stone Temple Pilots’ most iconic tracks from the grunge era. Plush combines accessible chord progressions with that signature 90s alternative rock sound that made STP legends. The song’s mix of gentle verses and powerful choruses gives you a perfect introduction to grunge guitar techniques while keeping things manageable for intermediate players.
Song Story & Context
Released in 1992 on STP’s debut album “Core,” Plush became the band’s breakthrough hit and helped define the grunge sound alongside Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Dean DeLeo’s guitar work showcases the era’s signature characteristics: heavy use of power chords, dynamic shifts between clean and distorted tones, and melodic sensibilities that separated STP from their Seattle contemporaries. The song’s success launched Stone Temple Pilots into mainstream recognition and proved that California could produce grunge just as effectively as the Pacific Northwest.
What You’ll Learn
- Essential power chord shapes and transitions
- Clean-to-distorted tone switching techniques
- Palm muting for that classic grunge chunk
- Barre chord variations used in the chorus
- String bending techniques for the lead parts
- Dynamic control between verse and chorus sections
Chord Progression Breakdown
The verse centers around a G – D – C progression that repeats throughout most of the song. Start with your G power chord at the 3rd fret, keeping your fretting hand relaxed. The transition to D happens quickly, so practice sliding your hand shape up to the 5th fret smoothly.
For the C chord, you can use either a full barre at the 3rd fret or stick with the power chord shape at the 3rd fret of the A string. I recommend the power chord approach since it maintains consistency with the song’s overall feel and makes the transitions cleaner.
The chorus kicks in with more aggressive strumming on the same chord shapes, but you’ll want to hit them harder and let them ring out more. Pay attention to how the dynamics change here – this contrast between gentle verses and powerful choruses defines the entire grunge movement.
Fingering Tips
Keep your thumb positioned behind the neck, roughly behind your second finger. This gives you the leverage needed for clean power chords without muting adjacent strings. Your wrist should stay relatively straight, avoiding that collapsed position that causes hand fatigue.
Watch out for the common mistake of pressing too hard on the frets. Power chords don’t require excessive pressure, just firm contact. If you’re getting buzzing, check your finger placement rather than squeezing harder.
Strumming Pattern & Rhythm
The strumming pattern follows a basic down-up pattern, but the key lies in the palm muting technique during the verses. Rest the side of your picking hand lightly on the strings near the bridge. This creates that muffled, chunky sound that’s essential to the grunge aesthetic.
During the chorus, lift your palm off the strings completely to let the chords ring out with full sustain. This dynamic shift between muted and open strumming creates the song’s signature contrast.
Start practicing slowly with a metronome or backing track. The tempo sits comfortably at a moderate pace, making it perfect for building your rhythm guitar foundation. Focus on consistent down strokes first, then add the upstrokes as you get comfortable.
Tips for Playing This Song
Start with clean tone first. Learn the chord changes and strumming patterns on a clean guitar setting before adding distortion. This helps you hear any timing issues or sloppy chord changes that distortion might mask.
Use moderate distortion. Grunge doesn’t require extreme amounts of gain. A moderate overdrive or distortion setting with some midrange emphasis will get you much closer to the authentic sound than cranking everything to maximum.
Practice the verse-to-chorus transition. This dynamic shift makes or breaks the song’s impact. Spend extra time working on the moment where you go from palm-muted verse chords to the full, ringing chorus. The contrast should feel dramatic.
Don’t rush the chord changes. The song’s relaxed tempo gives you time to make clean transitions between chords. Use this to your advantage, especially when you’re first learning the progressions.
This song rewards patience and attention to dynamics over speed or technical complexity. Focus on making each chord change clean and purposeful, and you’ll capture the essence of what made Stone Temple Pilots such an influential band. Keep practicing with the video lesson, and you’ll have this grunge classic down in no time.