How to play green day
How to play green day
Complete Guide to Green Day ‘Holiday’
\n Everything you need to know about the story behind the song, amp and pedal settings as well as used guitar techniques.
\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Sasha Smirnova \n \n \n \n \n \n
We’re here with our 3rd issue of complete guide rubric and today we’ll tell you about “Holiday” by Green Day.
Some of you may think: “Why the hell you choose this song it’s so simple to play”. Well, the reason is kinda simple as well, it’s because one of our dev guys really wanted to see a complete guide to this song. So, enjoy this guide, leave you comments and feedback in the comment section below and tell us which song you would like to see in the next issue of our Complete Guide rubric.
Green Day ‘Holiday’
Writers: Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Tré Cool
Producer: Rob Cavallo
Album: American Idiot (2004) (UG score is 8.2)
Released: March 14, 2005
Label: Reprise, Warner Bros.
Genre: Punk Rock
Length: 3:52
Additional Information:
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard): #1 (Jun, 2005)
US Alternative Songs (Billboard): #1 (May, 2005)
US Pop Songs (Billboard): #13 (Aug, 2005)
US Billboard Hot 100: #19 (May, 2005)
Story behind the song
He’s living his life on the streets (\»Hear the sound of the falling rain. \»). He’s speaking out loud and acting in vain, but it seems like he’s talking himself into believing that running away was the right thing to do, explaining his reasons for discontent to himself. He still feels alone and shunned from society, but it seems he feels a little more self-confidence and happiness out on the road. It’s Jesus of Suburbia yelling out and expressing his own dead beliefs onto the world. Like screaming into mid air.
This is about the American government and society during the Iraqi War. It begins by commenting on how the thousands of dead Americans and Iraqis are nameless to the average American citizen. The song expresses resentment with the corporate greed and corruption involved in the \»rebuilding\» effort and shows how the average protester realizes that the pro-war money involved has more power than they can ever have. It also points out the irony of the Christian right-wing feeling religiously justified in this war: \»Can I get another ‘Amen’? There’s a flag wrapped around the score of men.\»
While the song is a dig at conservative agendas, it doesn’t entirely spare liberals. Armstrong told MTV: \»I am anti-war, so a lot of [the album] has to do with that, and there’re different sides of it too. Like, there’s one line that sort of messes with liberals a little too, where it says, ‘Hear the drum pounding out of time/ Another protester has crossed the line/ To find the money’s on the other side.’\» He continues. \»That song [‘Holiday’] is about this mishmash of people with all these strong opinions who really can’t agree, and leaving [decisions] to the person who’s sort of standing in the middle confused and overwhelmed.\»
Music Videos
The first half of the official music video takes place in a car (a 1968 Mercury Monterey convertible), where band members are hanging around in Las Vegas. In the second half, they are partying in a bar where each of them plays several different characters. At the end of the video, the car smokes to a halt in the area where \»Boulevard of Broken Dreams\» begins in.
Funny fact: The band arrived at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards in the same car.
Behind the scenes of making \»Holiday\».
Green Day plays \»Holiday\» live from the Red Bull Sound Space at KROQ.
They changed the bridge lyrics from \»Pulverize the Eiffel Towers\» to \»Pulverize the Donald Trump Towers\».
Gear and settings
Guitars
Billie Joe Armstrong uses Gibson Les Paul Jr. (UG Score 8.6) with an \»H-90\» pickup and a silver-sparkle signature Gibson Les Paul Jr. singlecut with a Seymour Duncan P-90 Antiquity in the bridge for live performances.
Jason White’s main guitar is Gibson ES-335 (UG Score 8.4) Electric Guitar with Fishman Acoustic. For the live sessions of \»Holiday\» White plays the lead guitar part.
Mike Dirnt uses his signature Fender Road Worn Precision (UG Score 9.2) bass.
Amplifiers and effects
Billie Joe Armstrong’s amps and effects
Billie uses two Marshall 100-watt 1959 SLP (UG score is 9.3) reissue heads modified by Martin Golub. The top head (Pete) has a crunch mode (a.k.a. “Dookie” mod or Bradshaw gain mod) and Meat (lower head) has Golub’s SE Lead mod. Both heads run through two Marshall 1960B cabinets that are equipped with Celestion Vintage 30s.
Top head (Pete) settings
Presence: 5
Bass: 6
Middle: 6
Treble: 4
Master: 4
Gain: 4
Lower head (Meat) settings
Presence: 5
Bass: 6
Middle: 6
Treble: 4
Master: 4
Gain: 3
Billie’s tone isn’t really about tons of gain. It’s much cleaner than you can think it is. His technique of playing and using a pick is more about from where the sound comes out.
Blended together these 2 amps give a lot of punch and a lot of impact, when Billie is just hitting a chord.
In a part before the solo Boss BD-2 Blues Driver (UG Score 9) pedal is used.
Boss BD-2 Blues Driver settings
Jason White’s amps and effects
White uses 100-watt Marshall heads with the Dookie mod (top) and SE Lead mod (bottom) too, and like Billie’s two amps, White’s top head has more crunch, vintage sound, and the bottom head has more gain. These amps are always used in connection with each other for a full, rich, rounded sound with sustain and cut.Whereas BJA’s Marshalls are set to noon, White scoops mids on the bottom head. So the produced sound is not heavy overdriven. That can be surprising, cause the sound is so big and full, but you don’t need a lot of gain to get that sound.
Top head (Dookie mod) settings
Presence: 4
Bass: 7
Middle: 6
Treble: 4
Master: 2
Gain: 2
Bottom head (SE Lead mod) settings
Presence: 2
Bass: 6
Middle: 4
Treble: 6
Master: 2
Gain: 3
White uses a Chandler Limited Little Devil Colored Boost for the lead parts.
Chandler Limited Little Devil Colored Boost settings
But as admitted by his guitar tech, 95% of his sound comes from the amps.
Mike Dirnt’s amps
Mike Dirnt uses 2 of his signature Fender Super Bassman heads (one of them is a backup one) which he designed with Fender. He doesn’t use any effects units, cause all the effects he needs are built in.
Fender Super Bassman settings
And his cabinets of choice is Fender stock speakers.
Universal amp settings
Tablature
These are top tabs rated by the UG community:
Tuning
Both guitar parts are tuned to standard tuning: E A D G B E
Bass tuning: E A D G
Techniques
\»Holiday\» seems to be an easy song for learning, as it mostly consists of power chords, mixed with dead notes.
The guitar solo is a short one and relatively easy even for beginners, but for warm-up, it will be useful to repeat such techniques as hammer-on and pull-off, vibrato and slides. Due to its rather slow pace, solo can be easily played with the use of down picking or alternate picking.
Very important to keep in mind that interlude, where Billie chants anti-war mottos, is played on a bass guitar.
How to Sound Like Green Day: Amp Settings Guide
If you want to sound like Billie Joe Armstrong on the guitar, then you’ll need to nail the amp settings. But trying to dial in the perfect amp settings to sound like a specific band can be difficult if you don’t have the same equipment.
In this article, I’ll be talking about how to sound like Green Day with your rig, by focusing on your amp. Of course, without the same equipment, it can be difficult to achieve the perfect tone.
However, this article will give you a good starting point, and then I’ll jump into the adjustments you can make to get closer to the Green Day sound. So let’s get started.
The Quick Answer
To sound like Green Day on guitar, start with the following amp settings.
The Basics
To achieve a similar tone to Billie Joe Armstrong, then you’ll need to consider the gain, EQ (bass, mids and treble) and also some effects like reverb and delay. So let’s take a look at each of these settings individually.
Some amp settings have a gain or overdrive control, and others don’t. It depends what type of amp you’re using. There are two main types of amp: tube (valve) and solid state.
Solid state amps will have a gain setting to give the tone some crunch and distortion. Tube amps don’t have this control and instead rely on the volume to give this effect. So if you’re using a tube or valve amp, then you’ll need to turn the volume up until the tone starts to distort and break up.
Most people reading this will have a solid state amp with a specific gain setting though. Simply search the make and model of your amp if you’re unsure to find out.
A lot of players make the mistake of dialing the gain up too high. This causes the tone to sound too muddy and more metal than punk.
You want to get the balance with the gain. It usually is around midway on most amplifiers. Turn it up just enough so that you get some crunch, but not so much that it sounds muffled.
EQ (Bass, Mids, Treble)
Some amplifiers have a “tone” or “EQ” control, and others have specific bass, mids and treble controls. These both have the same intention, to control the frequencies which are played through the speaker.
If you’re amp has different names for these controls (contour is a common one), then take a look at this complete guide to amp settings which will explain what each control does and help translate some of the common terms for your amplifier.
Green Day’s tone is fairly balanced, so having all your controls at midway is a great place to start for most amplifiers. So set your bass, mids and treble to 6 o’clock, or your EQ or tone control to 6 o’clock if that’s what your amp has instead.
Here are a few rules to remember about these controls:
Reverb and Delay
Some amps have reverb and delay controls built in, and some don’t and require you to use a pedal to get these kind of effects.
Don’t worry if your amp doesn’t have these controls. It’s still possible to get pretty close to the tone without these effects. But if you have no idea what I’m talking about here, then check out this article I’ve written on reverb and delay to learn more.
If you’re planning to use reverb, then it should be on around 1/4 the way up. The delay effect is used more sparingly in certain tracks.
Different brands also have different controls which need to be addressed. Make sure you check out the brand-specific amp controls guide which is relevant to you, to get the most from your rig:
The Story So Far…
So far, you should have a good starting point for your EQ settings, reverb and gain control. Here’s a quick diagram to summarise. Note: it’s assumed that 10 is the max setting.
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Popular Green Day Songs
Now we’ve been through the basics, I thought it’d be a good idea to go through some more specific amp settings for some of Green Day’s most popular songs.
Remember, that this is just a starting point. If you’re struggling getting the tone closer to Billie Joe Armstrong’s signature punk rock sound, then skip ahead to the next section where I go through some common issues and how to fix them.
Basket Case
This was one of Green Day’s earlier classics from their third studio album released in 1994. It’s got a very classic punk rock tone with a lot of palm muting in the intro.
To achieve this, you’ll need the gain to be high enough so that you get the crunch, but not too high that the power chords sound muffled. You’ll also need a decent bit of bass and mids to give the riffs a beefier tone. Here’s where to start.
American Idiot
American Idiot has one of Green Day’s most iconic riffs and comes from the band’s 7th studio album released in 2004.
Again, it has a classic punk rock tone, but the gain is dialed back a bit to give it a crunchy and gritty quality, rather than smoother distortion. You’ll probably need to turn the volume up a bit more so you don’t lose the impact that comes with a lower gain setting. Try having the treble higher and bass lower, but keep the mids moderately high.
Here’s where to start with the amp settings for American Idiot.
Wake Me Up When September Ends
Wake Me Up When September Ends was released in 2005, and the first half features an acoustic guitar, and then switches to a heavier electric guitar sound. The guitar in this track is less about providing a catchy riff (like in American Idiot) and more about providing the mid-range frequencies.
So, you’ll need a decent bit of gain to give it a smoother distorted tone, and also enough bass and mids to back it up. The treble shouldn’t be too high or you risk it overpowering the vocals.
Here’s where to start with the amp settings for Wake Me Up When September Ends.
Boulevard of Broken Dreams
This brings us to the final song on the list, Boulvard of Broken Dreams. The intro is a little more complicated here, as you’ll need a delay pedal to achieve this effect. However, the chorus is more simple.
You’ll need a fair amount of gain and mids to give the tone plenty of depth. Balance the bass and treble to make sure it doesn’t sound too heavy and muffled, or too harsh.
Here’s where to start with the amp settings for Boulevard of Broken Dreams.
Common Problems
There are a few main issues that players tend to face when trying to dial in their amp settings to sound more like Green Day. Here are the most common problems, and how to tackle them.
Muddy Tone
When trying to sound like Billie Joe Armstrong on the guitar, a lot of people struggle with achieving enough depth and gain, without creating a muddy sound. If this is something you’re struggling with, then try the following tweaks.
Make these adjustments individually and see the effect it has on your tone. Don’t try them all at once or you’ll struggle to pinpoint the issue.
Weak and Thin Tone
A lot of players also struggle with achieving enough depth to their tone so that it doesn’t sound too brittle. Here are some adjustments you can make to your amp settings to deal with this problem.
Chugging Issues
A lot of Green Day songs use the palm muting technique to have this “chugging effect”. Not only is this a difficult skill to master when you’re first trying, but it’s also difficult to get the amp settings right so that you achieve this classic punk rock effect.
Most commonly, you’ll face one of two problems.
If you’re struggling with issue #1, when follow the steps we’ve just discussed on battling a weak and thin tone because these will likely solve this issue as well.
If you’re struggling with issue #2, then increase the treble and decrease the bass as discussed in the section on how to clean up a muddy sounding tone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most common questions players ask when trying to sound like Green Day on guitar!
What Amp Does Green Day Use?
Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong has often used modified Marshall head units to achieve his signature tone. Take a look at the video below to learn more.
What Guitar Does Billie Joe Armstrong Play?
The most famous guitar Green Day’s front man has used is the Fernandes Stratocaster with a H-S-S pickup configuration (the Seymour Duncan humbucker in the bridge is angled). Billie Joe Armstrong also often plays a Gibson Les Paul Junior with a single humbucker pickup in the bridge position.
What Pedal Effects Do Green Day Use?
Billie Joe Armstrong is not known for using a lot of pedal effects however Green Day have been known to use a Tremolo pedal (Boss TR-2), Flanger pedal (Ibanez CF-7) and Overdrive Pedals (Ibanez Tube Screamer TS-9 and Boss BD-2 Blues Driver).
Looking for more punk songs? Check out my complete guide to punk amp settings for more examples.
Thanks for reading! I hope you’ve found this article helpful. Take a look at the rest of the website to learn more about getting the perfect tone.
Hey, I’m Heather. I started playing an electric guitar when I was given a Squier Strat for my birthday around 15 years ago. I now own an acoustic guitar and several electric guitars including my personal favourite, a PRS SE Custom 24.
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Hey, welcome Pro Sound HQ. I created this website to share everything I’ve learnt over the past 15 years of playing guitar. You’ll find amp controls guides, tips to improve your tone, and answers to loads of specific issues. Thanks for visiting!
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How to play green day
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