Learn how to play Pixies' all-time classic "Where Is My Mind" on the guitar!

Where Is My Mind is a great workout for your barre chords on the acoustic guitar, and there are some awesome electric guitar riffs, so we'll cover both parts! The acoustic guitar is pretty complex, so we'll look at a simplified version and all the fine details if you want to make it authentic. ;)

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You'll only need two chord progressions to play Where Is My Mind by Pixies, but they're laden with barre chords and tiny rhythmic details. Let's check it out!

Where Is My Mind: Main Chord Sequence

The chord progression is E, C#m/G#, G#, and A, with each chord lasting half a bar of 4/4. I play the E as an open chord with unusual fingering to make switching to C#m/G# easier. ;)

😅 C#m/G# sounds horrible, but in reality, it's just an Am Shape Barre Chord with a different bass note. Instead of muting string 6 with finger 1, we fret it.

Barre Chords:
G# might sound scary too, but switching from the minor chord to G# Major is super easy: keep the barre in place and move your other fingers up one string to make an E-shape barre chord. Easy. :) Then we slide everything up one fret for A Major.

Try switching between these chords with two down strums on each. Make sure you can do that before moving on to the fancier strumming. ;)

Let's cover those little rhythmic details that make all the difference.

Make Your Rhythm Guitar Sound Pro!

The video lesson covers the strumming pattern we need to nail The Pixies' version of Where Is My Mind. I've tried to distill the verses into one strumming patter, but the strumming in the original is much looser - there are extra strums, changes in volume, and more. Listen to the original to pick up on all the nuances! This includes changing the number of strings we strum, muted strumming, and 16th Note Strumming.

This sounds horrible, but you'll find that the mutes land during the transitions between the barre chords. So you'll naturally play them right if you keep strumming as you switch chords. Trying to do it deliberately is quite hard! Just let them happen. :)

Even with several rhythmic patterns, learning one accurately to sound like the song is useful. So in this lesson, we cover all the nuances of the intro pattern. You can, of course, make your version!

It sounds cool if you lift off fingers 3 and 4 during the A Major Chord. Many guitar lessons leave this out, but it adds to the groove and makes it sound like the original. The rhythm is a little tricky, though. ;)

Let's check out the chorus, where we find the second chord progression.

Where Is My Mind: How to Play the Chorus

Interestingly, the dynamics go down in Where Is My Mind, and we play quieter than in the verses. This is unusual, but it's effective. :)

The chorus starts with three reps of the main sequence; then, we come to a different progression. It changes to E, G#, A, Am, C#m/G#, C#m/G#, B, B. Ensure you only strum on beat 1 of the C#m and add volume over the B. After this sequence, we return to a verse.

Song Structure

The structure is standard: intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, solo, verse, chorus, verse (this one is shortened), and the outro. On the original, the outro is loose and isn't what you want to emulate. So think ahead of time about how you're going to end it. :)

That's all for the acoustic guitar - let's check out the electric parts!

Where Is My Mind: Main Electric Riff

The riff heard in the verses is really simple - all you need is a couple of double stops and two notes.

It's interesting and powerful to see how it fits over the chords. Try playing this riff as you hold those chord grips and see how it fits under them. :)

Solo Analysis

The first double stop comprises the top two notes in the C-shape E Major chord (as a C shape) and the A-shape C# minor chord - the first two chords in the sequence.

When the chords change to G#, the double stop changes too. We play the top two notes of the E-shape G# Major grip. Interestingly, one of the two notes we play over the A chord is not in the A triad, but it does add some lovely dissonance.

Where Is My Mind: Chorus Riff

The guitar riff for the chorus is simple too. For the first two bars, we play the bass notes of the chords; then, we join in with the chords.

Where Is My Mind: Electric Guitar Solo

After the second chorus, the acoustic stays on B for four bars while the electric guitar plays a solo. I have a confession - I didn't transcribe the original solo! But the B Minor Pentatonic Scale sounds wicked. :) Check out the video lesson to look at some suggestions for soloing, and have fun!

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