Green Day band portrait by Marina Chavez, 2004

Basket Case

Green Day

Key: E majorNo capo4/4~170 BPM

Standard tuning

E5: low to high muted, 7, 9, 9, muted, mutedIE57×××B5: low to high 7, 9, 9, muted, muted, mutedVB57×××C#5: low to high muted, 4, 6, 6, muted, mutedvi (5)C#54×××G#5: low to high 4, 6, 6, muted, muted, mutediii (5)G#54×××A5: low to high 5, 7, 7, muted, muted, mutedIVA55×××D5: low to high muted, 5, 7, 7, muted, muted♭VIID55×××

Palm-muted eighths · release the mute for open accents

Palm-muted eighths · release the mute for open accentseBGDAEE57997997997997997997997991&2&3&4&B57997997997997997997997991&2&3&4&

Verse / Solo rhythmRepeating cycle

Tight palm muting. Open out in later verses.Driving eighths · steady downstrokes

8 bars · ×2
Progression bars 1–8IE5VB5vi (5)C#5iii (5)G#5IVA5IE5VB5VB51&2&3&4&1&2&3&4&1&2&3&4&1&2&3&4&1&2&3&4&1&2&3&4&1&2&3&4&1&2&3&4&Driving eighths · steady downstrokesSTRUMone full bar · repeat as needed1&2&3&4&

ChorusRepeating cycle

Open strumming; E5 and D5 share a bar.

14 bars
Progression bars 1–8IVA5VB5IE5IE5IVA5VB5IE5IE512341234123412341234123412341234Progression bars 9–14IVA5VB5IE5♭VIID5vi (5)C#5IVA5VB5123412341234123412341234

InterludeRepeating cycle

Simplified changes; keep the motion continuous.

2 bars
Progression bars 1–2IE5VB5vi (5)C#5vi (5)C#5VB512341234

BridgeOne-time passage

Hold the IV–V tension before the instrumental verse.

4 bars
Progression bars 1–4IVA5IVA5VB5VB51234123412341234

OutroRepeating cycle

Harmonic skeleton; the recording adds upper-voice movement.

4 bars · ×4
Progression bars 1–4IE5vi (5)C#5IVA5VB51234123412341234

Additional tips

Performance Standard tuning; same fret shapes, one semitone above the recording. Mute unused strings.

Touch Use small pick motions and relax your grip between attacks; open into fuller triads later.

Improvise E major pentatonic: E–F♯–G♯–B–C♯. Repeat short motifs; land on the chord’s root or fifth. E major also adds A and D♯.

D5 → C♯5 On D5, target D or A, not a held D♯; resolve to C♯ on C♯5. E minor pentatonic’s G clashes with G♯: use it as deliberate tension.