Pumped Up Kicks — One String Guitar Tab
Foster The People
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Practice Tips
- 1Start slow — use the 0.5x speed option
- 2Focus on one note at a time
- 3Keep your fretting hand relaxed
Similar Melodies
About This Melody
Pumped Up Kicks by Foster The People is one of the defining indie pop songs of the 2010s. Released in 2010, its whistled bass line and infectious groove made it a worldwide hit that dominated radio and festival stages. The song's melody has a deceptively simple structure — it climbs up, hangs at the top, then walks back down, creating a wave-like shape that's easy to follow. This one-string version uses the 6th (low E) string and frets 1 through 11, capturing the bass-driven feel of the original. With repeated notes at each step, it's a satisfying melody to loop once you get it down.
How to Play
- This melody uses just the 6th string (low E string) of your guitar. The fret sequence is: 1, 1, 1, 3, 4, 4, 6, 8, 11, 11, 11, 8, 6, 6, 6, 3, 4.
- Start on fret 1, played three times. These repeated notes establish the groove — keep them even and rhythmic.
- Step up to fret 3, then to fret 4 (played twice). The melody is climbing steadily.
- Continue ascending: fret 6, fret 8, then jump to fret 11 — the peak of the melody. Play fret 11 three times to let it land.
- Now descend: drop to fret 8, then fret 6 (played three times). The melody mirrors the ascent on its way back down.
- Step down to fret 3, then end on fret 4. This final note sets up the loop — from here you can jump back to fret 1 and repeat.
- The melody has a smooth, wave-like shape: it rises from 1 to 11, then falls back to 3. The original tempo is around 128 BPM, but start at half speed. Focus on the ascending and descending arc — once you feel the shape, the notes come naturally. Keep a bouncy, laid-back feel rather than playing it aggressively.
Common Mistakes
Rushing the ascending section (1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11) — the climb should feel gradual and groovy, not hurried. Give each step its space. Losing evenness on the triple notes — frets 1, 11, and 6 are each played three times, and any inconsistency in rhythm stands out. Count steadily through each group. Making the jump from fret 8 to fret 11 sound abrupt — this three-fret leap is the biggest in the melody. Slide your finger up smoothly. Missing the loop point — the melody ends on fret 4 and loops back to fret 1. Practice this transition so the repeat feels seamless, like one continuous cycle.