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Mr. Big – Lean Into It
Introduction & Context
Released in 1991, Lean Into It marks the creative high point of Mr. Big’s classic lineup. It’s the perfect collision between technical brilliance and song-based craftsmanship — a showcase of how virtuoso musicians can write melodic, memorable rock without sacrificing instrumental edge.
For guitarists, this record is a goldmine. Paul Gilbert’s playing is dynamic, expressive, and laser-precise — but he’s never showing off just for the sake of it. The album’s tone palette ranges from high-gain rock punch to subtle clean textures, while the solos balance raw firepower with lyrical phrasing. Throughout the record you’ll hear a tapestry of advanced techniques — legato phrasing, alternate picking, sweep-picked flurries, tapped and pinched harmonics, double-stop bends, unison bends, whammy-bar punctuation, and more. Yet what’s most impressive isn’t the technique itself — it’s the taste and purpose behind every note.
Below is a track-by-track guitar breakdown, followed by an analysis of Gilbert’s contribution and a linked index of the key techniques that define Lean Into It. Sam Bell breaks down this classic album in this exclusive Lick Library video course.
Track-by-Track Breakdown & Guitar Analysis
1) Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy (The Electric Drill Song)
The album explodes out of the gate. The main riff is built from E-centric power chords with chromatic side-steps and tight, palm-muted accents. The articulation is staccato and percussive, sitting squarely in the pocket with the kick and bass.
The famous “electric drill” feature is both a gimmick and a musical statement. With picks attached to drills, Gilbert and Billy Sheehan create a hyper-mechanical tremolo effect for blistering unison lines. Under the theatre lies a sound concept any guitarist can practice: tightly locked tremolo picking across E minor pentatonic with chromatic connectors, then resolving to strong chord tones. Away from the stunt, Gilbert’s “real” solo uses a mix of alternate-picked bursts and legato cells, pre-bends that bloom into wide vibrato, and the occasional pinched harmonic. He punctuates phrases with quick bar dips and controlled feedback for dramatic flair.
2) Alive and Kickin’
A mid-tempo rocker with swagger, “Alive and Kickin’” spotlights the Gilbert/Sheehan dialogue — riffs interlock, then diverge into answering figures. The rhythm guitar hits with tight palm-muted downstrokes, occasionally opening up to ringing dyads for contrast.
The solo begins melodically, almost vocal: sustained bends landing right on chord tones, then a ramp into fluid legato and alternate-picked sequences. You’ll hear minor-pentatonic DNA expanded with a Dorian-flavoured 6th and cheeky chromatic connectors. Gilbert tends to cap phrases with a wide, wrist-driven vibrato that makes the notes sing over the band’s backline punch.
3) Green-Tinted Sixties Mind
Melodic, jangly, and pop-bright, this tune proves Gilbert can be a parts-craftsman, not just a soloist. The rhythm guitar layers chiming open chords and arpeggiated inversions that nod to ‘60s guitar pop while staying harmonically current. The pickup selection and touch skew cleaner here, with a rounded top end and articulate mids.
The solo is a masterclass in restraint. Instead of shred, you get lyrical motifs, slides that connect triad shapes, and harmonised double-stops that trace the progression. Gilbert leans on major pentatonic/Mixolydian colour and lets space do the talking. Subtle pre-bends bloom into perfectly centred vibrato — not wide metal wobble, but a singer’s vibrato measured to the bar line.
4) CDFF – Lucky This Time
After the fast-forward intro wink, the song settles into polished hard rock with crisp right-hand discipline. Riffs toggle between tight palm-mute figures and open-voiced strums; the dynamic contrast is the hook.
The solo is a shape-builder: Gilbert states a melodic idea, then stacks intensity — legato connectors between picked fragments, slides into upper-register target notes, and a well-timed pre-bend resolving dead centre of the harmony. You may catch a quick sweep-picked triad to leap positions cleanly — not a shred clinic, just a tasteful teleport between melody zones.
5) Voodoo Kiss
The mood turns darker and more feral. The riff leans into minor-pentatonic swagger with chromatic slink, spiked by open-string interplay that keeps the pick hand busy. Tone gets fatter here — more low-mid gnarl and a touch more compression for long-legged sustain.
Gilbert’s lead is equal parts street-tough blues and laser-cut modern phrasing: two-note double-stops, unison bends that grind against the rhythm section, rapid pentatonic flurries alternating picked and legato articulation, plus squeals and tapped harmonics to brand the skyline. There’s likely a quick dive-bomb or bar-dip punctuation at peak moments.
6) Never Say Never
A radio-ready rocker that still carries Gilbert’s fingerprint. The rhythm part is all about the groove — palm-muted eighths, syncopated accents, and concise power-chord punches that set up the vocal.
The solo opens with lyrical bends and immediately escalates into staccato, tightly picked runs. Gilbert’s phrasing breathes: he avoids the shapeless torrent and instead gives you discrete sentences that resolve on chord tones before the next burst. Final notes hang with generous vibrato and controlled feedback that hands the baton neatly back to the chorus.
7) Just Take My Heart
The ballad slot, and a textbook example of “solo as second singer.” Clean, layered arpeggios and gently voiced chords underpin Eric Martin’s melody; the lead guitar answers rather than competes.
Gilbert’s solo is pure melody discipline — slow bends that arrive in tune and linger, tasteful double-stops, and legato ornaments that never distract. The vibrato here is narrow and centred, more pop phrasing than hard-rock howl. It’s a feel clinic: pick dynamics, note length, and breath between phrases make the emotion land.
8) My Kinda Woman
Back to high-octane. The main riff snaps with galloping right-hand energy and ‘90s-tight down-picking. Gilbert dials a precise high-gain rhythm tone — less fizz, more bite, so the chord stops and syncopations hit like punches.
The solo kicks the door in: alternate picking for the straight-line sprints, legato to smooth the lane changes, plus the occasional sweep-picked arpeggio burst to vault positions. Gilbert loves harmonised leads here — twin-guitar lines in thirds or unisons add theatre. He signs off with a skyward bend into a slide back down to the riff — compact and cinematic.
9) A Little Too Loose
Laid-back, greasy blues-rock — but still precise. The rhythm guitar relaxes the right hand a touch, letting strings growl against the frets. Tonally, think less polished, more mid-forward grind.
Gilbert’s blues phrasing is articulate: microtonal inflections on bends, trills to kick phrases, and space — lots of it. He’ll drop a lightning legato burst for shock value, but always resolves to a singing note with vibrato. Slides connect box positions like spoken language rather than fretboard math.
10) Road to Ruin
Compositionally one of the album’s denser pieces, this track gives Gilbert room to be both arranger and lead voice. You’ll hear interlocking riffs, arpeggiated chord progressions, and rhythmic displacement that tug at the downbeat.
The solo is a narrative arc: a motif stated simply, then developed. Expect a few sweep-picked passes through triads, scalar spurts glued with legato, and a harmonised line to crown the climax. The apex is a long, singing sustain note — vibrato locked to the groove — before tumbling back into riff-land.
11) To Be With You
The worldwide hit strips the band to its melodic core. Acoustic guitars carry the harmony with open-position shapes, gentle finger- or hybrid-picked patterns, and tight vocal stacking above.
Gilbert’s solo is understated and perfect: lyrical, slide-linked phrases; soft hammer-ons and pull-offs; light vibrato; and a couple of sweet double-stops that answer the melody. No pyrotechnics, just musical storytelling — the kind of choice that ages well.
Paul Gilbert’s Role, Style, and Contribution
Tone & Production
Across Lean Into It, Gilbert’s tones are tuned for articulation: rhythm sounds with fast attack and trimmed low-end flub; leads with enough sustain to sing but not so much compression that pick detail blurs. Effects stay supportive — a touch of delay/reverb on leads, occasional chorus or doubling for width — never a crutch.
Partnership with Billy Sheehan
Gilbert and Sheehan function like a two-headed rhythm/lead organism. Lines dovetail, trade roles, and sometimes lock in bravura unisons. That interaction elevates every riff — the guitar isn’t merely riding the bass; they’re choreographing together. The “drill” spectacle underlines the point: humour and showmanship, yes, but also rhythmic unanimity at insane speeds.
From Virtuoso to Song Architect
Gilbert’s Racer X pedigree means he can melt frets at will. What makes Lean Into It special is how he edits himself. Solos are built to the song’s emotional arc: melodic entry, development, climax, resolution. You can hear him choosing phrasing and register to lift vocal lines, not trample them. The net effect is a record that flatters both guitar nerds and casual listeners.
The Expressive Toolkit
The hallmarks here: perfectly centred bends; vibrato that matches the groove; alternate-picked clarity at speed; legato that keeps lines liquid; and tastefully placed harmonics and bar work to add punctuation. He uses sweep picking like a scalpel, not a sledgehammer, and his hybrid-picking/finger-style touches on the acoustic material are tidy and musical.
Techniques Heard on the Album
- Vibrato
- Alternate picking
- Legato
- Tapped harmonics
- Double-stop bends
- Unison bends
- Pinched harmonics
- Trills
- Tremolo picking
- Chord progressions
- Arpeggios
- Dive-bombs
- Harmonics
- Pull-offs
- Power-chords
- Palm-muting
- Barre-chords
- Two-handed tapping
- Sweep-picking
- Rakes
- Finger-picking
- Hybrid-picking
- Pre-bends
- Hammer-ons
- Double-stops
- Slides
- Sustain
- Pick-slides
- String-bending
- Syncopated rhythms
- Open-string riffs
- Whammy-bar tricks
- Bluesy bends
- Octave melodies
- Galloping rhythms
- Dual-guitar harmonies
- Arpeggiated chord progressions
- Chromaticism
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Technical Details
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Code
RDR0628
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Artist
Mr Big
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Media
Online Stream, Download, 2x DVD Set
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Media format
PAL Only
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Genre
90’s Rock, Rock
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Skill level
Expert, Suitable For All
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EIN No
5060088826805
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TAB NOT Included
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NB: If purchasing as 'DVD', please ensure that your DVD player fully supports the 'Media format' (PAL Only) that this product is available in, as indicated above.

About The Tutor
Tutor Profile
Sam Bell
Sam Bell has been playing guitar from the age of 4, since then he has played many styles from Funky Blues to screaming Metal/Fusion on 8 string guitar. A member of UK tech metal band ‘Mask of Judas’, he is also currently writing his own solo instrumental album. He also...