The Definitive Rolling Stones Collection

Lessons

• Lesson 1: Start Me Up (IRL)

  This lesson is part of our Intros, Riffs & Licks Package.

  Another classic Keith Richards lick opens Start Me Up. This quick look is done in Open G tuning like Honky Tonk Women and Brown Sugar.

• Lesson 2: Waiting On A Friend

  Waiting On A Friend is a fairly basic strumming song with a couple of notes added to C and F chords to create a little melody.
  
  This lesson goes over the simple rhythm accompaniment.
  
  Tab and an additional video clip are now included to the Chord Solo that Neil improvised in the Play Through segment.

• Lesson 3: Paint It Black - Electric Guitar Lesson

  Another perfect example of great songwriting and a perfect union of strong melody and solid foundation, Paint It Black has all the elements that go into making a Rolling Stones hit song. With this lesson you’ll get all the parts, both rhythm and lead, that make this such a fun and easy guitar tune to learn. Make sure you get that metronome going, because this one will have your head bobbing on the offbeat, so get ready for some groovin’ music!

• Lesson 4: Paint It Black Guitar Lesson - Rolling Stones

  Paint it Black was released in 1966 on Aftermath. It was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, while Brian Jones’ contribution on the sitar gave the song a unique texture, blending the Stones’ hard rock and roll with the resonance of the sitar. The song is played in the key of D minor, but capoed to the 3rd fret, really putting it in the key of F minor. Paint It Black is a very simple song in terms of technique and the intro is a nice little picking rendition of the melody.

• Lesson 5: Wild Horses

  The Stones’ recording of Wild Horses featured 3 guitars throughout the song- one acoustic guitar in standard tuning, another in open G (DGDGBD), and an electric playing mostly fills. This lesson looks at the basic rhythm part, playing some of the Open G parts, as well as a Chord Solo as Neil plays in the first segment.

• Lesson 6: You Can’t Always Get What You Want Guitar Lesson - Rolling Stones

  Another Rolling Stones Campfire song, You Can't Always Get What You Want is about as easy as it gets in their catalog. A few simple chords and a simple strumming pattern and you've got it. This lesson also talks about playing in different keys using a capo to create different sounds.

• Lesson 7: (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (IRL)

  This lesson is part of our Intros, Riffs & Licks Package.

  Our last entry in the Rolling Stones Riffs department (for now), Satisfaction is about as basic as you can get. Just a couple of power chords and a variation on a standard blues vamp.

• Lesson 8: Satisfaction - Electric Guitar Lesson

  One of the greatest rock bands of all time, The Rolling Stones are legendary songwriters and performers. This simple two-riff song is a prime example of good songwriting techniques, and an excellent display of melody and harmony. Pick up this lesson and who knows, maybe you’ll be writing the next hit jam!

• Lesson 9: Brown Sugar - Electric Guitar Lesson

  Ever wonder how The Rolling Stones got so much sound and volume in their recordings? It sounds like they have 5 guitars! Well that’s the magic of overdubbing, or layering. Using Brown Sugar as a template, I’ll show you how to begin to weave guitar parts together to create a sense of richness and a full sound…so come on, let’s get rockin’!

• Lesson 10: Brown Sugar (IRL)

  This lesson is part of our Intros, Riffs & Licks Package.

  Another classic Keith Richards' riff, Brown Sugar, done in Open G on the Claxton 5-String Special.

• Lesson 11: Honky Tonk Women (IRL)

  This lesson is part of our Intros, Riffs & Licks Package.

  Honky Tonk Women is one of the Rolling Stones and Keith Richards' most recognizable intros and and best known cool guitar lick. As such, it seems like a great song to introduce our series of Intros, Riffs & Licks (IRL). The guitar part is done in Open G Tuning (DGDGBG), although Keith likes to remove his 6th string in situations like this to have better access to the chord root, on the 5th string. Neil, going against better judgment and common sense, presents this lesson in just that manner.

• Lesson 12: Angie Guitar Lesson - Rolling Stones

  Angie is like many other great Rolling Stones songs in that it features a very distinctive opening guitar part, although it is unusual because it is done on an acoustic guitar.
  
  This lesson goes over the intro in a very detailed manner, as well as the basic rhythm guitar parts that accompany the vocals. Neil plays a Chord Solo version of it in the Play Through section and tab for that is included. The techniques needed to create this type of instrumental are covered in Chord Solos Volume 1.
  
  Angie was one of our original 50 Target lessons. In the Break It Down segment I mentioned that someday I might add another part looking at some of the fills, particularly over the Am and E7 chords. Thanks to Willem's request, someday has come, about six years later. This new clip also offers some second guitar ideas for the G progression using 3-string triads as outlined in our lesson "Lead Secrets: Triads."

• Lesson 13: Jumpin Jack Flash (IRL)

  This lesson is part of our Intros, Riffs & Licks Package.

  Another one of the Rolling Stones signature openings, Jumpin' Jack Flash is really just standard barre chords over an independent bass line. This lesson combines the 2 parts and really captures the sound of the original recording. It also shows the main riff and chord progression.

• Lesson 14: Beast Of Burden - Electric Guitar Lesson

  This medium tempo rock song is always a hit with every crowd due to a few key elements. The Rolling Stones have been able to craft songs in such a unique way using overlapping parts, chord melody, and just good ole’ solid songwriting. With this video you’ll get an in depth look at these and many more elements that go into making a classic rock hit.

• Lesson 15: Beast Of Burden - The Rolling Stones - Guitar Lesson

  Beast Of Burden, from The Stones’ 1978 album Some Girls, is a great example of simplicity and almost minimalism at its best. The main two guitar parts consist of Keith Richards playing a few embellishments over 3-string triads, and Ronnie Wood noodling around with mostly pentatonic scales.
  
  This lesson explains both, and also includes a simple way of strumming a single guitar accompaniment, as well as a little overview of triads played as 3 or 4 string reductions from our common barre chords families. There is also a somewhat advanced explanation of breaking the usual constant strumming motion and accenting down strokes on on what are usually upstrokes.

• Lesson 16: Bitch - Electric Guitar Lesson

  From the album Sticky Fingers comes one of the Rolling Stone’s most played songs, both live and on the radio. This is your chance to dive into Bitch and get the most out a groove and rhythm oriented classic rock masterpiece. Keith Richards’ guitar playing, although seemingly simple is actually sophisticated from the viewpoint of songwriting. After this lesson is through, you’ll have all the makings and chops to play this classic hit.

• Lesson 17: Bitch - The Rolling Stones - Guitar Lesson

  From the album Sticky Fingers comes one of the Rolling Stone’s most played songs, both live and on the radio.
  
  This is your chance to dive into Bitch and get the most out of a groove and rhythm oriented classic rock masterpiece.
  
  Keith Richards’ guitar playing, although seemingly simple is actually sophisticated from the viewpoint of songwriting.
  
  After this lesson is through, you’ll have all the makings and chops to play this classic hit.

• Lesson 18: As Tears Go By - Rolling Stones - Guitar Lesson

  This acoustic ballad by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards is really just a simple arpeggio accompaniment to a lilting melody, although the addition of strings thickens it up a bit. The song was played on a 12-string guitar and this lesson is presented in the 'Work It Out' style encouraging you to figure it out by ear first.

• Lesson 19: As Tears Go By - Solo Guitar Arrangement

  This lesson goes into creating a solo guitar arrangement of As Tears Go By, by The Rolling Stones. We talk about the progression and the melody, then go into combining them into your own arrangement. Tab is included to a way it could go.

• Lesson 20: The Last Time - Rolling Stones - Guitar Lesson

  The Last Time is a 3-chord classic from the Rolling Stones’ early days. It was released as a single in 1965 and became their third #1 hit. The rhythm guitar part uses only E, D, and A chords and a great blues riff played by Brian Jones complements it. The lesson includes a look at Keith Richards short solo licks as well as a way to combine the guitar parts into a solo accompaniment.

• Lesson 21: The Last Time - Solo Guitar Arrangement

  This is a solo guitar arrangement of The Last Time by The Rolling Stones. It starts with the main vamp, goes over a couple verses, the chorus, and even includes a look at the solo. It uses a bit of percussive picking and strumming as well. It uses a bit of percussive picking and strumming as well.

• Lesson 22: Play With Fire - Rolling Stones - Guitar Lesson

  In the early days The Rolling Stones were primarily a blues band. By 1965 they started branching out into ballads and other styles and Play With Fire is a good example of this growth. The song only uses a few chords and somewhat random picking to create an intimate, moody song. The lesson is presented as an ear-training exercise so listen and watch before printing out the attachments.

• Lesson 23: Play With Fire - Solo Arrangement

  This is a lesson on creating a solo guitar arrangement of The Rolling Stones' Play With Fire. The lesson is done in a do-it-yourself manner using just the melody and chord progression then taking the student through some ideas to create a solo version.