Creator Area
Sign in Creator Area

The Rolling Stones - Start Me Up - Guitar Lesson

Practice Studio

The Rolling Stones - Start Me Up - Guitar Lesson

Sections · Loop · Speed · Metronome

Not in tune?

Select a Loop

Start of your loop
End of your loop

Speed Control

Speed
100%

Tools

BPM
Key E major
The Rolling Stones - Start Me Up guitar lesson video
Guitar 365
Guitar 365 Top Contributor
YouTube: 1.6Msubs 318Kviews
Creator Page →
·
–50¢ 0 +50¢
· Tap to start

Your browser will ask for microphone permission.

Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
AI tone preset

AI-selected preset based on genre and era — adjust the knobs to taste.

Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
Riffs Icónicos album cover
Riffs Icónicos
1966 3:44
Listen on Spotify
The Rolling Stones Rock 1966 E major
Capo Advisor 0 E major · Original key

Start Me Up

The Rolling Stones are a legendary English rock band formed in London in 1962, whose gritty, rhythmically driven sound helped define hard rock. Their catalog is a goldmine for electric guitar players, built on iconic riffs crafted largely by Keith Richards. Studying their famous riffs offers direct insight into blues-rooted rock rhythm guitar, open tunings, and the loose, groove-focused playing style that influenced generations of guitarists.

  • Keith Richards frequently used open G tuning and removed the low E string to achieve the Stones' signature riff sound.
  • The Rolling Stones formed in London in 1962, making their guitar vocabulary one of the longest-tested in rock history.
  • Their early sound was rooted in Chicago blues, meaning their riffs often blend pentatonic scales with strong rhythmic feel.
Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Ronnie Wood relies on the Strat's versatile single-coil tone for bright, cutting leads that complement Keith's darker textures. The guitar's natural snap cuts through the Stones' dense arrangements without losing warmth.

Fender Telecaster
Guitar

Fender Telecaster

Keith Richards' modified butterscotch Telecaster, fitted with a Gibson PAF humbucker, delivers the fatter, warmer attack that defines his rhythm work while maintaining the instrument's natural twang and cutting presence.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

This guitar anchors iconic Stones tracks like 'Sympathy for the Devil' and 'Gimme Shelter,' providing the thick, sustained tone and natural breakup Keith needs for his open-tuning chord work.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

While not specifically mentioned in Keith's primary rig, the Custom's thicker body and hardware enhance sustain and warmth, making it an alternative for achieving the deeper, more compressed tones the Stones occasionally pursue.

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

Keith's preferred amp, the Twin Reverb's headroom and natural breakup create that sweet spot where tubes work hard without full distortion, perfectly complementing his open-tuning dynamics and pick attack sensitivity.

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier
Amp

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

For live shows requiring more gain and punch, this amp provides the boosted output the Stones need while maintaining the moderate tube breakup that's central to Keith's tone philosophy.

Recommended for You