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The Rolling Stones - Sympathy For The Devil - Guitar Lesson

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Key E major
The Rolling Stones - Sympathy For The Devil guitar lesson video
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Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
Beggars Banquet (2018 Remaster) album cover
Beggars Banquet (2018 Remaster)
1968 6:18
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The Rolling Stones Blues Rock 1968 E major
Capo Advisor 0 E major · Original key

About Sympathy For The Devil

At 76 BPM in E major, "Sympathy for the Devil" has a hypnotic, slow-burning feel that can fool you into thinking it's straightforward. The track is built around a samba-influenced groove, and the guitar work sits in the pocket with a loose, behind-the-beat attitude that takes real discipline to nail. The Rolling Stones layer rhythm parts and slippery lead fills across the song, so there is plenty to pull apart if you go section by section. The signature electric guitar fills that punctuate the verses sit in a Blues Rock idiom, bending and sliding around the E major pentatonic, but the challenge is matching Keith Richards' relaxed confidence rather than overplaying. E Standard tuning means no capo or retuning hassle, so you can focus on feel. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop those fill moments slowed down until the phrasing feels natural, then bring it back up to tempo.

  • The guitar fills throughout the song revolve around E major pentatonic phrasing, with bends and slides that reward a light, relaxed picking touch.
  • Running in E Standard tuning at 76 BPM, the slow samba groove demands steady rhythm playing without rushing or leaning into the beat.
  • The interplay between rhythm and lead guitar parts makes this a strong song to practise layering two guitar roles in a band context.

How to Play Sympathy For The Devil

Tuning: E Standard · Key: E major · Tempo: 76 BPM

Loop each section and focus on clean, even timing rather than speed, with the metronome at 76 BPM.

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.

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