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Aerosmith - Cryin - Guitar Tab

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Speed
100%

Tools

BPM
Key A major
Aerosmith - Cryin guitar tab video
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Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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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.
Aerosmith Hard Rock A major
Capo Advisor 0 A major · Original key

About Cryin

At 92 BPM in A major, "Cryin'" sits in a comfortable mid-tempo range that can fool you into underestimating how much feel it demands. The song lives and dies on its chord work and the subtle interplay between rhythm guitar and lead fills, so getting a clean, controlled right hand is the real task here. Joe Perry's parts lean on open-position and barre chord shapes in E Standard tuning, but the challenge is matching the slightly behind-the-beat looseness that gives the track its emotional pull. The lead fills that punctuate the verses are deceptively short, but bending in tune and landing them with the right attitude takes more practice than the notation suggests. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop those fill moments slowed down until the phrasing feels natural before you bring the tempo back up. Aerosmith built this track as a Hard Rock ballad that rewards players who prioritise tone and touch over speed.

  • The song is in E Standard tuning and A major, so open-position A and D shapes ring naturally and are worth exploring alongside barre chord versions.
  • The lead fills are short but require controlled string bends and a relaxed vibrato, making them good targeted practice for expressive phrasing.
  • At 92 BPM the rhythm parts are approachable for intermediate players, though nailing the laid-back groove consistently is harder than the tempo suggests.

How to Play Cryin

Tuning: E Standard · Key: A major · Tempo: 92 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 92 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Joe Perry uses a late-1950s Strat for cleaner, snappier tones on tracks like 'Walk This Way', providing brighter single-coil bite that contrasts with his heavier Les Paul work. The Strat's tonal versatility lets him achieve crisp rhythm parts and articulate lead passages without the thick humbucker warmth.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Perry's 1959 Les Paul Standard, his 'Holy Grail' guitar, delivers the thick, singing sustain and natural harmonic bloom central to Aerosmith's classic rock sound. Its PAF humbuckers respond beautifully to his expressive bending and vibrato technique, especially through cranked Marshalls.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

Perry's Custom Shop Les Paul reissues replicate his vintage instrument's tone with modern reliability, maintaining the smooth, responsive humbucker character that lets his playing dynamics shine through. These guitars are essential for capturing his signature fat lead tone on stage and in the studio.

Gibson ES-335
Guitar

Gibson ES-335

Brad Whitford's semi-hollow ES-335 provides warm, compressed breakup with enhanced midrange that cuts through Aerosmith's thick dual-guitar arrangements. The semi-hollow body's natural resonance adds depth to his rhythm playing when paired with his Marshall and Mesa/Boogie stack.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

Joe Perry's modified JCM800 has been his core amp for decades, delivering natural tube saturation at high volume with a presence-peaked treble that defines Aerosmith's aggressive, sustaining lead tone. The amp's responsiveness to his volume knob control and pickup selection is crucial to his expressive playing approach.

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

Perry uses the Fender Twin Reverb for cleaner studio tones and textures, providing headroom and natural reverb that balances the JCM800's darker aggression. The Twin's clarity preserves his picking precision and note articulation for rhythm parts and cleaner passages.

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