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The Rolling Stones - Sympathy For The Devil - Guitar Solo Tab

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Key E major
The Rolling Stones - Sympathy For The Devil guitar tab video
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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.
Beggars Banquet (2018 Remaster) album cover
Beggars Banquet (2018 Remaster)
1968 6:18
Listen on Spotify
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" is built on a hypnotic samba groove that demands a very different feel from the straight-ahead rock most guitarists are used to. The rhythm part is the real work here: keeping a steady, swung, percussive strum locked in against that relentless conga pulse without rushing is harder than it sounds. Keith Richards plays in E Standard tuning, and the chord movement is relatively simple, but nailing the behind-the-beat attitude of the strumming pattern takes real patience. The lead guitar that cuts through in the latter half of the track requires a loose, bluesy touch, and blending that over the rhythm without losing the groove is worth isolating. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the main rhythm figure slowed down until the feel sits right before bringing it back up to tempo. The Rolling Stones recorded the track in the Blues Rock tradition, but the samba influence makes this one genuinely unusual to get right on guitar.

  • The rhythm guitar part is built around a samba-influenced strumming pattern in E major, making tight groove control the main technical challenge.
  • Playing in E Standard tuning, the chord shapes themselves are accessible, but the behind-the-beat feel requires careful attention to your right-hand timing.
  • The lead guitar lines in the later section use a loose, blues-inflected phrasing style that benefits from looping it slowed down to internalize the pacing.

How to Play Sympathy For The Devil

The song moves through: Intro, Full speed, 60 % speed.

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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