Creator Area
Sign in Creator Area

Practice Studio

Van Halen - You Really Got Me - Guitar Tab

Sections · Loop · Speed · Metronome

Not in tune?

SECTIONS

Select a Loop

Start of your loop
End of your loop

Speed Control

Speed
100%

Tools

BPM
Key G major
Van Halen - You Really Got Me guitar tab video
Mr. Tabs
Mr. Tabs Top Contributor
YouTube: 1.1Msubs 934Kviews
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.
Listen on Spotify
Van Halen Hard Rock G major
Capo Advisor 0 G major · Original key

About You Really Got Me

Few covers redefine a song as completely as Van Halen's take on this Kinks classic. The track opens with one of the most recognizable riffs in hard rock: a two-bar G power-chord figure driven hard with right-hand palm muting that releases into a full, open crunch. Getting that push-and-release dynamic right is the whole game here. The riff sits in G major and is built almost entirely from power chords, but the way Eddie voiced and attacked them, with tight muting on the approach and a sudden lift into the chord, gives it a bulldozing momentum that plain strumming will never produce. Beginners often rush the transitions between chord shapes, so use the Practice Toolbar to loop the main riff slowed down until the muting and the chord changes lock in together. Then there is the guitar solo, which is an early showcase of Eddie's two-handed tapping technique, requiring clean synchronization between both hands at speed.

  • The signature riff is built on G power chords with alternating palm muting and open crunch, and nailing that contrast is the core technical challenge.
  • Eddie Van Halen's solo features two-handed tapping, making it one of the earliest widely heard examples of that technique on a major recording.
  • Looping the solo passage slowed down in the Practice Toolbar is the most practical way to isolate the tapping sequences and build accurate finger placement.

How to Play You Really Got Me

The song moves through: Intro, Verse, Pre-chorus, Chorus, Solo, Bridge, Outro lick.

Key: G major · Tempo: 136 BPM · Difficulty: Medium

The core of this song is a driving two-chord power-chord riff in G, played in Eb standard tuning at 136 bpm, and nailing the rhythmic attack is more important than speed here. The riff itself is straightforward to finger, but beginners consistently lose the aggressive, palm-muted chug between hits, so focus on right-hand muting consistency before worrying about tempo. The solo is the real challenge, with Eddie Van Halen's phrasing relying heavily on blues-based bends and his signature raw vibrato, so isolate that section and loop it slowly to internalize the feel before pushing the speed. Getting the Eb standard tuning right is essential since playing in standard E will noticeably clash with any reference recording.

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 136 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Gibson ES-335
Guitar

Gibson ES-335

Eddie Van Halen pulled a Gibson PAF humbucker from a ES-335 to load his original Frankenstrat, giving him a low-output pickup that maintained clarity during lightning-fast tapping and legato runs despite heavy gain.

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)
Amp

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)

Eddie's 1968 Marshall Plexi Super Lead, run through a variac at 90 volts, created his legendary 'brown sound' by pushing power tubes into sweet, spongy saturation at gig volumes, defining his harmonic sustain and responsiveness.

Soldano SLO-100
Amp

Soldano SLO-100

Eddie adopted the Soldano SLO-100 as a tonal alternative to Marshalls, delivering the high-headroom, articulate gain he needed for his finger-tapping technique while maintaining clarity in complex legato passages.

Peavey 5150
Amp

Peavey 5150

Eddie co-designed the Peavey 5150 to capture his signature tone in a modern platform, offering three channels from clean sparkle to crushing high-gain with EL34 power tubes for dynamic responsiveness across his entire playing vocabulary.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Eddie employed the Dunlop Cry Baby wah strategically on select solos, using it to add vocal-like expression and sweep to his lead lines without relying heavily on effect-driven tones.

MXR Phase 90
Pedal

MXR Phase 90

Eddie's MXR Phase 90 script-logo version created his signature swirling, vocal sweep on 'Eruption' and 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love,' becoming one of rock's most identifiable effect tones through minimal, tasteful use.

Recommended for You