Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
More
  • Christine McVie's masterpiece
  • Macca vs Phil Collins
  • Music theory tricks
  • Kiss From a Rose
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • Yes
  1. Tutorials
  2. Guitar Lessons & Tutorials

Quick licks: easy #7

News
By Guitar Techniques
Published 13 October 2011

Stones rhythm and Muse riffage

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Easy lick one: Keith Richards style rhythm

Easy lick one: Keith Richards style rhythm

Here's a classic Rolling Stones style riff in Richards' favourite DGDGBD tuning. Make sure the pull-off s are clean and even whilst holding the chords down and use a confident strum to give this riff the attitude it needs. Try some classic Fender amp crunch for authenticity, using a bridge single coil.

Page 1 of 2
Page 1 of 2
Easy lick two: Muse style riff

Easy lick two: Muse style riff

A super riff in F# minor pentatonic (F#, A, B, C#, E, F#). Crank the gain and pay special attention to the hammer-ons, aiming to keep them smooth and as loud as the picked notes. The last 'A' note requires a bit of fretting hand fourth finger strength to bend the sixth string a little.

Page 2 of 2
Page 2 of 2
Guitar Techniques
Read more
Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, and Ronnie Wood attend the exclusive launch event of The Rolling Stones new album “Foreign Tongues” at The Weylin on May 05, 2026 in Brooklyn, New York.  (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for UMG)
Singles And Albums “Ronnie’s guitar part came from hearing Keith’s riff": Mick Jagger talks about the guitar work on new Stones song
 
 
Chords
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials Confused by guitar tabs and notation? Use this complete guide to reading music for guitar
 
 
Brian Jones and Mick Jagger in 1966
Artists “What a weird song”: Mick Jagger on The Rolling Stones’ deathless classic
 
 
Tuning a guitar
Electric Guitars How to tune a guitar… Even if you haven’t got a tuner
 
 
Ronnie Wood
Artists Ronnie Wood on the first Stones song he helped to create – before he was in the band
 
 
The Darkness in 2003
Artists “When he sang the chorus for the first time, I said, ‘No – it sounds ridiculous!’”
 
 
Latest in Guitar Lessons & Tutorials
Guitar Tricks Summer Black Friday promo
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials Get almost $1k of guitar tuition from our number one online platform for only $99 with this epic Summer Black Friday deal – over 11,000 lessons, plus bonus gifts
 
 
Chords
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials Confused by guitar tabs and notation? Use this complete guide to reading music for guitar
 
 
Scale
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials "Don't play scales just to get faster. Speed is a happy by-product of playing more accurately": Beginner Guitar Lessons - nailing scales
 
 
Guitar maintenance
Guitars "There isn't one correct answer": 6 things you need you need know about how to clean and condition your guitar fretboard
 
 
Tom Morello
Artists How Tom Morello used his guitar to drill into the off-limits domain of the turntablist
 
 
Close up of a person playing guitar
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials With a massive 89% discount, $99 for a year's worth of Guitar Tricks online lessons is the best way to upgrade your guitar playing this Black Friday
 
 
Latest in News
Abbey Road
Artists The Beatles’ most trusted engineer on their studio tensions
 
 
Buckethead, Bootsy Collins of Parliament-Funkadelic
Guitarists "The most pleasant person you could ever be with”: Bootsy Collins on his unlikely friendship with Buckethead
 
 
D'Addario strings
Guitars D’Addario admits generative AI was used on string demo video after all
 
 
A gloomy cathedral at night
Singles And Albums “It’s kind of our first heavy metal album: John Carpenter on why he's happier making music than directing films
 
 
Early Oasis Camcorder footage
Bands “Pure gold!”: Early camcorder footage of early Oasis has been unearthed and made available to watch
 
 
Travis Barker
Drummers “I’ve never left a show thinking ‘I wish I didn’t play the way I did’”: Travis Barker on his raucous drumming style
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...