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
  • "She knew what she'd created": Back to Black
  • Trower's '80s supergroup
  • Music theory tricks
  • Stage Tour game
  • 95k+ free music samples
  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
 
 
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
 
 
Status Quo
Artists “I remember saying to Clapton, ‘You try playing that one riff for eight minutes!’”: The secret to Status Quo's riff power
 
 
The Darkness in 2003
Artists “When he sang the chorus for the first time, I said, ‘No – it sounds ridiculous!’”
 
 
Music theory basics: understanding intervals, and how they define the distance in pitch between two notes
Music Theory And Songwriting 10 music theory tricks every producer and songwriter should know
 
 
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
Beck during Liz Phair and Beck Perform at McCabe's Guitar Store, 1993 at McCabe's Guitar Store in Santa Monica, CA, United States. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc)
Artists “I had no idea what I was doing": Beck admits that he was as surprised as anyone by his ‘90s breakthrough
 
 
Lil Wayne in Fortnite
Singers & Songwriters Lil Wayne steps into Fortnite tomorrow with new bundle of accessories
 
 
Acon Digital Acoustica 8 audio editor
Software & Apps Acon Digital’s Acoustica 8 audio editor is the company’s “most ambitious release to date”
 
 
Tony Iommi
Artists “I said to Ozzy, ‘I don’t think we should do it’”: Tony Iommi says that Black Sabbath’s final show almost didn’t happen
 
 
Arturia Audiofuse Studio rev2 audio interface
Audio Interfaces Arturia’s Audiofuse Studio Rev 2 aims to be a desktop interface for all occasions
 
 
Cameron Winter of GEESE performs at the Gobi stage during the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Bands “That seemed like a reasonable explanation”: Geese say they had doubts about how ‘real’ their fans actually were
 
 

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...