As Tears Go By: Guitar TAB

These 20 tracks capture the full arc of Richards' guitar voice across The Stones' most essential work, from the acoustic fingerpicking of "As Tears Go By" to the iconic open-tuning riffs of "Honky Tonk Women" and "Brown Sugar." The TAB notation presents these parts accurately but playably, letting intermediate guitarists access authentic arrangements without the frustration of transcription. Rock students finally have legitimate study material for understanding how to build groove, use alternative tunings, and make minimal notes sound maximum.

Opening these pages, you're holding the blueprint for some of rock's most recognizable moments. The interplay between TAB and standard notation makes every riff feel graspable yet respectful of the original; you're not simplifying these songs, you're understanding them. Whether it's the hypnotic drone of "Sympathy for the Devil" or the snappy energy of "Jumpin' Jack Flash," each arrangement channels the loose, precise confidence that defined Richards' playing.

Intermediate to advanced guitarists ready to move beyond chord charts and learn note-for-note classic rock arrangements. Rock ensemble directors can assign individual players from this collection for band or coffeehouse settings. Guitar teachers use this to keep advancing students engaged with repertoire they actually want to play.

• Study the alternate tunings listed for each song before playing. Richards uses open tunings extensively, and retuning between pieces is part of the authentic experience; don't skip it or transpose everything to standard tuning.
• Lock into the pocket with recorded versions of each song. These arrangements are built on specific rhythmic feels and timings that won't reveal themselves from the TAB alone; play along to hear how your part sits with the drums and bass.
• Pay attention to fingering suggestions, especially for the fingerpicking patterns. The notations show Richards' actual left-hand positions, which inform how the note voicings ring and sustain.
• Work through these chronologically by era, not just by difficulty. Tracking how Richards' approach evolved from early blues-based work to the synthesizer-influenced 1980s will deepen your understanding of the guitar part's role in each song's overall sound.

Build a Rock Classics solo guitar recital by selecting pieces across the range of difficulty and style here. Pair several of these as a medley for a guitar-focused concert segment, or assign one arrangement per student in a group lesson to perform collectively. These also work beautifully as teaching pieces throughout the year, using different songs to introduce techniques like fingerpicking, alternate tunings, and rhythm-focused accompaniment patterns.

• Reading and playing in open G, open D, and other alternate tunings
• Fingerpicking patterns and right-hand independence
• Blues-based rock phrasing and rhythmic pocket
• Chord-based accompaniment with minimal accompaniment techniques
• Interpreting TAB alongside standard notation for fretboard accuracy