Good Times: Lead Sheet

This lead sheet captures "Good Times" in its essential form, complete with the fundamental riff that defines the song's groove. Guitar players will appreciate the straightforward harmonic layout and the chance to lock into one of the most sampled and covered grooves in rock and hip-hop history.

Infectious and propulsive, built on a riff so catchy it has echoed through decades of music that followed. The groove invites you to settle in and feel the pocket rather than rush; it's fundamentally about locking into a good time.

Guitar players studying classic rock grooves, jazz and rock ensemble musicians building their fake book repertoire, and anyone learning the foundational riffs that defined 1960s popular music. This works equally well for solo study and as part of a band arrangement.

• Lock into the syncopated rhythm of the main riff; the pocket matters more than note-perfect precision here.
• Reference the recorded version to understand how the riff sits against the vocal melody and bass line.
• Experiment with different voicings of the chord changes to match your ensemble's instrumentation and energy level.

Pair this with other Stones standards from the fake book to construct a themed set exploring early rock and roll, or use it as a warm-up number in ensemble rehearsals to establish groove and ensemble cohesion. It's equally at home in a jazz/rock ensemble context or as part of a rock history unit.

• Reading lead sheet notation with chord symbols and melodic notation
• Understanding syncopated rhythm figures and how they sit within a harmonic framework
• Interpreting and adapting riffs for different instrumentation and ensemble sizes
• Developing groove awareness and pocket sensitivity in ensemble playing