It's All I Can Do: Guitar TAB Digital Sheet Music

It's All I Can Do: Guitar TAB Digital Sheet Music

Ric Ocasek, The Cars

Item: 00-PS-0004138

Digital Download
$2.95
Description

It's All I Can Do: Guitar TAB Digital Sheet Music isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.

Sample Audio
No sample audio found.
Sample Video
Additional Details
SKU: 00-PS-0004138

More about this title

About the Artist: The Cars

The Cars emerged from Boston in the mid-1970s to become one of the defining bands of new wave and power pop. Ric Ocasek's songwriting paired infectious melodies with angular guitar work, while the band's tight rhythm section and layered production created a sound that was both radio-friendly and musically sophisticated. Their catalog spans nearly a decade of hit singles and albums that remain touchstones of 1970s and 1980s rock.

For guitarists, The Cars represent a masterclass in economical playing and memorable riffs. Their songs reward careful attention to tone, timing, and the interplay between rhythm and lead parts. "It's All I Can Do" showcases the band's gift for crafting hooks that stick with listeners while maintaining genuine musicianship beneath the pop sensibility.

Why we love this

This track gives students a chance to learn one of the most recognizable guitar riffs of the new wave era. The TAB provides a clear path to nailing both the main hook and the rhythmic textures that define the song, making it rewarding to master at intermediate to advanced levels.

What to expect

Propulsive and infectious, with a guitar line that burrows into your brain from the first notes. The song carries an irresistible momentum, balancing the slightly detached cool of new wave with the earnest musicianship of power pop. It feels both of its era and timeless.

Who it's for

Intermediate to advanced guitarists who want to tackle a classic rock riff and understand how new wave production influenced guitar playing in the late 1970s. Players studying power pop, new wave, and the transition from classic rock to synthesizer-driven pop will find this an essential reference.

How to get the most out of it

  • Nail the attack on the opening riff by locking into the exact pick strike and letting each note ring with clarity. The tone matters as much as the timing here.
  • Pay close attention to muting and damping between phrases. The Cars' sound relies on precise control of what you're not playing as much as what you are.
  • Use the rhythm section cues in your head to lock the groove. This song sits on a steady pulse, and maintaining that pocket will make the lead lines float properly.
  • Experiment with your tone settings to capture the slightly processed, clean electric guitar sound characteristic of the original recording. A touch of chorus or slight compression can help achieve that polish.

How to use it

Feature this as part of a unit on 1970s-80s American rock and pop, where students can explore how rock bands adapted to the synthesizer age. It pairs well with other new wave and power pop essentials, offering a guitar-centered complement to more keyboard-driven material from the same period.

Skills your students will build

  • Reading and executing accurate TAB notation with proper rhythm interpretation
  • Capturing tone and sustain in clean electric guitar playing
  • Maintaining rhythmic precision in syncopated pop-rock contexts
  • Balancing melodic clarity with rhythmic accompaniment
  • Understanding the role of dynamics and muting in new wave guitar style

You May Also Like