The Rolling Stones: Aftermath: Authentic Guitar TAB Book

Aftermath gave students access to genuine studio recordings from one of rock's foundational bands, and this TAB edition captures the guitar work exactly as it appears on the album. The variety of approaches across the 11 tracks makes this repertoire rich for teaching: you get folk-influenced fingerpicking on "Lady Jane," bluesy riffs on "Stupid Girl," and the iconic opening of "Paint It Black." It's a chance to learn how thoughtful arrangement and tone choices define a record.

Swagger meets precision. These songs move with the confidence of a band that knew exactly what it wanted to say, yet each one breathes differently: some arrangements feel sparse and deliberate while others bristle with attitude. The guitar work is unmistakably rock and roll, but it's rooted in blues phrasing and structured with genuine compositional intent.

Guitar students and teachers who want to understand how classic rock is constructed from the inside out. Players at the intermediate level and above will find challenges in both the technical execution and the interpretive work needed to match the original recordings.

• Study the original recording alongside the TAB to internalize the tone and sustain Keith Richards uses, especially on "Paint It Black." The song lives in its space as much as in its notes.
• Break the rhythm figures into sections and lock them to a metronome before layering in the melodic fills. Richards often sits slightly behind the beat.
• Pay attention to dynamics across the album; "Under My Thumb" sits much brighter than "Going Home." Let the acoustic properties of each song reshape your approach rather than playing everything with the same weight.
• "Lady Jane" requires clean fingerpicking without a pick. This is a different motor skill than most rock playing; allow extra practice time for hand coordination.

Use this as a bridge between your classical guitar curriculum and contemporary music, or as the centerpiece of a rock history unit. The eleven tracks give you enough material to spread across multiple rehearsals, and students can work on different songs at different levels of proficiency. It's also strong repertoire for a concert featuring 1960s classic rock alongside material from other genres.

• Reading and executing authentic guitar TAB notation with accuracy
• Translating rhythmic figures to match recorded tempos and phrasing
• Distinguishing between lead and rhythm guitar roles
• Fingerpicking technique on acoustic and semi-hollow body guitars
• Tone production on electric guitar, including sustain and pickup selection
• Recognizing blues-influenced harmonic movement in rock contexts
• Playing behind the beat while maintaining clarity of rhythm