Day 4 - You Can't Always Get What You Want In Open E Tuning

This lesson introduces open E tuning – where strumming all six strings produces an E major chord. With a capo at the 8th fret, you'll play ‘You Can't Always Get What You Want’ using shapes that connect directly to what you've learned in open G.

What You Will Learn:

• How to tune to open E (E-B-E-G#-B-E)

• Using a capo at fret 8 to play in the key of C

• The signature intro riff with hammer-ons

• The Keith Richards chord shapes translated to open E

• How open E and open G shapes relate to each other

Open E Tuning Setup

From standard tuning: Strings 6, 2, and 1 remain unchanged. String 5 (A) goes up a whole step to B, string 4 (D) goes up to E, and string 3 (G) goes up to G#.

The Signature Riff

The intro uses your middle finger to hammer-on from Open to 2nd fret string 4, creating a Csus2 sound.

The rhythm we’re using to strum in this song is perfect to try ‘tap out’ first with your hands, just so you can feel it to begin or mute your strings first and fully concentrate on getting the motions before adding chords

Connecting Open E and Open G

Everything you learned in open G works in open E – just move it up one string. The Keith Richards chord shape (like the Start Me Up chord) now sits on strings 2, 3, and 4 instead of strings 3, 4, and 5. This connection means your open tuning vocabulary instantly doubles up!