Day 5 - Sympathy For The Devil
In this video
Sympathy for the Devil showcases the Stones' groove-driven approach and introduces some challenging lead techniques, all in that iconic 4 chord jam we know and love!
What You Will Learn:
• The 4 chords: E, D, A, and B (with beginner B7 option)
• The signature rhythm pattern with plenty groove!
• Sus chord embellishments to get that authentic sound
• The tricky raked/ sweep-picked opening solo lick
• E minor pentatonic improvisation over the chord progression
• How to use a looper pedal for epic jamming practice
The Rhythm Pattern
The main strumming pattern relies on a lot of movement to get the groove but we must keep the hand moving continuously - played with a twist of the wrist rather than big arm movements is the trick!
The Tricky Solo Opening
The opening lick requires a subtle trick which we call a ‘rake’ - kind of like keeping the strings muted and unmuting while in motion, only allowing sound on the target note at the end! This is challenging even for experienced players, but adding overdrive or fuzz helps the notes ring out. The secret is letting your fretting hand do more work while keeping the picking motion continuous.
Improvising Over the Changes
The recurring rhythm motif and chords go throughout making it a brilliant sound bed to solo over. Most of the solo uses E minor pentatonic shape one with classic bends in this position. But for the highest notes, shift to the top of shape 2 for those signature high bends.
The Free-Flowing Approach
The goal isn't just to nail this solo note-for-note, but to be able to use these ideas in any musical situation – improvising and taking inspiration from the original while making it your own!
Well worth a lesson is Mick Taylor’s solo in the ‘Get Yer Ya-Ya's out!’ live version of this song for even more inspiration.