The original studio version.

I always played it starting from the B at the 2nd fret of the A string.

That's the way I've seen Keith play it since 1989.

Now, the other day I received as a birthday present the new "Rolling Stones -- Best of the ABKCO Years: Authentic Guitar TAB". The book at first sight seems slightly more accurate than my other Stones tab book (London years). Then I bumped into Satisfaction and I see the riff tabbed starting from the B at the 7th fret of the E string.

First time I see it tabbed or played that way.

Could it be?

C

He's shown playing it both ways during 1965 - 1967.

Could be either way on the studio version, or even both at different times during the song.

Trust your ears, not the tab...

He plays his own riffs differently.

He played GS different in 89/90 and 92/93, for instance. In 97, he played it like he did in 75 again.

Not to mention the studio version is a third way of doing the riff

LSTNT was played in open tuning in 97/98. Wanna Hold You all of a sudden in standard tuning in 2007.

Black Limo in standard live in 81/82... etc.

I've always played it on the A-string. 2nd 4th and 5th frets.

2 2 4 5 5 5 5 4

The perfect riff - so simple even a beginner can get it.

I play it using my index, ring, and pinky finger, but notice that Keith slides his hand up to the 4th fret when he plays it.

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DandelionPowderman

LSTNT was played in open tuning in 97/98.

Same in 81/82

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Jumpinjackflash59

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DandelionPowderman

LSTNT was played in open tuning in 97/98.

Same in 81/82

No.

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DandelionPowderman

No.

Embrace the abrupt answers brother dandie.

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ChrisM
Trust your ears, not the tab...

...but, keep in mind that what sounds right may not be the way it was actually done.

Interesting point here!

Imagine you're a professional musician, and you have to play a song for fifty years over and over again, i.e. "Honky Tonk Women".

I'd think "They could never pay me enough to play that sh.. again!"

Keith must have played "Satisfaction" for how many times?
3000? 1500? 10000?
I don't know.

Gets kind of boring, so he plays around from time to time.

I think many Stones-Songs are technically easy to cover: 5-string-open-tuning etc.

But I find it hard to cover a Stones-Song in a way it sounds good!

There is always something lacking.

I can't tell what, because I know the chords, the melody, the arrangement.

Possibly it's Keith' playing around...or their secret how to play "before" or "behind" the beat...

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DandelionPowderman

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Jumpinjackflash59

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DandelionPowderman

LSTNT was played in open tuning in 97/98.

Same in 81/82

No.

After watching it on a dvd.....you're right (and i've been wrong for years).

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caesar
Interesting point here!

Imagine you're a professional musician, and you have to play a song for fifty years over and over again, i.e. "Honky Tonk Women".

I'd think "They could never pay me enough to play that sh.. again!"

Keith must have played "Satisfaction" for how many times?
3000? 1500? 10000?
I don't know.

Gets kind of boring, so he plays around from time to time.

I think many Stones-Songs are technically easy to cover: 5-string-open-tuning etc.

But I find it hard to cover a Stones-Song in a way it sounds good!

There is always something lacking.

I can't tell what, because I know the chords, the melody, the arrangement.

Possibly it's Keith' playing around...or their secret how to play "before" or "behind" the beat...

That's the "magic" Keith Richards feel.

"No Anchovies, Please"

In 69 he plays at the 4th string even involving the 3rd string too, 9th fret.

My favourite Satisfaction riff is Jumpin' Jack Flash.

During the Bigger Bang Tour. He played it as double stops on the 5th and 4th strings. It sounded like hell.

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More Hot Rocks
During the Bigger Bang Tour. He played it as double stops on the 5th and 4th strings. It sounded like hell.

Maybe he was trying for that more artistic, Scarf Me Up sound?

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His Majesty

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ChrisM
Trust your ears, not the tab...

...but, keep in mind that what sounds right may not be the way it was actually done.

Ha ha! Right you are Phil..

The best of all Stones books for tabs (for my money) is the excellent Exile On Main Street book, however I still question the notation for an open-G guitar with low E string for "Rocks Off".

Keith likes to mix it up. It keeps him "in the game" after 50 years.

Some thought his soloing on Sympathy was bad and he couldn't play lead anymore.

He could play the recorded version note for note IF HE WANTED TO, but he doesn't.

Heck I am a mediocre lead player at best and I can play the recorded version of Sympathy note for note, you think Keith can't?

On many live versions of songs he experiments, sometimes not as good to our ears as the original, sometimes better.

actually ry cooder wrote satisfaction... keith just stole it from him...;-)

I have no doubt it's played on the A string second fret on the original recording.

Mathijs

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liddas
I see the riff tabbed starting from the B at the 7th fret of the E string.
C

He played it like that in Marquee in 1971. Not my favourite version. I doubt that the studio version was recorded like that, but I don't know really.

[www.youtube.com]

Satisfaction starts at 23:58



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-10-05 14:58 by Happy24.

Thank you all, you never stop learning!

As for the original, hard to tell by ear for me because:

a) I don't have THAT amp, THAT guitar and, above all, THAT pedal!
b) my ears ain't good to start with

C

P.s. I might be the only one that truly loved the ABB version of the riff!

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liddas
Thank you all, you never stop learning!

As for the original, hard to tell by ear for me because:

a) I don't have THAT amp, THAT guitar and, above all, THAT pedal!
b) my ears ain't good to start with

C

P.s. I might be the only one that truly loved the ABB version of the riff!

Or that mic, mixing console, outboard gear, mastering equipment etc etc.

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Elmo Lewis
I've always played it on the A-string. 2nd 4th and 5th frets.

2 2 4 5 5 5 5 4

The perfect riff - so simple even a beginner can get it.

I play it using my index, ring, and pinky finger, but notice that Keith slides his hand up to the 4th fret when he plays it.

That's the way I play it too. Though not the same fingering, maybe closer to the one you say Keith plays. I start with the index finger on the second fret, slide it up to 4 then come down on 5 with my middle finger then back to index on 4. Or sometimes I'll just do it all with my index finger.

I don't play the studio version too often though. I usually play the Ya-Ya's version, but I play Taylor's part I think. Keith is playing the riff and Taylor is doing the E,D,A part right? Every once in a while I'll play the riff, as I like the different, higher, version of the riff. I can't play the solo (or many solos) so I switch to Keith's part. Many of "my" arrangements are Frankenstein's due to me being a somewhat weak lead player, I'll play Taylor or Ronnie's part and switch to Keith's for the solo. I don't play in a band, I play with The Stones on my Amplug, so I can get away with it.

I've been trying to play the Leeds '71 version, and while I have the basics of it, there are some things happening on there I haven't figured out yet. I'm just not very good at figuring things out by ear. I like to have a good tab to use as a jumping off point, show me where to start, and I can usually figure the rest out or come up with my own stuff that fits. I Love that odd arrangement on Leeds '71 though. Stray Cat Blues is kind of strange on there too, sounds Jefferson Airplane inspired or something.

i dont see the difference, either way it is the same notes.. Keith probably changed from A string to E string when his fingers got more swollen,

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6853
i dont see the difference, either way it is the same notes.. Keith probably changed from A string to E string when his fingers got more swollen,

There is a difference in tone. Play an open 1st string E and an E on the 14th fret 4th string. And his fingers being swollen should have nothing to do with it. A 3 year old should have trouble pushing down on the notes on the A string.

I prefer the 1969 version, which may have lead to the riff for Dancing With Mr D.

I can half understand folks wanting to discuss how Keith played/plays the intro to ADTL...but Satisfaction !

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More Hot Rocks

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6853
i dont see the difference, either way it is the same notes.. Keith probably changed from A string to E string when his fingers got more swollen,

There is a difference in tone. Play an open 1st string E and an E on the 14th fret 4th string. And his fingers being swollen should have nothing to do with it. A 3 year old should have trouble pushing down on the notes on the A string.

there is no difference in tone between 5 string 2nd fret and 6 string 7 fret, I dont hear it anyway, if not swollen fingers what else ?