Rolling Stones guitar weaving style EXPLAINED - 5 songs you should know!

[@Craigory2022]

I think the best example of “the art of weaving” is undoubtedly in Beast of Burden. To me it’s sublime.

[@charliedk]

Yes!

[@Downeaster-y3y]

Agree. I have no idea why, but that song moves me emotionally.

[@brettrice5523]

Yeah, that's the one I was thinking of. It has 3 guitar parts and it's hard to tell who's telling the story and who's highlighting.

[@BeesWaxMinder]

I'd love a longer version of this with more tuition but it's wonderful thank you ...maybe do the two guitars panned hard left and hard right so it's easier to mute and we can play along ourselves?

[@speedfreakjive8843]

That doesn't sound like Keith talking in the explanation 🤔

[@briteness]

This "guitar weaving" thing is surely one of the most distinctive features of the Stones music, but it is so rarely mentioned, let alone explained. Thanks!

[@IZZY_EDIBLE]

Mick Taylor's performance on CAN'T YOU HEAR ME KNOCKING is the gold standard of straight guitar solos for the Stones.

[@Terrordanger]

You hear him spoken highly of but never mentioned independently of his time with the Stones..

[@jonathanneuhaus4755]

Easy to play too.

[@jcruisioso5975]

Yes. The opposite of this weaving and still great

[@NoCats-on-Guitars]

This song is hard to listen to the end, it's getting more and more boring after the vocals stop and only Bobby Keys gives it a little fire.

[@Jsig-la]

One of my most sublime experiences as a guitarist was playing in a band with two lead guitarists, who respected each other, had nothing to prove, and genuinely enjoyed listening to each other's playing, and I'm only sorry that I didn't discover it until very late in my career. When I was younger I was competitive, attention-seeking and jealous. The rare occasions I played with another lead player were so combative that I stuck to playing in a 4 piece or playing with very strict roles. What Keith and Ronnie are doing is Making Music. What I was doing was some weird contest that nobody ever wins. Thanks for bringing up something beyond the usual riffs and exercises. This is philosophically important stuff for players to get the most out of collaborating with our peers. When it works, it's magic. When it doesn't... never mind

[@erikprestonTV]

that's how i was before i started smoking weed.

[@stefanwhite3930]

A lot of people can relate to this and working with other guitar players

[@joelholdbrooks]

I think Keith's open G tuning and Ronnie standard tuning adds to it as well

[@um9272]

But it’s not only open g Keith uses e and d And Nashville Tuning and lots of other

[@robertgallagher5285]

Really hate to say this but Keith Richards solo work is better then Ron Woods showing the superior guitarist!!!

[@mrsatire9475]

@@robertgallagher5285 Keith Richards solo work is better than Mick Taylor's too

[@robertgallagher5285]

@@mrsatire9475 yes the best of the Stones solo

[@flouisbailey]

The Stones are the Stones but Andy you play so well, players all over world know you and learned from you. I think you taught me my first chords, many thanks.

[@randallmorgan5184]

Thank you so much for the lesson on the ancient art of weaving. To me, this is what sets the Stones apart from most of the rest.

[@samsonthecurrent]

It’s much more planned, but I love the way the Strokes’ guitars work together.

[@ScareglowSkull]

That’s something for sure

[@TheHumanPurpleTape]

I was thinking the same exact thing.

[@juanvaldez7633]

Given that the concept really originated with Keith and Brian, kind of surprised not to see anything from that era covered here - "Spider and the Fly", "I'm Free", "19th Nervous Breakdown" among a number of others would have made great examples. Also, a tip of the hat to the New York Dolls where Johnny Thunders and Syl Sylvain made this technique a signature aspect of their sound, at - being the Dolls - a somewhat more manic level.

[@TheHumanPurpleTape]

Syl is definitely an underrated element of the Doll's sound.

[@MaurySmith]

I recently had the great opportunity to see the Stones on The Hackney Diamonds Tour. I videotaped the majority of the concert and it was always a bit of a mystery to see who was going to emerge with the lead parts. Until seeing this video, I didn't realize the degree that this is part of the band's style. I remember thinking to myself, 'how equitable of Keith to allow Ronnie to assert in so many lead parts. ' It makes complete sense now. Keith has evolved to be known more popularly as the band's lead guitarist, but it's really interesting to learn about this weaving concept. Mick participated much more as a guitarist than I had expected. Now I'm imagining it's just another facet of the well roundness and lack of ego between the band members. The specific roles have been assigned by the culture and not the members themselves. Thanks for sharing this insight Andy. I learned something I've been blind to through conditioning and labeling, from which I have broken free! 🤟

[@rarerockk]

congrats lol. this is what many (hierachy based thinking people, often of lower comprehension) people do not get. The reason why humans very often have to stuff things into certain "boxes" (I guess it's an unconscious drive to simplifiy things).

[@RSW552]

I saw them on tour in May. Greatest rock band of all time, imo.

[@sharkybrown6226]

Thanks so much. You’ve gone a long way to explain my inexhaustible fascination with the cross talk happening between the guitars ever since I picked up the “Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out!” album in 1971.

[@AngelofJustice412]

My favorite more traditional stones solo is probably Mick Taylor’s playing on Sway

[@jessmindel3290]

The mick taylor era has loads if great traditional solos. Sway, cant you hear me knocking, shine a light etc

[@W0oDy97]

Sympathy for the devil from get yer ya yas out is his finest moment imo

[@jessmindel3290]

@@W0oDy97 that is a great one, also love his solos on gimme shelter from 72-73 tour especially Perth 73

[@BrettSmithDaniels]

I’ve seen Mick play up close, and had the privilege of singing on a stage with him once. Utterly stunning player. His phrasing is so good! His tones are superb. Nice guy too, he recently came to visit myself and the band I’m playing with at the moment backstage when I was playing near where he lives. Him and his partner are just lovely people, disarmingly humble and kind. He truly deserves the title “legendary” both as a guy and as a guitarist.

[@franklopez4028]

This lesson helped me understand how and why triads work, I learned a fundamental arrangement technique, and I can learn the parts! 👌🏽

[@dakfarms4728]

The 1980 album Emotional Rescue has some of their best “weaving” in my opinion. Songs like She’s So Cold and Let Me Go are some of the greatest examples of the whole catalogue

[@sanchize06]

Best example of this imo is Beast of Burden from the Live in Texas 1978 performance. It’s sublime melodic bliss.

[@The-End-Of-The-Line]

Brilliant Andy! Thanks for doing this. I could never quite figure out what was going on that made The Rolling Stones so unique to my ears. There is a looseness, and rolling wave feel to their guitar parts that is so “in the pocket” and so compelling.

[@markpalmer9844]

Stradlin and Slash on AfD are a supreme example of this.

[@BuckBarker]

Greetings and salivations to all. I’m an old geezer musician /songwriter. I do not perform out anymore. I have a small studio. I write songs, sing the vocals, play the instruments , record them, make CD’s, and give them away. In reference to building guitar tracks. The way I do it is: 1.Guitar 1 -Play rhythm when singing . 2.Then record the bass. This is done at this step to make sure the song is in time. 3.Then drums. 4.Keyboard5.Guitar 2. Here I use it to sort of mimic the bass line. Of course using a different guitar than the rhythm I used while singing. 3. Guitar 3. This is what I call an accent. I usually just play the chord with one down stroke at the changes. 6.Guitar 4.I call this fills. I try to be tasteful and not overplay and walk on the other parts. 7.Guitar5 Lastly, I will add the lead guitar. Here ,I do the main solo break. And some improvisation at the end as the song fades. Most of the time I will use different guitars for each step. Also,change effects to be appropriate for each part. I try not to overplay and when mixing attempt to be tasteful. A good friend who was a Grammy winner , an amazing instrumentalist, and producer once told me when I first started out, “The notes you don’t play are just as important as the notes you do play.” Folks have tried to get me to upload my music to social media. I was reluctant to do this for years. Finally I have uploaded 14 songs on KZbin @Larry Buck Barker Original Songs. I hope all have a happy and healthy day. Cheers!!

[@mirllewist3086]

“Worried About You” has one of my favorite traditional-type solos, though I believe it is played by a studio musician. It fits the emotion of the song so well and has an amazing, slicing tone.

[@LostSpringBand]

You knocked this one clear out of the stadium Andy!

[@tommytube48]

Best guitar video I’ve seen in a long time. I was in a band years ago with a great guitar player and we would weave on Street Fighting man, great stuff.

[@davemish4163]

The most important component of guitar weaving is a real chemistry between two guitarists. Ronnie Wood is often overlooked as a guitarist because he isn't a traditional lead player like Mick Taylor. But try to weave with Keith like Ronnie does. It's a real art.

[@gregjones3671]

Miss You, dang, what a riff.

[@budsodalsky]

I think tumbling dice is a good example

[@jeremyevans8374]

Yeah I have been kind of fixated on this weaving thing for a couple of years now. Glad to see someone shining a spotlight on it.

[@bakkels]

It's only rock and roll is by no means my favourite Stones song, but it's a pretty damn good example now that you mention it! If you'd listen to the guitar tracks seperately, they would hardly make any sense. But together, they make up a song. It's what still keeps those Stones songs so exciting to listen to in my opinion. The guitar weaving + the tension Charlie created by always (deliberately) being just ever so slightly late and never hitting the hihat and snare at the same time and Mick's voice. A magical formula.

[@kcinseattle]

The guitar weaving as you describe it is what has always drawn me to the Stones. It’s what I’m looking to emulate when I say I play rhythm-lead guitar. I like going back and forth between them when playing and having another guitarist that can do this as well is a dream.

[@bakerbrown6]

I love this element of the Stones! Love that blues💙

[@mitreswell]

Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner would have to be the greatest exponents of 'guitar weaving'.

[@johnhuteson4779]

That was fantastic. ! Thank you.

[@michaelc.1710]

The comparison I use is it’s like football. If your centre back makes a forward run, someone needs to drop into defence, usually a midfielder. If your striker drifts out to the left, your winger needs to go up top or drift in and maybe a centre mid goes up. Similarly, if your bassist starts playing a melody or a harmony, a guitarist needs to drop in on rhythm.

[@andycrowley]

@@michaelc.1710 Perfect analogy 🙌

[@joelyoung3092]

You're the best dude!! So inspiring

[@Larrymh07]

Thank you for opening this interesting aspect of guitar arranging! I heard the late 60s band Moby Grape used this style, too.

[@captDymov]

Thx, man, I always did notice that there's something unique about the guitar playing in Rolling Stones, but I couldn't figure out and shape what exactly is so unique about them, and you did just that, thanks again!

[@ebmpaiva]

Best example is Gimme Shelter intro live from No Security tour. The guitar work in this is a work of art

[@jessejordache1869]

All of the best Rolling Stones solos are on their live albums during Mick Taylor's tenure. I love Mick Taylor -- as someone who wasn't alive when he was a member, but who discovered him after being pretty well schooled in "classic rock", there's something so fresh and original about his playing. But on the albums... I don't know -- No Expectations off the top of my head.

[@zizzinpuss]

He doesn't play on the album version

[@stanbowers6193]

No Expectations is Brian Jones.

[@jessejordache1869]

@@stanbowers6193 I am aware. I think it was the last he recorded. It was supposed to be separate:"Mick Taylor live. Also No Expectations on Beggar's Banquet", not "Mick Taylor's solos, such as No Expectations".

[@Maxy-K]

Nice one (liked & subbed)! Just want to point out that doing this does one thing for you, which is (as my guitar teacher used to say) "dividing the guitar player from the musician": It makes you listen to what the other guitar or whichever instrument is playing! I forgot whether it's Steel Wheels or Urban Jungle, but on one of these two records, Keith & Ron are almost taking this to the classic Blues-scheme of "call & response" - sounds amazing! Thanks again for pointing out this characteristic!

[@christiandemorro2092]

Awesome stuff man. Great idea for a lesson

[@lawsonj39]

The intro to Gimme Shelter is a pretty classic example of Keef interweaving various guitar lines.

[@tomwaite3898]

More one guitar playing chord arpeggios and the other doing noodly lead bits, I'd have said. In fact, the opposite of weaving..

[@marksutter182]

I've never heard about this and now their sound makes so much sense. There's also an element to their music that seems to be all about not being quite in tune.

[@GRequinBlanc]

SFTD in MSG 1969. Best solos ever

[@ar4386]

One of my favorite examples of weaving, and of how to build a jam, is Worried About You.

[@michaelhockmuller4677]

Miss You is my favorite weaving song.

[@epiphoney]

That's cool. I never knew that concept. I like their open tunings and chord based riffs too.

[@wayneh8768]

My favorite Stones song solo is not by a Stone! Hand of Fate, solo work by Wayne Perkins at the main solo, the weird bridge-y solo, and the outro. Some really amazing tonal work in that song. Some notes you wouldn't normally hear in a Stones song!

[@speedfreakjive8843]

This is a great video. Thank you so much for tackling that unique Stones double guitar sound

[@sotirispapaskoulis3243]

This is a really fascinating concept and really resonates to me! I look forward to try it. Could we do a live Monday for this ? Would be super interesting!!

[@andycrowley]

For sure! 😀

[@rarerockk]

It's what happens when musicians focus more on what they feel rather than arrange their parts. Totally cool to use that approach, but it's not really a concept, almost the opposite of it (beside having acquired the ability to play a certain instrument already). Therefore I highly doubt that "style" is the appropriate term for "g weaving" (jamming using the drive of the unconscious).

[@mimikal7548]

It's even better when you pan the guitars left and right!

[@johnandersson8258]

For a more chaotic and even more charmingly dilettantic version of this, look up the two first studio albums of the New York Dolls. Best energy ever!

[@peterm7132]

Lightbulb moment ! Thanks I couldn’t figure things out trying to find tabs on wild horses and saw what looked like your weaving it kinda jells a bit now thanks

[@kevinborchers3522]

Id argue the Grateful dead did guitar weaving as well. Jerry obviously took the big solos but Bob isnt a traditional rhythm guy

[@ar4386]

I'm a huge Bob Weir fan. You're spot on. Another good example is Paul Barrere and Fred Tackett from Little Feat.

[@brushstroke3733]

Seems like the Grateful Dead did this kind of organic weaving too. Oh, and Hendrix was the master of doing this himself with multi-tracks.

[@Jeff-0523]

Fanatasic player study! Bring Mike Bradley back for this!

[@davidpaul6656]

When you mentioned weaving my first thought was Miss You.

[@juanmoralesvideo]

Great video. Could you do another talking about the "Richard's tunning"?

[@themagdude]

Jigsaw Puzzle a fine example.

[@tonylicata7452]

This was terrific. Thanks.

[@jonmackin8751]

Great video Andy!

[@KazarianKzar]

Cool stuff @andycrowley Are you familiar with the Black Crowes's first two albums? I always thought they had a similar 'weaving' style going on. Am I right?

[@jjadriottt9073]

Great video! 👏👏👏👍

[@mr.k905]

By the way, Keith plays the solo on Sympathy. The Stones' best traditional solo: Taylor on Can You Hear Me Knocking. Weaving is a great tool, but it certainly comes more from the laziness of working out parts properly rather than being a brilliant idea. And as cool and functional as it is, many Stones fans will agree that their best period was when Taylor was playing a more traditional lead guitar role while Keith was (still kind of weaving) underneath his lines. All that changed with Ronnie, of course, because Keith and Wood had/have a very (maybe too) similar way of approaching rhythm playing, and they're both not very good lead players, so they do something they call "weaving". In my first band, we always called it "playing it deceivingly". It always happened when we played a song that we kind of knew, but not exactly. If we didn't know the exact chord at a certain point, we'd fill it in with a bit of noodling and hoped that nobody would notice it. ; )

[@paulhill1379]

Great video Andy.

[@PolyphonicSigma]

Love the solos on Dance Little Sister, Dead Flowers(live), really anything with Mick Taylor, especially live stuff.

[@Dodgyguitarist]

Great examples. I always think about this when learning stone roses stuff

[@FergieSnr]

Mind blown 🤯

[@casperguylkn]

There may even be a third part, especially live, if Mick is playing guitar as well. He will usually keep up the rhythm part throughout but not always!

[@GS-uy4xo]

Great lesson - it’s certainly a learned skill. (Question about your Vola vasti - is it unusually heavy? I have one but it’s LP heavy !!)

[@Adum-Duly]

Can you do a tutorial on confirmation bias by the darkness, please

[@Pearls_Have_Eyes]

the grateful dead took this to another level with weir/garcia/lesh weaving between each other. also Television

[@NoCats-on-Guitars]

Keith Richards most remarkable solos are the ones he played on "Sympathy For The Devil".

[@MFE92]

They practiced a thousand times so it would sound like they were playing it for the first time, and it's glorious

[@DomingoCaro-h5v]

Hi how are you rock on dude l am learning to play guitar basic power chords .

[@nihilioellipsis]

Is guitar weaving mainly a recording approach or do the stones do it in performance as well? sometimes I hear recordings of their life performance, and some of the most distinctive parts of the studio cut are missing or altered and sound worse.

[@NoCats-on-Guitars]

The Stones are artists, not a jukebox, they always play the songs different to the recordings and to former shows. Every concert can bring new creations of their songs. Sometimes the songs are better on the albums and sometimes they are pure magic when played live.

[@fivelakeoutdoor]

Great Lesson Andy! Could i ask you what kind of D'Angelico Guitar you play? Thanks a lot and best wishes! 🎸🤟🏻

[@andycrowley]

This one is a D'Angelico Excel mini DC, it's fab! 🎸

[@fivelakeoutdoor]

@@andycrowley Thanks a lot! It looks awesome!👍🏻

[@Nicholas-dreamlove]

"Midnight Rambler" (Mick Taylor); "Stray Cat Blues" (Mick Taylor) also.

[@JamesThompson-zk1ht]

Unless you're referring to a live version that I don't know about, Stray Cat Blues was on Beggars' Banquet. Brian was still a member, although not a productive one. Mick Taylor is not on that album anywhere. I'm pretty sure that Keith played every guitar part on that album except (1) I think I've heard that Brian has a single rhythm guitar part buried on that album somewhere (2) Isn't that the album that Ry Cooder was said to have played on a track or two? I think it's safe to say that Stray Cat Blues was all Keith.

[@Nicholas-dreamlove]

@@JamesThompson-zk1ht ; I know I thought you mentioned live.

[@thebrysmith3]

He's talking about the live versions from Get Your Ya Ya's Out. Steller playing from Keith Richards and MIck Taylor.

[@jessejordache1869]

@@thebrysmith3 I figured, because the Beggar's Banquet version of Stray Cat Blues is kind of a... everything is too loud in the mix. I know there's a solo in there somewhere.

[@jw_au]

Jim Moginie and Martin Rotsey do a lot of this as well

[@folklabstudio2679]

Check Out Rich Robinson and Marc Ford

[@guyamir6304]

Cool guitar - what d’angelico is it? How do you like it?

[@bluesintheblood]

It's basically Blues jamming and switching each off one another from Rythm to Lead...ie having a jamming partner perhaps versed in similar styles of music, and you can 'weave' in any genre Hey Im looking for a jamming partner

[@5150show]

Get. Yer ya yas out in a masterpiece

[@jackmchammocklashing224]

Anywhere I can download some fingers and brain ?

[@jamesm.3967]

This is an interesting dynamic, but when it goes wrong it really is a mess. 1978 tour was a mess IMHO. Without some discipline you can lose track of what is going on. Keith got used to other people filling in when he couldn’t keep up.

[@jessmindel3290]

The 78 tour js the last great tour, full of energy.

[@scottythetrex5197]

Really? I think some of their best live stuff ever is from that tour, but I've only heard a couple of shows.

[@SuperShawn2020]

I saw the 78 tour in New Orleans - the guitar sound was amazing. Some of the shows were trashed by the press - but damn, New Orleans was superb!!

[@jessmindel3290]

@@SuperShawn2020 I've only seen live in Texas and that's amazing

[@jamesm.3967]

@@jessmindel3290full of alcohol and coke. 😂

[@Cian097]

19th nervous breakdown is their best guitat weaving imo

[@myrskylintu1]

Hanoi Rocks has a song called "Underwater World". One of the best twin-guitar playing ever in it, listen with headphones. Best Stones solo? That's a hard one. Sympathy For The Devil on Get Your Ya-Ya's out is definitely one of them. Time Waits For No One...Weaving is important but it is hard to understand for many modern players because they see the playing more like ego-thing, hierarchy-thing. On weaving you can not have an ego, you have to co-operate and be equal with the other guitarist. On weaving you are not the star, just a guy in a band.

[@thedave2429]

If you want to see a master class on guitar weaving, check out The Surfrajettes.

[@jessejordache1869]

Brown Sugar is Rolling Stones improvised guitar parts on easy mode.

[@Realroyrogers]

American Blue grassers have the weave from day 1, old school

[@LunchsackTheWise]

Was that beginning clip a real quote from Keith but ran through an AI voice?

[@camusfacel1591]

For me Lynyrd Skynyrd used guitar weaving too. Do you agree?

[@andycrowley]

Absolutely! Skynyrd also have many epic guitar solos too 🔥

[@ernestfoss1968]

I really think that two guitars sounding more full than one guitar, But being a little sparse, leaving "Holes And Spaces is better than two guitars playing the same or a lot. Two guitars make one sound not just rhythm and lead Polyrhythmic

[@michaelcraig9449]

Is that D'Angellico made in the USA? Is it still one of the best guitars, or have they ruined it, and make them in China now?

[@ArkadiuszWikie]

Fugazi’s been using that. In a way. Just have ears and listen. It’s not for everybody though.

[@jcivantos]

Guitar weaving=two old drunk guys playing chuck berry licks

[@dr.g.4189]

It's a little more to it though

[@VanirTraditionalist]

Mick Taylor era is the best imo. But my favorite RS traditional solo may be Wayne Perkins on Hand Of Fate.

[@jeroenwesseling9316]

The extended version of bitch that appeared on the spotify version of Sticky fingers..

[@encoreunefois1X]

There were plenty of "traditional" solos during Taylor's time. "If You Really Want T Be My Friend" is one of my favourites.

[@JennyGavinWear]

would you say Thin Lizzy did this?

[@undersoundproductions1915]

Yes but Moore and Gorham didn't keep it simple. Still good

[@mitchsmix269]

I think the Strokes do a good bit of this too, wouldnt be surprised if that was inspired by the stones

[@davidfink5514]

The Brown Sugar riff is so cool! Too bad the lyrics are basically not ok to the point that they won't play it nowadays. Was thinking Mick could do a rewrite on the lyrics and the band re-release the tune with a modern twist, allowing them to bring that iconic riff back into their sets..