Video lesson
Get the PDF chord sheet (2 pages)
- Support me on Patreon.com to get access to this and 200+ other PDF chord sheets I've made, plus new PDFs I make going forward (1-2 added each week).
- The cost is $3/month (one month minimum, cancel anytime). Annual plans also available. Here's a free sample if you're on the fence. Thanks!
After clicking the button and logging in to Patreon, look for the PDF attached to the bottom of the post.
Editorβs notes
In this video Iβll teach you how to play the intro riff of βSweet Child Oβ Mineβ by Guns Nβ Roses, simplified for an acoustic guitar. Iβll show you the tabs needed for this riff, walking you through exactly how to go about learning this for the first time (Iβll be using standard tuning). I hope you enjoy!
Quick notes about my acoustic arrangement
π Iβm in standard tuning Slash tunes all strings on his guitar down 1/2 step (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb). To keep things easy for you, Iβm going to keep things in standard tuning (E A D G B E).
π Iβm using an easier fretboard position Slash plays things up between the 11th & 15th frets (tough!), but Iβll bring the riff down one octave so it uses the familiar D-major chord position (easy!).
π Iβm simplifying a few of the notes For the sake of practicality, Iβm deviating from what Slash plays for just a few of the notes. 99% of listeners wonβt notice the difference!
Intro riff (without ending sequence)
Hereβs the main intro riff as Iβll be teaching it in my video lesson! These match the opening 8 measures you hear in the album version of this song (after playing them all, repeat it).
E ||ββββββββββ3βββ2ββββ|ββββββββββ3βββ2ββββ|ββββββββββ3βββ2ββββ|ββββββββββ3βββ2ββββ|β
B ||ββββ3ββββββββββββββ|ββββ3ββββββββββββββ|ββββ3ββββββββββββββ|ββββ3ββββββββββββββ|β
G ||ββββββ2β0βββ2βββ2ββ|ββββββ2β0βββ2βββ2ββ|ββββββ2β0βββ0βββ0ββ|ββββββ2β0βββ0βββ0ββ|β
D ||ββ0ββββββββββββββββ|ββ0ββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|β
A ||βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|ββ3ββββββββββββββββ|ββ3ββββββββββββββββ|β
E ||βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|β
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
E β|ββββββββββ3βββ2ββββ|ββββββββββ3βββ2ββββ|ββββββββββ3βββ2ββββ|ββββββββββ3βββ2ββββ||
B β|ββββ3ββββββββββββββ|ββββ3ββββββββββββββ|ββββ3ββββββββββββββ|ββββ3ββββββββββββββ||
G β|ββββββ2β0βββ0βββ0ββ|ββββββ2β0βββ0βββ0ββ|ββββββ2β0βββ2βββ2ββ|ββββββ2β0βββ2βββ2ββ||
D β|βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|ββ0ββββββββββββββββ|ββ0ββββββββββββββββ||
A β|βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ||
E β|ββ3ββββββββββββββββ|ββ3ββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ||
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Intro riff (with ending sequence)
If you want to add the final 2-measure ending sequence to the main riff above, use this tab. Note, aside from the final 2 measures, this is 100% the same as the tab above!
E ||ββββββββββ3βββ2ββββ|ββββββββββ3βββ2ββββ|ββββββββββ3βββ2ββββ|ββββββββββ3βββ2ββββ|β
B ||ββββ3ββββββββββββββ|ββββ3ββββββββββββββ|ββββ3ββββββββββββββ|ββββ3ββββββββββββββ|β
G ||ββββββ2β0βββ2βββ2ββ|ββββββ2β0βββ2βββ2ββ|ββββββ2β0βββ0βββ0ββ|ββββββ2β0βββ0βββ0ββ|β
D ||ββ0ββββββββββββββββ|ββ0ββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|β
A ||βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|ββ3ββββββββββββββββ|ββ3ββββββββββββββββ|β
E ||βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|β
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
E β|ββββββββββ3βββ2ββββ|ββββββββββ3βββ2ββββ|ββ0βββββββ0βββ2ββββ|ββ3βββ2βββ0ββββββββ||
B β|ββββ3ββββββββββββββ|ββββ3ββββββββββββββ|ββββββ3ββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββ3ββββ||
G β|ββββββ2β0βββ0βββ0ββ|ββββββ2β0βββ0βββ0ββ|ββββ2βββ2βββ2βββ2ββ|ββββ2βββ2βββ2βββ2ββ||
D β|βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|ββ0ββββββββββββββββ|ββ0ββββββββββββββββ||
A β|βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ||
E β|ββ3ββββββββββββββββ|ββ3ββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ||
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
The fingerpicking sequences youβll need
The full intro riff, tabbed above, uses these three sequences. Each pattern is played repeated (played twice in a row), before moving to the next sequence. I share this so you understand: these 3 measures are all you need to learn! Once youβve mastered them, simply repeat them as needed and youβre good to go.
Sequence 1 Sequence 2 Sequence 3
E ||ββββββββββ3βββ2ββββ ββββββββββ3βββ2ββββ ββββββββββ3βββ2ββββ
B ||ββββ3ββββββββββββββ ββββ3ββββββββββββββ ββββ3ββββββββββββββ
G ||ββββββ2β0βββ2βββ2ββ ββββββ2β0βββ0βββ0ββ ββββββ2β0βββ0βββ0ββ
D ||ββ0ββββββββββββββββ βββββββββββββββββββ βββββββββββββββββββ
A ||βββββββββββββββββββ ββ3ββββββββββββββββ βββββββββββββββββββ
E ||βββββββββββββββββββ βββββββββββββββββββ ββ3ββββββββββββββββ
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Thereβs also this optional βendingβ sequence that you can use for the final 2 measures of the riff. If you want to use this, hereβs the isolated tab:
E ||ββ0βββββββ0βββ2ββββ|ββ3βββ2βββ0ββββββββ
B ||ββββββ3ββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββ3ββββ
G ||ββββ2βββ2βββ2βββ2ββ|ββββ2βββ2βββ2βββ2ββ
D ||ββ0ββββββββββββββββ|ββ0ββββββββββββββββ
A ||βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ
E ||βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Understanding chord shapes of each fingerpicking sequence
When digging into the fingerpicking patterns used in this song, I recommend starting by learning these positions. Get used to switching to these chord shapes β because all the fingerpicking magic youβll add later (with your right hand) will require your left hand to be in these positions.
Sequence 1 Sequence 2 Sequence 3
E ||β(2)βββββββββββββββ βββββββββββββββββββ βββββββββββββββββββ
B ||ββ3ββββββββββββββββ ββ3ββββββββββββββββ ββ3ββββββββββββββββ
G ||ββ2ββββββββββββββββ ββ2ββββββββββββββββ ββ2ββββββββββββββββ
D ||ββ0ββββββββββββββββ βββββββββββββββββββ βββββββββββββββββββ
A ||βββββββββββββββββββ ββ3ββββββββββββββββ βββββββββββββββββββ
E ||βββββββββββββββββββ βββββββββββββββββββ ββ3ββββββββββββββββ
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Good luck!
Thanks for reading! I hope this helped you. If youβd like to learn how to play the full song beyond this riff, let me know!
Enjoy my lessons? Buy me a beer!
If this and my other lessons have proven helpful to you, please consider making a one-time donation to my tip jar. Contributions of any amount help make this project possible (including the many, many hours I put into it).
You can also support me on Patreon. For only $3/month you'll get access to a print-friendly PDF of my notes for each new lesson (view free sample).
Thanks!
Subscribe to my YouTube channel
Be sure to never miss a lesson by subscribing on YouTube. I put out 2-3 new videos every week. These include full song lessons, as well as covers, practice tips, behind-the-scenes updates. Thanks!
Recent video lessons:
π Print-friendly PDFs now available for all new lessons I make, including all those listed below. Get a free sample Β»
-
Adding Pentatonic Fills over D-Cadd9-G
Warm-Up Exercise
Jan 23, 2020 β’Β Lesson #348
Watch Video & Get PDF Β»
-
7 Summers
by Morgan Wallen
Jan 16, 2020 β’Β Lesson #347
Watch Video & Get PDF Β»
-
Wellerman (Sea Shanty)
by Nathan Evans
Jan 13, 2020 β’Β Lesson #346
Watch Video & Get PDF Β»
-
Melody Notes in "Can't Help Falling in Love"
Warm-Up Exercise
Jan 10, 2020 β’Β Lesson #344
Watch Video & Get PDF Β»
-
Blank Guitar Tab Templates
Free PDF (7-pages)
Jan 9, 2020 β’Β Lesson #345
Watch Video & Get PDF Β»
-
Auld Lang Syne
traditional New Years song
Dec 30, 2020 β’Β Lesson #203
Watch Video & Get PDF Β»
-
Sunday Morning Coming Down
by Johnny Cash / K. Kristofferson
Dec 28, 2020 β’Β Lesson #98
Watch Video & Get PDF Β»
-
O Holy Night
by Sufjan Stevens
Dec 24, 2020 β’Β Lesson #343
Watch Video & Get PDF Β»
-
Nothing Compares 2 U
by Chris Cornell
Dec 12, 2020 β’Β Lesson #339
Watch Video & Get PDF Β»
-
Cats in the Cradle
by Harry Chapin
Dec 5, 2020 β’Β Lesson #341
Watch Video & Get PDF Β»
-
Sweet Virginia
by The Rolling Stones
Nov 29, 2020 β’Β Lesson #340
Watch Video & Get PDF Β»
-
Last Christmas
by Wham!
Nov 28, 2020 β’Β Lesson #200
Watch Video & Get PDF Β»
-
You've Got a Friend in Me
Toy Story / Randy Newman
Nov 22, 2020 β’Β Lesson #338
Watch Video & Get PDF Β»
-
Enough to Leave
by Billy Strings
Nov 15, 2020 β’Β Lesson #337
Watch Video & Get PDF Β»
-
Knockin' on Heaven's Door
by Bob Dylan
Nov 8, 2020 β’Β Lesson #88
Watch Video & Get PDF Β»
-
"Starlight" Riff in F#
Warm-Up Exercise
Nov 8, 2020 β’Β Lesson #336
Watch Video & Get PDF Β»
-
Thunder Road
by Bruce Springsteen
Nov 1, 2020 β’Β Lesson #335
Watch Video & Get PDF Β»
-
G finger position guide
Tips & Technique
Oct 25, 2020 β’Β Lesson #334
Watch Video & Get PDF Β»
-
Wish You Were Here
by Pink Floyd
Oct 23, 2020 β’Β Lesson #65
Watch Video & Get PDF Β»
-
Father and Son
by Cat Stevens
Oct 18, 2020 β’Β Lesson #333
Watch Video & Get PDF Β»