Sympathy for the Devil (Live) Keith Richards x Mick Taylor Solo Analysis + TAB (Not Ya-Ya's!)

[00:00:19]Heat. Heat.

[00:00:24]Heat. Heat.

[00:00:44]Heat. Heat.

[00:01:21]I don't know.

[00:01:58]Heat. Heat.

[00:02:08]Heat. Heat.

[00:03:06]Hello everyone. I'm Shower. Next, let's break down the history and the musical logic behind this incredible performance. First, let's look at Keith's solo. Keith drives the entire solo with sharp stacato like phrasing.

[00:03:22]It's packed with his signature groove, but his timing constantly rushes and drags and making the rhythm fluctuate and feel incredibly loose. To be completely honest, it was very hard to transcribe.

[00:03:40]Position wise, Keith kicks off in the second shape of the E minor pentatonic.

[00:03:49]as the intensity builds, shifts up to the familiar first shape at the 12th fret.

[00:03:57]Even with that loose floating timing, Keith creates a beautiful calculated narrative arc, building the tension perfectly before handing the baton over to Mick Taylor.

[00:04:16]Next up, let's dive into Mick Taylor's solo. In complete contrast to Keith, Taylor's timing and phrasing are incredibly precise, making it much easier to write down as tabs. However, replicating his 16 notes perfectly is a massive challenge. I had to practice this extensively myself. Let's start out by slowing it down and taking it one step at a time.

[00:04:44]Taylor starts his solo with a fixed theme using six interval harmonies just like the Yaya's version. This phrase instantly kicks off the MC Taylor show.

[00:04:57]Next, he goes into a long 16th note run based on the extended shape two of the E minor pentatonic moving up and down from the first to the fifth string. This is the first major hurdle.

[00:05:22]Right after that, watch out for the two consecutive 16th note trips. It happens so fast that it's very easy to lose your timing.

[00:05:41]Right after that, Taylor unleashes four highly unconventional bends across two different shapes. Bending at these specific spots is very unique and rarely seen from other guitarists.

[00:06:23]Next, as he moves up to the first shape at the 12th fret, he drops a lightning fast extended lick using a combination of bends, hammer ons, and pulloffs.

[00:06:35]Since he isn't picking every single note, keeping your timing steady is the key.

[00:06:49]After that high-speed peak, Taylor drops down into a lower position for a heavy lowend riff. From there, he builds the tension right back up for the ultimate finale.

[00:07:07]After building the tension all the way up, Taylor calmly returns to that opening sixth interval theme riff to close out the song. Moving from wild improvisation back to the main theme. So simmer is the mark of a true genius.

[00:07:43]To wrap up, this late show performance matches the extreme difficulty of the famous Yaya's version. It proves that by 1969, 20 years old Mick Taylor's legendary style was already fully established. His seamless phrasing and pure visible passion on stage make this raw footage an absolute treasure for any Stones fan.

[00:08:07]Thank you for watching. Let me know your thoughts in the comments and please subscribe. Keep on rolling. See you next time.