• From: Nottingham, UK
  • Registered: 2006-08-08
  • Posts: 690

Topic: Honkey Tonk Wimmin

When you're restringing your electric it's your chance to be Keith Richards. Leave off both the E-strings (or if don't want to mess around drop them both to D). Drop the A string down to G and strum. The guitar is now in open G and you immediately get the Honkey Tonk Women sound. I found Modern Hi-Gain on my virtual amp gave the right stones feel.


On the verses you softly strum open and then put your flat first finger over the 5th fret on the 1st and 3rd verse lines for a more powerful chord. On the 2nd and 4th verse lines you put that first finger over the 7th fret.


The chorus is open for  the 'Hoooo-ooo-ooo-ooonky' and then you fly up to 7th fret for 'Tonk' and then on up to 12th for 'Women'. On 12th if you put one finger on the actual G string at 13th fret and tickle it you'll crudely get the discordant lead bit.


Obviously there's alot more to this song. Richards jabs in notes and bends and slides and all sorts. Pickup the 'Play with the Rolling Stones' book for an exhaustive tab. But what I've described is fun enough for beginners (like me!).

'The sound of the city seems to disappear'
  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Re: Honkey Tonk Wimmin

<img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_razz.gif" border=0 alt="Razz">  <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_biggrin.gif" border=0 alt="Very Happy">  I play "honky tonk woman" in maybe 5 keys, but mostly using G. If you play it acoustic, than you have countryhonk, a wellknown song as well. I must admit, I never played in in open tuning, it is a shame for me, having 30 guitars, electric and acoustic, that none of them are in open tune. If I play the song electric, I start with G than C, followed again by G C and D, refrein: G D G... I have to tell that I am playing for years, but just to relax. I practised medecins, but due to a car crash, hit the tree jack and don't you come back.., I have to submit everything, I can still walk, but real stupid things: pain is on my side an,d it is due to the pain I decided to go again to the hospital, where they confirmed my thoughts: stop working. I understand all this, I was a walking pill-cocktial at the end. I can NOT remain seated for 10 minutes, and have luck to be insured so well. Even giving me a topjob, I still get more by doing nothing. So I really have all the time, and 3 years ago, just before stopping, there was a Canadian pro, owner of a big studio, in Missisauga and he told me that I could play without problems in de most US groups. But that is my problem, starting a group.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

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