25 Guitar Tabs That Rule

Tab is THE best way to learn riffs, solos, and songs on the guitar quickly. And in this article, I’m showing you 25 of the raddest, most recognizable guitar tabs out there. They’re accurate, they’re rated in levels of difficulty, and they’re all a total blast to play.

I still remember finding the tab to ‘Dammit’ by Blink-182 when I was in middle school. It was one of the first riffs I could really play, and I played it ALL THE TIME. I was so stoked that I invited the neighbor kid over… who promptly left when he realized I just wanted to play him ‘Dammit’ a million times. 

Learning that riff as quickly as I did felt like a superpower. And thanks to tab, learning all my favorite riffs felt possible. I love tab.

Get ready to feel like a badass and impress even the snobbiest of your guitar-playing friends. So let’s jump straight into the tabs…

The Riffs

Sike! I’m a teacher at heart, and I can’t just let you run wild into all these tabs without doing a little bit of teaching first.

Tabs are awesome because you can learn riffs quickly without reading standard notation and rhythms.

Tabs are not awesome because, to learn the riff correctly, you gotta already know how the riff goes. 

Why? Most tab out in the wild doesn’t give you the rhythm, so you have to be able to hum or sing the riff to know when to play each note.

The best way to fix that problem is with a combo of tab and standard rhythm notation. So the tab is just as easy to read as any other tab, but there are some extra lines and dots that show the rhythm for the riff.

So if you can read the rhythm notation, use it. If you can’t, no worries. Just listen to the audio to get the rhythm in your ear and then rock it on vibes.

The Riffs, Actually

I separated these riffs into 5 tiers. They start easy, and each tier *should* get a little more difficult. However, I don’t know you (do I?), and I don’t know which of these songs are already familiar to you. Tier 2 songs you haven’t heard might be tougher to learn, and you might knock some tier 5 riffs outta the park cuz they’re in your ear already. This is just my best teacher-brained guess at difficulty based on the complexity, speed, and techniques used in the riffs.

One more thing—pay attention to the timestamp that shows when the riff kicks in. It’s not always right at the beginning of the track.

Alright—now on to the tabs. Tear it up. 

Tier I

Pro Tip

Keep your fretting hand relaxed so you can move up and down the neck easier.

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Pro Tip

Use one finger per fret so your hand doesn’t have to jump around to every note. Your index finger frets the 2nd fret, middle frets the 3rd, ring frets the 4th, and pinky frets the 5th.

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Pro Tip

This one has some syncopated off-beat notes – listen carefully to where the notes land in relation to the beat and make sure you’re matching Keith.

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Pro Tip

This one has a triplet feel and starts in an odd spot. Count the triplets “1 and uh 2 and uh 3 and uh 4 and uh,” and start the first note of the riff on the “uh” of beat 3.

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Pro Tip

This riff is just the blues scale in order. Memorize this pattern, and you can use it to make your own rad blues riffs. Rad.

Tier II

Pro Tip

This is a fast one! Start slow and increase the tempo as you get comfortable. Try keeping your hand in the same spot when fretting frets 7, 6, and 5, then move down the neck for the 3rd fret.

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Pro Tip

To play this just like Mr. Blackmore, try barring the D and G strings with index finger in the 3rd fret and ring finger on the 5th and 6th frets instead of using individual fingers.

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Pro Tip

Alternate pick this one for smooth picking; down up down up down up. And fret the first note with your middle finger and the rest with your index and pinky.

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Pro Tip

You want both strings ringing out at the same time, so fret with your fingertips and arch them as tall as you can to avoid muting the open strings.

TUNING ALERT! Kurt Cobain often tuned his guitars down a whole step to D standard tuning. To play along with the recording for this riff, you’ll need to retune your guitar. Tuning: D G C F A D.

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Pro Tip

Quick one alert! Start slow and increase the tempo as you feel more comfortable. Keep the power chord shape as you move up and down the neck so you don’t have to regrip the chord shape every time you switch.

Tier III

Pro Tip

Get set with your index finger playing the 2nd fret. Your hand won’t have to move a bit.

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Pro Tip

This is another fast one. Tom plays it with all down plucks, so it feels even faster. If alternate picking feels more manageable to you, feel free to stick with that [down down up up down].

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Pro Tip

Avoid unwanted strings ringing in this riff by fretting with the pad of your finger instead of the tip. This way, you can lean your fingers to mute any strings that aren’t in the chord, even if your picking hand plucks ‘em.

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Pro Tip

Play the first few notes with your index finger. This’ll set you up to move your fretting hand less for the rest of the riff.

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Pro Tip

Keep your fretting fingers glued to the strings as you’re moving your power chord shape around. That’ll keep the strings muted during rests and help you keep your bearings on the neck.

Tier IV

Pro Tip

The first bend of the list. Lock your thumb at the top of the neck and turn your wrist to control your bend. Bends are less about moving your fingers and more about turning your wrist.

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Pro Tip

Watch out for the pickup note on the “and” of beat 4. Count yourself in so you come in at exactly the right place.

TUNING ALERT! To play along with MJ, you gotta tune everything down a half step to Eb standard. Tuning: Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb.

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Pro Tip

 For the 16th note slides, it’s all about the pressure in your fretting hand. Press down hard enough to make sure the notes are ringing out, but not so hard that you can’t slide down to the next note quickly.

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Pro Tip

Find the perfect palm muting position – if the notes sound too muffled, the side of your hand is too far toward the neck. If you’re not muted enough, you’re behind the bridge and need to move forward.

TUNING ALERT! EVH is often tuned to Eb standard, and this riff is no exception. Tuning: Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb.

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Pro Tip

This one’s pretty fast. That is all.

Tier V

Pro Tip

Think power chord shape. For the first measure, make like you’re gripping an F# power chord and simply add your pinky to play the 5th fret of the A string.

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Pro Tip

Watch out for those killer off-beat rhythms. And get good clean hammer-ons by hammering close to the fret wire.

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Pro Tip

When bending these two notes at a time, try barring them so you bend the notes the same amount. If that’s too tricky, try using your ring and pinky fingers together.

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Pro Tip

Before you try this riff, go through each chord shape until you’re good and comfortable with them. If the 3-string barring required in a couple of the shapes is too much for you, try just playing the D and G string notes to start.

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Pro Tip

As you slide into the first note, have the chord shape ready to go. This one moves pretty fast, and having the chord shape ready to go is key. Be patient and start at a super slow tempo.

You made it! You learned all 25 riffs. Or at least you know how to scroll ahead.

If you had trouble with any of the riffs, or you just wanna tighten up on your guitar fundamentals, click here for my free First Guitar Lesson article. It’ll whip your hands into shape and get you playing another tasty riff.