Learn How to Play "Walking The Dog" by The Rolling Stones on the Guitar

In this lesson, we'll learn how to play Walking The Dog on the guitar. The Rolling Stones made this blues tune a big hit, and it's one we're going to enjoy learning together.

Walking The Dog is a 16-bar blues tune. Don't worry if you're not sure what that means yet – we'll go through it together. What's important here is that this song has a couple of different ways to approach it. We can keep it simple with strumming or add a bit of a rock-and-roll shuffle. For those intermediate guitar players out there, we'll also take a look at the exact part that Keith Richards was playing. It's a bit more difficult, but it's a cool riff that adds a lot to the song.

Chord Progression and Strumming

The chord progression for "Walking the Dog" primarily uses A7, D7, and E7 chords. If you're not familiar with these chords, I recommend you check them out in the beginner's course on my website. The strumming pattern is quite simple, and we refer to it as the Old Faithful strumming pattern. It's a pattern of down, down, up, up, down, down, up, up, down. This pattern, combined with the chords, gives you the song's basic structure.

To play the song in its simplest form, we'll begin with eight bars of A7, followed by two bars of D7, then back to A7 for two bars, and finally E7 for two bars. This cycle repeats throughout the song.

The Shuffle Rhythm

Now, if you're ready for something a bit more advanced, we can introduce a shuffle rhythm into our strumming. This isn't exactly how it's played in the original recording, but it sounds just as good and adds a bit of a challenge. The shuffle rhythm gives the song a 12-bar blues feel, and it's something I also cover in more detail in my beginner's course on my website.

Keith's Riff

For those looking for an even greater challenge, we'll take a look at Keith Richards' main riff for this song. It's a very cool riff, and even though it's not exactly the same every time, I'll teach you a standardized version that works throughout the song. Remember, part of the beauty of Keith's playing is that he's a bit loose with his riffs, and that's what gives them their unique sound. So, don't worry about getting it exactly right each time – just enjoy playing it!

Wrapping Up

I hope you enjoy learning to play Walking The Dog as much as I enjoyed teaching it. Whether you're sticking to the basics, trying out the shuffle rhythm, or tackling Keith's riff, remember to have fun with it. If you're a more advanced player, I encourage you to check out the lead guitar for this song and other tunes from this era. The late 60s was a time of beautiful blues influences and a lot of Chuck Berry-style licks. It's very cool, fun to work out, and not too technical – a lot of it is about getting the feel right.

Don't forget to watch the video for more detailed instructions and demonstrations. And remember, if you dig what I do, please subscribe to stay updated with more lessons!

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