Gimme shelter

Required String Notes:E - B - E - G# - B - E

How to Tune from Standard to Open E Tuning

Start in standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E) and change 3 of 6 strings to play “Gimme shelter”:

String	Standard	Target	What to do
String 6	E2	E2	Leave as is
String 5	A2	B2	Tune up a whole step
String 4	D3	E3	Tune up a whole step
String 3	G3	G#3	Tune up a half step
String 2	B3	B3	Leave as is
String 1	E4	E4	Leave as is

Recommended string gauge: .010–.046. Tension stays close to standard, so a regular set works without any setup changes.Ernie Ball Regular Slinky (.010–.046) · affiliate link

Song Overview & Tuning Breakdown

"Gimme shelter" by Rolling Stones is played in Open E Tuning (E - B - E - G# - B - E). Starting from standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E), you retune 3 of 6 strings: string 5 up to B, string 4 up to E, string 3 up to G#. Overall string tension rises, so tune up slowly to avoid breaking strings. 19 other songs in our catalog use Open E Tuning.

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Tunings Close to Open E Tuning

Already tuned to E - B - E - G# - B - E? These tunings are just one small change away.

Open D Tuning77 songs

D - A - D - F# - A - DSame chord shapes, every string a whole step lower.

Esus2 Tuning (E B E F# B E)7 songs

E - B - E - F# - B - EOnly string 3 differs: F# instead of G#.

Open E Minor (Cross-Note) Tuning5 songs

E - B - E - G - B - EOnly string 3 differs: G instead of G#.

Custom Tuning (EBEEBE)5 songs

EBEEBEOnly string 3 differs: E instead of G#.

Rolling Stones’s Guitar Tunings

Rolling Stones plays 1 of 4 songs in our catalog in Open E Tuning. Most-used tunings:

Open E TuningE - B - E - G# - B - E1 song
Custom Tuning (EADGBD)EADGBD1 song
Open D TuningD - A - D - F# - A - D1 song
Custom Tuning (EBEG#)EBEG#1 song

Gear for Open E Tuning

Strings and tools that make playing "Gimme shelter" in Open E Tuning easier.

Ernie Ball Regular Slinky (.010–.046)

Recommended gauge .010–.046. Tension stays close to standard, so a regular set works without any setup changes.

View strings

D'Addario Universal Micro Headstock Tuner

A headstock tuner makes switching in and out of this tuning quick, even on stage or without a mic.

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D'Addario Pro-Winder (winder + cutter)

Retuning 3 strings means a lot of turning — a winder speeds it up and trims new strings too.

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“Gimme shelter” Tuning FAQ

What tuning is "Gimme shelter" by Rolling Stones in?

"Gimme shelter" is played in Open E Tuning: E - B - E - G# - B - E, from the lowest to the highest string.

How do I tune my guitar to play "Gimme shelter"?

Start from standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E). String 5: tune up a whole step (A2 → B2). String 4: tune up a whole step (D3 → E3). String 3: tune up a half step (G3 → G#3). Leave the other strings as they are.