Guitar & Bass Tabs
Cinderella
Learn Cinderella's Guitar & Bass Style
Discover how Cinderella developed their signature guitar and bass sound, the techniques you'll encounter in their music, and the best lessons to begin your learning journey.
Cinderella blasted onto the hard rock scene in the early 1980s, emerging from the Northeast behind a blues-tinged, riff-driven guitar approach led by Tom Keifer. Their sound fused glam-metal energy with gritty blues rock, pairing swaggering vocals with melodic hooks that cut through arena stages. The original lineup—Tom Keifer (vocals/guitar), Eric Brittingham (bass), Jeff Labar (guitar), and Fred Coury (drums)—built a steady grassroots following before breaking into the mainstream.
The breakthrough came with Night Songs (1986), a platter of arena-friendly anthems and sharp guitar work that yielded MTV staples like Shake Me and Nobody's Fool. The band rode that momentum into Long Cold Winter (1988), a blues-infused leap that deepened their songwriting and expanded their sonic palette with heavier riffs, moodier grooves, and more dynamic solos. Cinderella's impact on late-80s rock lies in their seamless blend of glossy production with rootsy guitar grit, influencing countless hard rock acts that followed.
With continued touring, a brief hiatus, and later reunions, Cinderella remains a touchstone for players who want to study how to pair memorable riffs with soulful, bluesy guitar lines. Their songs—the high-energy anthems, moody mid-tempo numbers, and power-ballad sensibilities—offer a practical, rewarding path for developing rhythm/lead co-ordination, tone shaping, and phrasing that still resonates with classic rock fans today.
🎸 Want to know what gear Cinderella used, their playing style, and fun facts? Scroll below the lessons!
Watch the Lesson
The Last Mile
Cinderella
Nobody's Fool
Cinderella
Shake Me
Cinderella
Somebody Save Me
Cinderella
Nothin' For Nothin'
Cinderella
Night Songs
Cinderella
Once Around The Ride
Cinderella
Hell On Wheels
Cinderella
In From The Outside
Cinderella
Push Push
Cinderella
Back Home Again
Cinderella
Bad Seamstress Blues / Fallin' Apart At The Seams
Cinderella
Second Wind
Cinderella
Long Cold Winter
Cinderella
If You Don't Like It
Cinderella
Coming Home
Cinderella
Fire And Ice
Cinderella
Take Me Back
Cinderella
Sick For The Cure
Cinderella
Shelter Me
Cinderella
Playing Style
Tom Keifer's playing sits at the crossroads of bite-sized blues riffs and soaring melodic lines. His rhythm parts rely on tight, palm-muted power chords and snap-back grooves, while his occasional lead lines weave through blues-based pentatonic scales with tasteful bends and expressive vibrato. The band's sound depends on a dynamic push-pull between crunchy riffing and brighter, singable melodies, with emphasis on strong groove, precise picking, and memorable hook-laden solos that sit right in the mix without overpowering the vocal. In performance, Cinderella blends hard-hitting, groove-driven passages with bluesy phrasing and occasional acoustic/ballad textures to keep the energy varied from song to song.
🎸 Gear & Equipment
Iconic gear centered on Tom Keifer's guitar tone: a Gibson Les Paul-style guitar with a thick, sustain-heavy crunch, paired with high-gain Marshall-style amps to push the solos and riffs. The live rig typically emphasizes a robust overdrive, with delay/echo and subtle modulation to widen the sound. The rhythm section benefits from solid, driving bass tone and tight drum work that locks in with the guitar parts. This setup produced the gleaming yet grit-filled tone that defined Cinderella's sound on Night Songs and Long Cold Winter.
Why Learn Cinderella Songs?
Learning Cinderella's catalog gives players a practical crash course in classic rock fundamentals: riff-driven verses, dynamic chorus hooks, and blues-rock lead phrasing. The 28 lessons cover rhythm, timing, tone shaping, and technique—palm muting, string bending, and accessible to moderate solos—making these tracks approachable for late-intermediate players and a great bridge toward more advanced rock guitar. Studying these songs helps build clean rhythm sense, precise picking, and an expressive tone that works across ballads and up-tempo rockers alike.
Did You Know?
- 1Night Songs (1986) elevated Cinderella into MTV-era fame with iconic videos for Shake Me and Nobody's Fool.
- 2Tom Keifer writes most of the material and doubles as lead guitarist, shaping the band's gritty blues-rock voice.
- 3Long Cold Winter (1988) showcased a heavier, blues-influenced direction that set Cinderella apart from many hair metal peers.
- 4They've enjoyed enduring fan support and continued touring, with Keifer pursuing solo projects while keeping Cinderella's legacy alive.
20 Cinderella lesson(s) available — Start learning today!
Learn to Play Cinderella Guitar
Explore Cinderella guitar and bass lessons with a focus on riffs, rhythm parts, classic rock techniques, and practice-friendly video lessons.
Start Here
Begin with the most recognizable riffs and rhythm parts before moving into harder songs.
Techniques
Practice power chords, timing, picking control, bends, vibrato, and classic rock phrasing.
Next Step
Use the lessons below to build a practice path from easier songs to more advanced parts.
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