Keep 'Em on They Toes

by Brent Cobb • Lesson #355 • Mar 13, 2021

Video lesson

Licensed Song Sheet 2 pages

Follow along with my print-friendly guide for this song! It’s available for purchase at Musicnotes.com, the web’s leading provider of licensed sheet music.

On the fence? Here's a guide I made showing the purchase & print process, including answers to common questions about my song sheets.

Buy at Musicnotes.com

Save 50% on this song sheet by applying the September 2025 code at Musicnotes checkout: EV9AMRKXQN (click to copy). Thanks for being a Premium supporter!

Song Notes Premium includes a 50% discount code you can use when buying any of my licensed song sheets. For the current month's code, upgrade to premium or log in.

Editor’s notes

Hey friends! Today we’re looking at “Keep ‘Em on They Toes” by Brent Cobb, one of my absolute favorite new songs from 2020. If you haven’t heard this one, give it a listen – the combination of the witty lyrics, Cobb’s vocal style, and easy-going (yet nuanced) guitar part make it a blast to play. While normally played in the key of E (no capo, E - B7 - C#m - A), I’ll be focusing on a key of C version (capo 4, C - G - Am - F)… which enables you to play the distinctive flourish notes while strumming.

Here’s timestamps for my video lesson:

  • 0:00 Preview & lesson summary
  • 2:54 Capo and chords needed
  • 5:00 Verse & chorus progressions
  • 6:54 Strumming patterns
  • 11:39 Flourish riff on each chord
  • 17:00 Full playthrough w/ lyrics

If you haven’t heard this song before, give it a quick listen – I’m confident the opening verse will get its hooks in.

Lyrics and chords

Capo 4th fret using the chords below. Or play on capo, key of E (see below for more details).

See my sheet music for the lyrics with chords.

Capo 4 (key of C) or no capo (key of E)?

From watching a solo acoustic live video, Brent Cobb plays this song in the key of E, without a capo (using the chords E / B7 / C#m / A). However, I like playing it capo 4 – which lets you use key of C chords (C / G / Am/ F), and more importantly lets you play those flourish notes you hear in Cobb’s album version. It’s up to you how to approach it… but I’m teaching it capo 4 because that’s how I like to play it.

Chord shapes

Here’s how to play the chords, for both the capo 4 version as well as the no capo version. For the F chord, you don’t need to do a full 6-string F… I often play just the middle four strings (for the chorus), or the thinnest four strings (for the verse).

No capo:                             Capo 4th fret:
e –––0––––2––––4––––0–––           e –––0––––3––––0––––1–––
B –––0––––0––––5––––2–––           B –––1––––0––––1––––1–––
G –––1––––2––––6––––2–––           G –––0––––0––––2––––2–––
D –––2––––1––––6––––2–––           D –––2––––0––––2––––3–––
A –––2––––2––––4––––0–––           A –––3––––2––––0––––3–––
E –––0––––––––––––––––––           E ––––––––3–––––––––1–––
     E    B7  C#m   A                   C    G    Am   F

Strumming pattern

A few options here… I think the main idea is to keep it a bit chill, casual, and low-key. Here’s two patterns: the first of which I use during the verse & the end of the chorus, while the other (a bit more bouncy) I use during the up-beat part of the chorus.

See PDF for strumming diagrams.

Adding the flourish notes during the verse

Here’s some tabs to help you play the distinctive flourish notes you hear during the verse. Two big ideas to keep in mind here. (1) These notes happen every OTHER measure, meaning after you play them – you return to a measure of normal strumming. In my chart, I use an asterisk to denote a measure played with flourish. (2) You can actually keep your D-DU-UDU strum going through both these measures… and play the flourish notes on the “U” up-strum notes of that pattern. Just make sure you keep the strum low-key & chill, only playing some of the strings (don’t overdo it). See my video lesson for reference.

See PDF for full tabs.

Unlock My Secret Stash!

Gain instant access to my library of 287 print-friendly cheat sheets! Also includes my extended video lessons, jam tracks, courses, and more.

Join Song Notes Premium

Have questions? Watch video tour »

Browse Related Lessons

Click any tag below to view other lessons I've made in that category:

Enjoy My Lessons? Show Your Support!

Most of the lessons on my website are 100% free. If you have the means, please show your support with a tip jar contribution. I put many hours into every lesson — but it only takes you a minute to make a donation. You have my thanks!

Donate

Looking for More Song Lessons?

Featured Courses

Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made

Coming soon is Jambox – which shows all the video jam tracks I've made. It's note quite ready for the spotlight, but check it out if you like!


Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Be sure to never miss a lesson by subscribing on YouTube. I put out 2-3 new videos every week. These include full song lessons, as well as covers, practice tips, behind-the-scenes updates. Thanks!


Recent Lessons

  • Sept 10, 2025

    Diagonal Pentatonics, Explained!

    A deep-dive into one of the most helpful techniques when learning to unlock the fretboard for lead guitar fun! Includes a 15-page PDF handbook, along with ten new play-along practice tracks.

  • August 29, 2025

    "Margaritaville" by Jimmy Buffett

    After dozens and dozens of requests over the last few years, the time has come! Learn to play Jimmy Buffett's 1977 classic Margaritaville. Intro riff and melodic strumming fills included!

  • Aug 22, 2025

    First Steps with Double Stops — 16 Page Handbook Included!

    Take your first step with double stops — specifically harmonized 3rds, 6ths, and 10ths. These are useful in fingerstyle, lead guitar, improvsation, and more! Don't miss my Double Stop Handbook, which has over 15 pages of tabs, diagrams, and easy-to-digest theory.

  • Aug 3, 2025

    Fingerstyle Fun feat. Ozzy Osbourne's "Mama I'm Coming Home"

    Learn a bite-sized fingerstyle groove, inspired by the opening intro & verse of Ozzy Osbourne's 1991 hit "Mama I'm Coming Home."

  • July 31, 2025

    [Updated] "Lola" Instrumental Intro, with Melody

    I've updated my practice notes teaching an extended intro to Lola by The Kinks. "Part 2" video teaching the lead guitar fill riff also added.

  • July 25, 2025

    "Sloop John B" by The Beach Boys

    Let's dive into this Bahamian folk-rock classic made most famous by The Beach Boys! It's a somewhat simple to get the hang of, but I'll show various ways you can make it your own.

  • July 22, 2025

    [Updated] Beginner Blues Groove in A minor

    I've added a new video jam track to this beginner blues lesson — which lets you play along with a minor 12-bar blues, showing the chords on screen. Check it out!

  • July 18, 2025

    Minor Key Handbook – Now Available!

    I’m so excited to release the Minor Key Handbook – featuring 8 print-friendly pages with the must-know essentials for playing guitar in minor keys!

  • July 11, 2025

    Melody & Chords, Together! ft. Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah"

    Learn to play the Hallelujah melody, with chords, at the same time! This is an incredibly satisfying way to play one of the all-time great songs.

Browse All Recent Lessons →

← back to homepage