Guitar Styles Of Eric Clapton

1. Guitar Styles Of Eric Clapton • Class IV • Covered tonight • Pentatonic Scales Review • Review Boom Boom – Hear students new song • Wonderful Tonight • Start of other tunes • Some classic Clapton Riffs • Finish Sunshine of Your Love (time permitting). • 2nd part of Solo

2. Announcements • Have Jim Nichols for next week. Ask Jim to cover some licks that he plays!! For this class he will cover Crossroads. • Group night is December 8th. I just have too much left that I want cover. • This could be your final! We will talk. • Jam session same evening after groups. • Reminder that the school will be asking me what I want to teach for the Summer and for the Fall. What would interest you?

3. Boom Boom Clapton did this but the original by John Lee Hooker.

4. Words

5. This is what we are aiming for. Whole Thing – 12 bar blues – Notes in E blues Scale

6. Other Items • Open mic Dec 8. Groups – try to form out of class • Open mic – Ron and Lyn – tell of experiences • Registration has started for next term. • For Summer I may teach an advanced. • Other options – camps – lots of choices.

7. E Minor Pentatonic Scale 2 2 2 3 3 3 This song is based off of the E blues Scale This is the basic scale but you will notice that in the introduction or first part that you play up to the 4th fret of the 3rd string (which is the same note as the 2nd string open that is in the scale. Clapton uses both of these scales. He has recorded this song as a cover of the John Lee Hooker version. I will include 2 versions of this in the following pages. There are also variations to these.

8. Rest on beat one. Slide up from 2nd to 4th fret to start beat 2. Use your middle finger!!! Then back to 3rd string 4th fret slide down to 3rd string 2nd fret

9. First 2 measures. Note 2nd measure is just an E and A chord after the E note. Choke the last E chord!

10. This is very cool. Note that I usually slide up to the Bb in the 1st measure. This is the 3rd note in the measure. Again back to E A E at end.

11. Here it has moved to A. Measure 6 is A D A. Note that the D is a bit different than you might be used to. Index on 2nd fret 3rd string middle 3rd fret 2nd string and 4th fret 4th string with ring finger. See next slide.

13. Next 2 are like 3 and 4

14. Measures 9 and 10 now B to E. See next slide of B fingering.

16. This is the end. Really cool timing on the last phrase with the ¼ notes on beat 3 and 4. Then the E A E. Next slide is putting it all together. I just really like this tune. I have included after this a couple of variations of this. I can honestly say I have heard quite a large number of versions and everyone seems to put their own little signature to it.

17. Put it all togethere.

18. This one uses slightly different chord voicings.

19. Different hook on odd measures. Also harder chords.

20. Tie in to Clapton • Eric Clapton listened to and copied many of the blues players from the US. • Listen closely to this and you will hear lots of his styles. • The blues scales and minor pentatonic and signatures of Clapton. • Once you get the swing to this song is sort of plays itself.

21. Now using the E blues or E Minor Pentatonic • Let’s hear what you came up with. • Take one student at a time.

22. Some Clapton Riffs

23. Hammer on 9 to 11. Very common 60’s rock riff from the British Masters. Triplet riff. Use index on 9th fret and ring finger on 11th fret. Right hand picking should be down on the beat up on the off beat.

24. Riff 2 is off of A minor Pentatonic. Count 1 e ( & 2) (& 3) & 4 Starts in the 8th position and then ½ way through the measure goes to the 5th position. Bend the 5th fret of the 3rd string on the & after 2 up but not a full ½ step but a ¼ tone. You will see the rhythmic riff on beat 1 throughout Clapton solo’s.

25. Spoonful Lick Very straight but the dotted ¼ note in measure 2 makes this!

26. Spoonful Part 2

27. Clapton Licks Some of Eric Clapton’s most famous licks.

28. Will do 2 or 3 per night • At this point will stress the blues and early licks. • Watch out for timing as that makes it or breaks it.

29. Lick #1 • Classic Lick in G7 but learn in all keys. • Note the use of a chord at the end. • Rhythm of the last measure is the “Charleston”, one of the most common rhythmic figures in Jazz, Rock and Blues, even used quite a bit in country. • Played totally in the 3rd position. • Learn on other keys up and down the neck.

30. Count 1 2 3 & 4 e & 1 e & 2 4 4 Pull off 5 to 3 The 1st 5 is a grace note G7 chord in 3rd position but only playing the 1st 4 strings. This lick is in the G blues scale. Note that the 1/16th note to 1/8th note lick in the first measure could be a bend release of slide up and down.

31. Notice this rhythmic figure. 1st note is grace note. Either bend and release this or slide. Either case it is with the ring finger. Here Clapton is using the blues scale – 4 to b5 back to 4 to b3.

32. Pull off the first note. Note same basic rhythmic figure. Next notes are all in the blues scale b3, 1 and b7. Really take your time to learn this then try in other keys.

33. Count 1 2 3 & 4 e & 1 e & 2 4 4 Pull off 5 to 3 The 1st 5 is a grace note G7 chord in 3rd position but only playing the 1st 4 strings. This lick is in the G blues scale. Note that the 1/16th note to 1/8th note lick in the first measure could be a bend release of slide up and down.

34. See how easy it is to move to A. Just up 2 frets. Do also in F, C and D!!

35. Another Good Lick – Good turnaround in E

36. These will be needed for the next riff.

37. Turnaround • A turnaround is a devise to turn the tune around and get back to the beginning. • Many in blues. Most famous is the Robert Johnson Dominant Diminished. Time permitting we will do some of those.

38. Start in 3rd position then ½ way through slide with the middle finger from the 4th fret to the 2nd fret and you will be in 1st position. Count 1 2 & a 3 & a 4 & a 1 2 ( & 3 ) 4

39. Pentatonic ScalesReview 5 basic forms for these. By: F. Markovich These are the scales that EC mainly used in the early years.

40. What is a Pentatonic Scale? • Penta means five. A pentatonic scale is a 5 note scale as it’s simplest definition. • Unlike 7 tone scales which are called diatonic scales (step – wise). Major scales are diatonic scales. Also the modes are diatonic scales. • The black keys on a piano are a pentatonic scale. It is hard to play a bad note using the black keys only on a piano. • Pentatonic scales used properly will produce a consonant line but if over used can be boring. You must go beyond just the scale. Remember to use chord tones also.

41. Major Pentatonic Scales • The formula is the 1,2,3,5 and 6 of the major scale. Notice no 4th or 7th degree from the major scale. • For those who have learned the CAGED system these are all based off of the CAGED major scale forms. • There is some suggested fingering but it can vary.

42. Here is the D Major Pentatonic based upon the C Major Form of CAGED. Note in Green is the root.

43. See relationship between D major scale and D major Pentatonic.

44. Here is the C Major Pentatonic scale in the A form.

45. You could also use 1 and 3 as fingering on the 1st 2 strings.

46. This is the G Major Pentatonic scale (E form of the CAGED). Notice how similar to the A form (C Major pentatonic on the last page.

47. Most players use a modified fingering for the Major pentatonic scale as shown below but a fingering of 2 and 4 on the 2nd string and 2 on the 1st string is also common.

48. Compare these 2 the E form and the A form.

49. A Major Pentatonic – G form of the CAGED