Guitar Styles Of Eric Clapton

1. Guitar Styles Of Eric Clapton • More interested in the various styles than in particular songs. • That being said we will cover a few Clapton Songs to get the styles. • Wonderful Tonight – want the hook and guitar parts – also look at breaks etc. • Sunshine of Your Love – Distortion and power trio ideas – also at least one other Cream song. • Lay Down Sally • White Room • I Shot The Sheriff • Knock, Knock, Knockin’ on Heavin’s Door • Rollin’ And A Tumblin’ • Walking Blues – may also show a Chet Atkins version during regular class. • Layla – one of his classics – want to cover both main verions – band and unplugged. • Tears in Heaven – acoustic style. • Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out – look at Clapton covering an old blues standard. • Other songs depending upon time available. • Will start with Sunshine of your life - When Clapton was with Cream and Cocaine. • Expect to listen quite a bit – I recommend purchasing the CD’s that have these songs on them. • Biggest issue is limiting what we do. Hooks will be included but not full solos – some licks for certain but full solo’s would take up all the class time on just one or two songs.

2. Pick up the handouts • 2 sets of handouts • First is the student information sheet – Please fill out immediately. • Second set is handouts for this week. They are in order – we may not get all the way through them depending upon where the class is at.

9. Start with the chords. Next page has the main hook!

10. Power Chords

12. Here is a basic E form of the power chord (in this case an F power chord at the first fret) Root is on the 6th string Fret 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A Bb/A# B C C#/Db D D#/Eb E Memorize this so that you can do it at any fret. Practice through the circle of 5ths.

13. 5th root power cord (A form of Caged) Below is Bb. Fret 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Bb/A# B C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A Memorize this so that you can do it at any fret. Practice through the circle of 5ths.

14. Using open strings with power chords 0 0 0 For most positions you will mute the other strings but if you play the above at the 7th fret you will see that the notes are E and B which means that the 6th string and 1st string open are E’s and the 2nd string open is a B so you can play all of the strings. Listen to Rockin’ In The Free World for an example of this.

15. Power Chords E F F#,Gb G G#, Ab A A#,Bb B C C#,Db D D#,Eb E This is a G power chord. The root is on the 6th string 3rd fret and the 5th string 5th fret. Be sure to think of them that way. These can be used for any major, minor or 7th type chord. Do not hit the other strings!! Learn the notes on each of the strings!! Learn the positions so that you can spot any note on the guitar. This slide shows the notes on the 6th string, which is also the same notes on the 1st string. Memorize these ASAP!!! 1 3 4

16. Here are the 6th root power chords. Take your time and memorize them. These can be used against all Major, Minor and Dominant (7th) chords. Will not work on augmented or diminished chords but since those are rarely used in rock and popular music it isn’t much of an issue.These power chords only have 2 different notes to them the root and the 5th note of the scale.

17. This is the 2nd set with the 5th string root chords. Between the 2 sets you now should know all the notes on the 6th and 5th strings. This also gives you the notes on the 3rd string as the note you play on the 3rd string is the same as the name of the note on the 5th string. By now you should be getting where the notes are on the 6th, 5th, 4th and 3rd strings and since the 6th and 1st strings have the same name you also have the notes on the first string.

18. CD starts with just melody as shown below – later another method can be used.

19. Here adding the power chords on the 6th could also do 5th string.

20. 3rd way is to do full D and C chords for 1st part.

23. Another alternative is a hammer pull as shown below.

24. 2nd Part

25. A5 C5 G5 A5 C5 G5 A5 C5 G5 A5

26. Solo • We will just do the first part. • Here EC plays Blue Moon as a start. • I have included the whole solo but we don’t have time to do the whole thing as that would take about 3 to 4 full nights. • You might want to pick parts of it out though.

27. Solo – Starts with the song Blue Moon in the first 3 measures. While not as common in Rock as in Jazz this is a technique used by many to start a solo or quote. Listener immediately relates to this. I play it in a lower position and wrote it out in that position as Clapton most likely plays the very first part in 12th position but for many in class this is beyond where their guitar can comfortably be played.

28. 1 2 3 4 & Slide or bend to the 2nd note. Clapton bends to the note. Play with distortion

39. The solo section

41. The solo can be Clapton’s or Yours • I included the Clapton solo but you may want to do your own solo. • If you do your own solo (suggested), then start with the first part of Clapton’s. • He quotes Blue Moon in the opening statement. • This is very common to quote another song in the solo. Jazz particularly does that. • Lastly, use the book to put the form together.

42. Cocaine • Look at the start of this! • Just like Sunshine of Your Love!!!

43. Main Idea is similar to Sunshine of Your Love Note the anticipation of the D chord.

44. Pentatonic Scales 5 basic forms for these. By: F. Markovich

45. 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.

46. Uses • Pentatonic scales are used in all forms of music. Even complex music such as jazz will use pentatonic scales. • Blues uses mainly the minor pentatonic but depending upon the player and tune major pentatonic scales are also used. • Major pentatonic scales are used extensively in country music. • Just listen to the sound and identify the scale in songs that you like. • There are really 5 pentatonic scale forms. This makes it easy to use. • They are even used in classical music by composers such as Ravel and Debussy

47. 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.

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

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

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