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“While My Guitar Gently Weeps” Clapton Isolated Guitar

by Rich Maloof with hat tips to Bobby Owsinski and Rich Tozzoli

Here’s an absolute gem. It’s Eric Clapton’s isolated guitar track from George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” off the The Beatles’ White Album. Didn’t know it was Clapton playing lead? It was a loosely held secret for a while, but Eric Clapton was one of the few ringers that The Beatles used on their records. Clapton was brought in because he was a close mate of Harrison’s, and since George wrote the song, he felt he had more say in who played on it.

Here are a few cool things to listen for:

1. Listen for the toe taps as EC keeps time.

2. There’s always been a question as to what gear Clapton used on the song, and none of the people at the session can remember exactly. Ken Scott (who engineered the session) told me that EC didn’t bring any gear with him, preferring to use The Beatle’s gear so he intentionally wouldn’t sound like himself. Regardless, it sure sounds like he’s using some sort of Gibson and a Marshall combo amp, although Ken says that The Beatles never used Marshalls and he never saw one in the studio. I suppose it could’ve been one the Fender’s that they used if it was cranked. At any rate, that’s one of the items that we’re trying to determine for Ken’s new book.

3. What struck me about the performance is how loose it is. It sounds like a single take as you hear EC switch between playing rhythm and lead. He never sounds sure of exactly what he’s playing though, and you can hear the odd flub, especially in the B section and the transition between sections.

Share your thoughts in the comments!

Tagged: beatles, eric clapton, George Harrison, guitar, guitar track, solo, the beatles, white album

Bar Room Blues

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February 6th 2012

Bar Room Blues: “Chain of Fools”

Bar Room Blues is an exclusive series of video guitar lessons by Steve “Red” Lasner covering classic blues songs from historically great guitarists like B.B. King, T-Bone Walker, Buddy Guy, and many others. A new lesson will be released each week, so be sure to subscribe and check back often! Also, if you want more guitar lessons like these, be sure to check out Red’s Guitar Sherpa class.

“Chain of Fools” is a song written by Don Covay. Aretha Franklin first released the song as a single in 1967 and subsequently it appeared on many of her albums. It reached number one on the U.S. R&B chart, staying there for four weeks, and went to number two on the pop chart in January 1968. It won the Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, and later a Grammy Hall of Fame Award. In 2004, this song was ranked #249 on Rolling Stone’s list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The trademark tremolo guitar licks at the introduction were played by Joe South.

“Chain Of Fools” is actually an unauthorized rewrite of the gospel song “Pains Of Life”, released earlier in 1967 by Elijah Fair & The Sensational Gladys Davis Trio. “Pains Of Life” has the same melody as the later song, as well the chorus “Pain Pain Pain”, which is echoed as “Chain Chain Chain” in the Franklin recording.

Originally in the key of C, the guitarist tuned down, I believe 2 whole steps to a C and plays an E7 shape that would be a C7 in that tuning. Most often the song is played in Cm due to the strength of the minor 3rd implied in the song. In this lesson we are in the key of Cm but I also demonstrate what might be done in C7.

In this video guitar lesson, I show you how to play this classic song on guitar in your own style. Check it out:

Video Guitar Lesson

Jam Track

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Tagged: bar room blues, chain of fools, guitar lesson, Red Lasner, song

Modern Blues Licks

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February 3rd 2012

Modern Blues Licks: #6 Warren Haynes

Modern Blues Licks is a preview video lesson series for Corey Congilio‘s upcoming course, 50 Modern Blues Licks You MUST Know. Check in every week for a new modern blues lick video lesson, and be on the lookout for the full course with tab, jam tracks and more in the near future. Also check out Corey’s latest course, 50 Texas Blues Licks You MUST Know — it’s killer! Subscribe for updates!

I first heard Warren Haynes when he joined the Allman Brothers Band and debuted on the album Seven Turns. In my opinion there was no better choice to share the stage with Dickey Betts. Warren does many things well. He writes captivating riffs, plays a mean slide guitar and can play some tasty stuff over just about any kind of groove.

I got the lick from the song Man In Motion. The lick is in E minor pentatonic but, the trick is the rhythm he’s playing. The fingering is tricky so, take this one slowly. This could be a good warmup too. Good stuff here!

Video Guitar Lesson

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February 1st 2012

Robert Johnson On Speed?

By Steve “Red” Lasner

Much controversy has arisen about whether or not the recordings of Robert Johnson we have been listening to for years were speed altered. Some musicologists are convinced Johnson’s released recordings are 20% faster than those he performed in two solo sessions in 1936 and 1937, and they wonder how this happened, when it happened, and why it happened.

Many blame advances in technology, some claim it to be a conscious decision made during the mastering process, and others claim that there actually is no speed alteration. If the recordings indeed were sped up by 20%, slowing them down would result in a significant change in pitch and tempo that would have a serious impact on the history of the blues and all of the music and musicians influenced by Johnson. Is it possible that we have never heard what this very influential singer-guitarist truly sounded like?

You be the judge:

“Crossroad Blues” – Fast (original):

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“Crossroad Blues” – Slow (revised):

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Steve “Red” Lasner has rubbed elbows and performed with many great and famous musicians including Buddy Miles, John Sebastian, Derek Trucks, Robben Ford and many more. In 2009 TrueFire released Red’s first instructional guitar course Blues Expose. Red continues to perform locally, nationally and internationally and continues to produce instructional material.

Tagged: blues, buddies, combinations, fame, ford, greatness, guitar, guitarist, guitarists, guitars, listener, live, master, mastering, music, musician, musicians, performance, phrase, phrases, phrasing, producer, producers, producing, recording, rock, sessions, songwriter, songwriting, talents, technology, tempos, truefire

50 Low-Down Rhythm Licks

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January 30th 2012

50 Low-Down Rhythm Licks: #3 Soul Man

by Adam Levy

This guitar lesson is a preview of what’s to come in Adam Levy‘s 50 Low-Down Rhythm Licks. Stay tuned for more to come and an announcement of the full course soon. Be sure to subscribe to stay tuned!

Rolling Stone magazine rated Steve Cropper as #36 on their list of 100 Greatest Guitarists. For my own personal list of all-time guitar greats, I’d rate Cropper as #2 or #3. The first time I heard him was probably on Otis Redding’s “Dock of the Bay” or Sam & Dave’s “Soul Man” (later covered by the Blues Brothers, with Cropper reprising his role). His Telecaster tones on these classic 1960s soul records were always a little gritty and very much to the point—with no effects other than the occasional thrum of amp tremolo. Everything Cropper plays grooves from the first note to the last, and he never ever gets in the way of the singer.

The rhythm lick in this lesson comes from the verse sections of Sam & Dave’s 1967 hit, “Soul Man.” It’s essentially a one-chord vamp on G major. Instead of playing a full six-note barre chord, Cropper played a stream-lined four-note version, ducking the guitar out of the way of the song’s busy bass line. He answers each short vocal line with a higher G shape (comprising only three notes this time), then uses an A minor triad as a quick passing chord on his way back to the original G shape. Ingenious, and hooky as heck.

Video Guitar Lesson

A longtime friend of the ‘Fire, Adam Levy has been unlocking the guitar for students of all levels and varied interests for decades. His teaching experience comprises several years with the National Guitar Workshop, the Blue Bear School in San Francisco, and private lessons for New School in New York City. He is also a talented artist and songwriter, having worked with Norah Jones, Amos Lee, and Tracy Chapman. Be sure to check out Adam’s official website, his insightful blog, and his latest album, The Heart Collector.