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Eric Clapton Style Blues Guitar Lesson – LEG027

Description

I’ve been looking forward to creating an Eric Clapton style guitar lesson because I’m such a huge fan, although I had a really hard time trying to sum him up in a simple lesson because he plays so many different styles. He’s best known as a an electric blues guitar player, yet throughout his career he’s played country, reggae, rock, jazz, delta blues, you name it. So I ended up creating a guitar solo that was a little bit rock and a little bit blues (some would argue there isn’t much of a difference), but I think this sums up what he does the majority of the time. I’m using my old 1990 Fender Stratocaster with Lace Sensor pickups (playing on the bridge pickup) to get that classic Clapton Journeyman tone. Overall, this lesson is intended for intermediate / advanced guitar players. The first half of this solo might be suitable for a beginner, but the last half might be bit challenging if you’re just getting started. As always feel free to post questions / comments here or in the forum and I’ll respond.

Eric Clapton Lesson Part 1

Eric Clapton Lesson Part 2

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Comments

  1. Dasha`97 says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Can you upload this video to youtube please

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  2. Brian says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    It’s on YouTube, split into 2 parts (because YouTube only allows videos to be 10 minutes).  Part 1: Eric Clapton Blues Guitar Lesson and then the second part, Part 2: Eric Clapton Blues Guitar Lesson

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  3. Dasha`97 says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Thanks man!!!!!!!!!! 🙂

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  4. ddemi says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    I realy like your teaching It’s wright to the point and easy to pick up thanks

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  5. SteveB says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Another stormer this, Brian. Well done.

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  6. JazGuitar says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    You rock Brian ! Thankyou very much from an Argentinian Blues Girl.

    JazmilaGuitar.

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  7. trevor says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    I am trying to move away from the traditional area at the bottom of the fretboard. Your series of lessons higher up the neck has been very helpful and is getting me out of playing in just one position. It is also good to see how the various pentatonic scales “fit” together and become so versatile.
    Thank you very much.
    Trevor

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    • Carlo Laezza says

      July 29, 2019 at 4:49 am

      Ciao Trevor ti posso chiedere l’amicizia ? GRAZIE

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  8. Bluesman85 says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Nice lesson. Lessons like this prove that blues is one of the hardest styles to play right yet one of the simplest. So many notes are repeated and bent, etc so you would think it would be easy until you start attempting to play it!

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  9. laxkid227 says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Just need to inform you of a mistake that really threw me off during the lesson (thank goodness for the tab!)… During the second part of the solo, you completely forgot to add in the part where you slide from 5 to 9 on the 4th string, hit 7 on the 3rd string, then slide 7 to 5 on the 4th string, then hit 7 and slide off on 5 on the 5th string.

    if that didnt make sense let me know, just figured i would throw that out there incase anyone is confused!

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  10. Hoopero says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    The tab for Eric Clapton Style Blues Guitar Lessons part 1 and 2 (journeyman)is not the same as the original one part lesson. Will you be posting the updated tab?

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  11. Ocaptainmycaptain says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Yes, laxkid227 is correct.  I was just learning the solo piece by piece but something wasn’t adding up as I went back to watch Brian play it at full speed.  Thanks laxkid for pointing that out.  Good thing for the tab!

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  12. alekskolenc says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Your teaching and jam tracks are perfect! THANK YOU =)

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  13. [email protected] says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Excellent site Brian,

              Your really encouraging me to play more Blues.I`m having trouble downloading your Jam Tracks!It kinda corrupts my page into “Jumping”! Can you use a different format,please?

                      Dave.

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  14. Brian says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    @Davelynn, what is specifically happening when you down the Jam tracks?  They’re just MP3 files so they should play fine on any computer.  Are you unable to download them, or are you just unable to play them after they have been downloaded?

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  15. PhilM says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Just discovered this site from YouTube - really excellent instruction Brian - very clear and at a pace that’s easy to follow. One suggestion - perhaps you could show your right plectrum hand so we can see how you’re hitting the strings for different styles etc.

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  16. Fender11 says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Hi Brian, i accidently came across your site as i was looking to understand the E minor pentatonic scale as i was confused.  I have been playing the guitar for just over a year and deeply love the blues.  Your teaching methods are great and easy to understand and in my view the best on you tube .  What’s best is i can now understand why certain notes are played between certain scales etc.  Love your work Brian and this is by far my favourite site, Cheers Ed from NEw Zealand.

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    • Carlo Laezza says

      July 29, 2019 at 4:52 am

      Condivido pienamente

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  17. vintage_les_paul says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    did Clapton use it to any song?

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  18. T Russ says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    I just joined the site yesterday, Its awesome, fits my genre perfectly,Im excited about playing again thanks……T Russ m/

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  19. Fuchs jean-luc says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    super video good job

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  20. glynbob says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Great lesson- I m a huge fan of old Eric ,one of Englands finest exports.
    Please keep the Clapton stuff coming .
    Thanks .

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  21. Mick67 says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    just found your site and think its great, will be a frequent visitor from now on thanks a lot

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  22. Mike Mazz says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Hi Brian,

    Awesome site just found and have picked up several tid bits to add to my limited BUT EXPANDING ARSENAL.

    Thanks

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  23. kiwiclapton says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Brian, where are the tabs please?

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  24. Brian says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    They’re up now - I had an issue with the server I was using but you should be able to access them now.

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  25. kiwiclapton says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Brian, you are so cool! cheers for the tabs.

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  26. tommc says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Great lesson. What overdrive was used on this one?

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  27. Zimmmy says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)/*= 0){out += unescape(l[i].replace(/^ss*/, '&#'));}while (--j >= 0){/**/if (el[j].getAttribute('data-eeEncEmail_YnbaORyebd')){el[j].innerHTML = out;}}/*]]>*/

    Where can I find and download part two of the Clapton blues lead?

    Zimmmy

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  28. fabguitarhero says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Hi Brian, this site is really FABULOUS , i discovered this site on YOU TUBE whilst watching some hits from Crossroad 2010, im nearly 1 year in playing Electric guitar courses , style Rock/Blues e.g Eric Clapton , Gary Moore , BB King n other Blues Guitar heroes. Yr lessons are being explained very clearly , i hv just watched yr video how to make a blues solo with only 2 notes and Eric Clapton Style Blues Guitar Lesson, im really impressed. Now rushing to subscribe so that i can download lessons to improve my Blues playing. Cheers from Mauritius

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  29. Brian says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Mauritius, wow - you’re definitely the first from Mauritius on the site (that I’m aware of).  Welcome!

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  30. ralphlw says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    correction: “. . . your free lessons” (not lesson), and the wasted lesson was the one I got from the guitar champion (not yours).

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  31. ralphlw says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Brian, I’ve played guitar for more than 40 years. I made a good living singing and strumming for 15 of those years and I’m a fair flat picker (although I was usually the singer) and play 5-string, mandolin, and uke (with a little fiddle and piano thrown in). So I’m an okay musician but not very good on the electric guitar, and the blues are a new world for me, although I’ve always loved to listen to them. Recently I took a guitar lesson from a national rock guitar champion. He’s amazing. I spent a lot of money for a one-hour lesson in which he showed me how amazing he was. Then I discovered you. There is no doubt that you are amazing as well, but the difference is that you are both an amazing player and teacher. I’ve learned an enormous amount from your free lesson, and I want to pick up your blues course (for less than that one wasted lesson cost me).  Is it also available on dvd? By the way, thank you.

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  32. man says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    love this one ….thanks man

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  33. Chambord says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Great stuff, Brian. Learned more from you in one week than in years messing around alone. Gladly paid the $5 to become “premium” member. Thanks!

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  34. dansurf says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Brian, you make these lessons look effortless ,
    for a beginner with less than 6 months on guitar almost everything I play sounds bad,
    the only way for any of your lessons to sound good is when I slow it down 1/3 of the speed.
    I assume I still get a benefit from playing lessons much slower and as I get better I should aim for
    a normal playing speed,does that sound right ?

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  35. Brian says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    @dansurf - you’re doing it the right way.  Never worry about speed in the beginning.. just try and be accurate, and over time your speed will just come.  A lot of guitar players try to get the tempo right at first but they end up sacrificing accuracy to do so.  I guess the best advice I have for you is to just keep doing what you’re doing.. it’ll come i promise.

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  36. 70s Strat says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Could you give us some info on how you got your tone? It sounds like some reverb and something else, but I can’t tell.

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  37. willemadmiraal says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Hey Brian, great lesson. Just starting to improvise soloing, these kind of lessons are a great practice. Having tabs and backing tracks is a great help.

    Please keep up the great work!

    PS: In the tab, it seems to me that the first “12” in the second bar should be a 14…

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  38. Myck says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Hey Brian,

    First of all thanks for the amazing lesson. I’ve been learning the pentatonic scales for a moment now but couldn’t get a grip on how to use it for solos and all and get a good ol’ bluesy sound. And then i stumbled upon your videos and your website and this is AWESOME !

    Speaking of videos i have a question that might be dumb but.. you say you’re playing in the key of E. Minor and Major pentatonic scale right ?
    But then, at the beginning of the lesson your start playing on the 14th fret of the B string instead of the 15th fret. Could you tell us why ? The way i learned the pentatonic scales (both minor and major) that start on the 12th fret, ends up on the 15th fret for the B and E string so i was wondering if i had it all wrong or if it was something else 🙂

    Thanks a lot for your help and please keep up the good work 😀

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  39. Myck says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Oops my bad. Not the Major E. Forget about the second part of my comment and focus on the first one (the part that says that what you do is awesome hahaha)

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  40. BluesLuvRR says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Brian..
    This is a nice lead…thanx.  I like how you start out in the
    E Major pentatonic and move to the E minor pentatonic.  Those quick little slides and the repeating hammer-ons are classic Clapton.  Im using a Fender Strat and a Fender Mustang 3 amp.  How do you set your amp to get that Clapton sound on this one?

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  41. jon blue says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Help ! I can’t make this video go full screen with the new format.

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  42. French Chris says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Hello fromage France
    Juste à question : what is the adjustment of the tone or do you us à spécial effect, because i m not able to Reach that kind of sound
    Thank you for your help

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  43. Stephen Haines says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    this is an incredible set of lessons for 5$ WOW thank you

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  44. Matt Foley says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Great lesson as usual, but to be honest I’ve never heard EC play Reggae :-)

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    • Barrie S says

      March 18, 2016 at 9:13 am

      ‘I shot the sheriff’ comes to mind.

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  45. Coling says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Hello Brian,

    Could you please put up the chords used in the backing track.  I’m hearing E A D A for the first 8 bars but I get lost after that.  Thanks, Colin

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  46. pm3 says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    …this videos are in germany not available because GEMA.

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  47. yassinovski says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    what a lick at the end ! amazing brian !Thanks

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  48. Gentlyblues says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Add: Brain, maybe when you rename the lessons for Youtube we can receive them in Germany. Please give a try I want sign a premium mebership. Thank´s a lot. Tom

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  49. Gentlyblues says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Unfortunately I can´t receive the lessons in Germany, because the GEMA don´t give the rigth to access.

    The problem concerns also a couple of the following older lessons.

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  50. John LeeRay says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Its not working in germany!!! GEMA!!
    can u upload in other players also?
    thank you

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  51. Turboed says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Great Lesson. Can You describe how to get your Tone.
    Thanks

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  52. merticgoren says

    March 21, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Hey Brian, what kind of pedals are you using to get this sound ?

    thanks

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  53. Barrie S says

    March 18, 2016 at 9:10 am

    Loved it Brian, I am reasonably competent, but looking to get out of a fimiliarity rut! This offered a nice variation for me. thanks.
    I just have a question about the sound you got. Lovely fat and smooth tone. Did you use any effects, or is that just Lace sensors with mid boost?

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  54. John E says

    May 29, 2016 at 3:08 am

    Brian, I’m really enjoying my subscription, you explain things so well – thank you

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  55. Chris I says

    July 1, 2016 at 10:25 am

    Hey,

    I am not able to watch this video due to some rights problem (GEMA) in Germany. Can you please upload it somewhere else?

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    • Brian says

      July 1, 2016 at 10:28 am

      this is a strange phenomena that happens every once in a while to folks in Germany (only in Germany) – YouTube blocks videos with Eric Clapton (and a other random artists in the title) – even though I’m not playing an Eric Clapton song – the songs are original. Not sure if there’s anything I can do about it on this end.. I do know that it eventually goes away but not sure why or how.

      Another site member mentioned that they were able to get around this by using a free add on to the Firefox browser called “YouTube Unblocker” – you might try that as a workaround.

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  56. John E says

    June 30, 2017 at 8:32 am

    This really does capture the sound and feel of Clapton. Excellent lesson really enjoyed learning it.

    Would love more Clapton

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  57. Ian G says

    September 21, 2018 at 7:03 pm

    Hi Brian. Great lesson from your early days LEG027. I’ve been a Clapton fan a long time. Came back to this lesson and wanted to ask you what setup you used to get that great sound. I’ve got a Blues Jr. and a Boss Blues Driver. Any tips? Any other pedal you recommend? Thanks Ian.

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  58. sunburst says

    August 14, 2019 at 7:16 pm

    I never did this one until just 10 minutes ago .. now after these two videos ,I am going to use the tab and jam track ,, pretty cool lesson!

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    • Jennifer Ruby says

      January 4, 2023 at 4:50 pm

      It’s now Jan 2023 and I’ve just started playing it!

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  59. Jennifer Ruby says

    January 4, 2023 at 4:51 pm

    There are so many gems in Brian’s library. I’ve just started playing this. It’s fabulous.

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