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Learn to play blues guitar.

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

  2. Brian says

    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

  7. trevor says

    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

  8. Bluesman85 says

    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!

  9. laxkid227 says

    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!

  10. Hoopero says

    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?

  11. Ocaptainmycaptain says

    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!

  13. [email protected] says

    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.

  14. Brian says

    @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?

  15. PhilM says

    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.

  16. Fender11 says

    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.

  27. Zimmmy says

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

    Zimmmy

  28. fabguitarhero says

    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

  31. ralphlw says

    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.

  33. Chambord says

    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!

  34. dansurf says

    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 ?

  35. Brian says

    @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.

  37. willemadmiraal says

    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…

  38. Myck says

    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 😀

  39. Myck says

    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)

  40. BluesLuvRR says

    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?

  42. French Chris says

    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

  45. Coling says

    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

  48. Gentlyblues says

    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

  49. Gentlyblues says

    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.

  53. Barrie S says

    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?

    • Brian says

      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.

  57. Ian G says

    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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