How Do You Play Hendrix??!

[newdawnfades]

I've had a pretty good Hendrix tab book that i've been meaning to get back to, but everytime I pick it up I am just blown away with how Hendrix plays the guitar.

Now I know why he's in a class all by himself. He's got to be one of the hardest guys to play. No wonder why we haven't seen very many guitarists that sound like him.

I've been dying to learn how to play Voodoo Child (Slight Return), which looks like one of his 'easier' songs, but nothings easy. He mutes too many strings. There's just too much to account for.

I don't care what anybody says, Hendrix was the greatest guitarist ever, and trying to learn his style is just further proof. I mean, who was playing with the same degree of difficulty in rock?

Sure you have your Petrucci, Vai, and Satch nowadays, but guitar playing is damn near a science now. Back in the 60's, to be playing like Hendrix was playing? Astounding.

I've picked up Page, Townsend, Santana, Gilmour, and a few of the other greats. They are all impressive in their own ways. But nothing, NOTHING touches Hendrix's stuff.

I think i'll have a tinge of gray in my hair before I finally figure this jigsaw puzzle of tablature out, but man, it would be something if I ever learned how TO PLAY HENDRIX!

 

[AboutAGirl]

LOUD!!!!

sorry to be a jerk but I've gotta say.... how do I play Hendrix? LOUD, man!

 

[eccentric man]

well NDF it seems that where you were able to pick up gilmour i was able to pick up hendrix hehehe.

voodoo chile IS one of his easier tunes but the trick to playing like him (especially when reading from tabs) is too pay a little less attention to the details and more attention to the feel of the parts. a lot of playing hendrix comes from your picking hand and how you attack the strings, whether you're hitting them closer to the bridge or over the frets where the neck connects to the body.

hendrix was also a VERY funky rhythm player which is a huge factor in his muting techniques. if there's any trick to learning voodoo chile i'd say it's just sticking to the most basic theme until you get the rhythm down then adding the licks and fills. you basically have to not care about hitting that Em riff 'properly' and just plow through it, almost like being sloppy on purpose.

the other thing with hendrix is that he hardly ever just played chords. he'd always add a little embelishment, either slide in on the root, or add a few hammer ons or pull offs. same goes for his right hand, depending on the rhythm you end up strumming, chugging, scraping, sweeping, and fluttering all over the strings with your right hand (and that's all before he sings the first line)

i really wish i could tell you about a simple 12 step program to play hendrix but it basically boils down to practice, practice, practice. especially right hand muting techniques, you'd be amazed what learning a few p-funk tunes would do towards learning to play like hendrix. i also cut my teeth on a lot of john frusciante's stuff from the chili pepper's blood sugar sex magik album, tracks like 'under the bridge' and 'if you have to ask' would help develop a lot of the same techniques you'd use when playing jimi.

 

[TeleCat]

Not to mention Hendrix use of effects which lends as much to his style as anything. He drenched a lot of his playing with a Crybaby wah (speaking of Voodoo Chile), extreme tremolo bar use and his use of feedback was revolutionary.

 

[eccentric man]

actually hendrix used a vox wah (it's clear as day in most pics from his performance at woodstock). and aside from 'machine gun' and his take on 'the star spangled banner' he didn't really use feedback as a direct effect as much as most people like to claim.

it's not to say his effect work wasn't revolutionary but i'd say it was a lot more about the post production than the actual effect use while he recorded the tracks. most of the really out there stuff is due in large part to the multitracking of reversed guitar tracks. they'd also use their own thumbs to slow playback recordings to add a flange effect to the take.

besides, any acoustic recording by hendrix proves he didn't need effects or volume to be an amazing guitarist.

 

[Drummer Chris]

Learning a lot of jazz chords and getting the fingers, including the pinky really strong helps as well as getting the hand "stretch" down,(octave stretch for piano hands).
I think Hendrix's hands and fingers must have been quite large to do what he was able to do.The other members are also correct with his effect use, he made the most of what was out in the 60's, and it sounded great.
I still find playing even the rythm riffs to Foxy Lady hard sometimes!

 

[Drummer Chris]

Also; NDF listening to live Hendrix; especially the early stuff on the BBC and talk shows helps....Jimi is usually using a minimum of effects on these recordings and you can hear what he's doing rythm-wise especially better. Lead-wise, I think one has to be really inspired to play that great trippy Hendrix lead!

 

[newdawnfades]

Some really good suggestions here. I think I do need to brush up on right-hand muting. I've never really needed it that much with what usually play. It's obvious Hendrix just went off on tangents so the organizational portion of my brain is getting the better of me at this point.

It's obvious that he's doing so much with every part of the song that it's like diving into a pool, you got to come up for air sometime!

 

[Drummer Chris]

Live at the Isle Of Whyte is a great Hendrix live DVD (1970); he was using more effects by that time, the flanger sounds epic and while it's not the highest energy concert ever, the playing is real soulful and good.
There is no doubt to me that Hendrix was the best rock guitarist that "made it" ever!

 

[Reverend Rock]

I play Hendrix on my CD player.