Tag Archives for " Eric Clapton "

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The Three-Note Super Weapon Riff

There’s one particular riff I taught in my Secrets of Tasty Riffs & Solos course that I half-jokingly call my super weapon riff (maybe that’s a little over the top). You might laugh that I call it that, because honestly, it’s only a few notes. It’s not some machine gun blazing glory riff, not by any means.

Interestingly, I first picked it up from a country song somewhere (and I don’t listen to that much country!). Then, I heard Joe Bonamassa using it… and as my ear has become attuned to this particular interval, I start hearing it more places.

Today, I heard Eric Clapton using it in his solos in While My Guitar Gently Weeps. (Video posted below for your viewing pleasure). Side note – this song has an awesome chord progression worthy of studying… another time!

As I mentioned, it’s not a particularly difficult riff, it’s just an extremely tasty and well placed minor third when used at just the right place over a chord progression. It’s the kind of thing that when you nail it, you just feel that gratifying rush that says YES! This is why I love soloing on guitar! And all it is is this simple little string bend that pops to a minor third.

In fact, I just dug up a tabbed version for you from the Secrets of Tasty Riffs & Solos course. The riff I’m referring to is simply the first few notes of this bar – you can precede it or follow it with anything you please. This example is played over an Em, in the key of Am. The first note is a D, you stretch a full tone to an E, then pop to that G, which is a minor third up from the E. Simple right? But in context – amazing. There’s your lesson for today – it’s ALL ABOUT CONTEXT.

You can hear variations of this in Clapton’s solos at 2:20 and 5:05 to 5:07, and probably elsewhere as well. He’s got some cool solos in this song that aren’t particularly fast, but they are quite tasty, and I bet if you go looking, you find more examples of the “tasty” interval in here as well. If you do, let us know in the comments below.

PS – Clapton’s solo is in A minor as well, so this tab is in the correct key for video, bonus! He’s soloing a lot out of the Root 5 Minor Scale. I should mention that the whole super weapon thing is a bit more effective if you make this the feature… in Clapton’s solo, he passes through it pretty quick. Sounds amazing, but probably not something you’d consider super weapon status in this context. Nevertheless, worth learning!

Check it out:

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The Top 10 Richest Guitar Players

Ever wonder who the richest guitar players are? Wonder no more, my friend – here they are, from “poorest” to richest.

David Bowie (Approx. Net Worth $150M)

A man of many talents, Bowie is one of the most eccentric, iconic and influential figures in rock and roll. The release of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars with it’s singles, Starman and Ziggy Stardust, cemented Bowie’s place in music history. Bowie remains a presence in the music world as a composer, producer and performer.

 

 

Eric Clapton (Approx. Net Worth $200M)

Now a guitar legend, Clapton rose to fame as the guitarist for the 1960s rock band Cream. In 1970 Clapton would earn his place in music history with the release of the legendary song “Layla” with his band Derek and the Dominoes. For years after he would battle with addiction before continuing one of the most successful solo careers ever.

 

 

Sean Lennon (Approx. Net Worth $200M)

As the son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Sean’s music career was launched through the success of his parents. Through the 90s Sean collaborated with many musicians before releasing his solo debut Into the Sun in 1998. Spike Jonze directed the music video for his successful single “Home.” Sean continues to collaborate, as a guitarist and musician, with various artists.

 

 

Bruce Springsteen (Approx. Net Worth $200M)

The now legendary Bruce Springsteen, was not an overnight success. He struggled for nearly a decade, playing small time shows and receiving little acclaim. In 1975 he broke into the pop world with the release of Springsteen and the E-Street Band’s Born to Run. The band would go on to produce one of the best selling records of all time: Born in the USA. The album contained seven singles that reached the Top 10 on Billboard.

 

 

Dave Grohl (Approx. Net Worth $225M)

Grohl got his start as the drummer for the grunge rock band Nirvana. Following Kurt Cobain’s death, Grohl embarked on a solo venture at Robert Lang Studios. He recorded a fifteen song album in which he played nearly all of the instrumentals. In 1995, after the album received interest, Grohl drafted a band to support his lead vocals and guitar. The Foo Fighters began touring in spring of 1995. The band has experienced considerable longevity, releasing their most successful album Wasting Light in 2011.

 

 

Prince (Approx. Net Worth $250M)

This eccentric pop legend has released ten platinum albums and thirty top 40 singles. Prince has had one of the most successful music careers of all time. In addition to his solo success he has contributed songwriting and guitar playing to Madonna and other superstar musicians. “When Doves Cry” on the album Purple Rain spent five weeks at the top of the charts.

 

 

Dhani Harrison (Approx. Net Worth $275M)

Another Beatles’ progeny, Dhani Harrison is a singer, songwriter and guitarist. In 2001, following the death of George Harrison, Dhani completed his fathers album Brainwashed. In 2006 Dhani formed the band, thenewno2, and he continues to contribute to various music projects.

 

 

Jon Bon Jovi (Approx. Net Worth $275M)

Jon Bon Jovi has released eleven albums with his band Bon Jovi in addition to producing two solo albums. He was once ranked 50th on Billboard’s “Power 100” as one of the most influential figures in the music business. The release of Slippery When Wet with single “You Give Love a Bad Name” was the first in a series of hugely successful music projects.

 

 

Keith Richards (Approx. Net Worth $280M)

The Rolling Stones, with lead guitarist Keith Richards, are one of the most famous bands of all time. Formed in 1962 with front man Mick Jagger, the band has possibly been seen the longest runs of success in the history of Rock and Roll. The band released 20 studio albums from 1964-2005, cementing Richards as one of the guitar greats of all time.

 

 

Paul McCartney (Approx. Net Worth $820M)

Paul McCartney is probably the greatest living icon in the music world. As a bass, acoustic and electric guitar player for The Beatles, McCartney helped to start the “British Invasion” and the proliferation of Rock and Roll in the United States and abroad. McCartney wrote “Yesterday” that has been covered an incredible 2,200 times by various artists. In addition to his success with the Beatles, McCartney has also remained a huge presence in music with The Wings and through his solo career that continues to the present day.