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Fingering for "Sunshine of Your Love" riff?

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(@jester)
Trusted Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 52
Topic starter  

I'm playing Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love," and I have a question about the main riff. In the book I have (an Eric Clapton blues thing, the exact title of which I've forgotten), and in most online transcriptions, it goes something like this:

|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------|
|-12---12---10---12-----------------|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------12-----11---|-10----------8~--------------|
|-----------------------------------|--------10---------10---10---|

What I'm curious about is the F in the second measure. I start this riff with my third finger on the fourth-string D (12th fret), and then go down the strings. The problem is, when I end up with my index finger on the sixth-string D (in the 10th fret), I find it hard to then go up to the fifth-string F in the 8th fret. Is there a previous point where I'm supposed to shift my hand so that I'm _not_ using my index finger on the sixth string, so I can then make this reach? If so, where? It feels perfectly natural to go down in that pattern, though.

Is there any reason not to do the F on the sixth string, using my pinky in the 13th fret? This feels right, doesn't involve any hard stretching, has the same scale pattern I'd expect...yet I've never seen a tab show it this way.


   
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(@mordeth)
Estimable Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 127
 

ok here goes
first four notes - 12th and 10th fret on the d string, use your ring and index finger.
next three notes are staccato'd, and played with ring, middle and index. The using the gap caused by the staccato'd note, shift your hand position down the fretboard and play the 10th fret on the e string with your middle finger, leaving your index finger free to play the f on the a string. then slide back the 12th fret with your middle finger and start again :)
hope that makes some sort of sense.

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(@noteboat)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 4921
 

Another approach is to stay in 10th position, and put the F on the sixth string with the pinky (13th fret)

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(@goodvichunting)
Reputable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 326
 

Hey,

http://www.guitaralliance.com/guitar_lessons/sunshine/index.htm

Check it out, i found it extremely helpful!

Vic

Latest addition: Cover of "Don't Panic" by Coldplay
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=502670


   
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(@misanthrope)
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Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 2261
 

Another approach is to stay in 10th position, and put the F on the sixth string with the pinky (13th fret)
I do this, except I shift (just the one fret though) and use my ring finger as my pinky is not strong enough to control the vibrato (yet, I'm working on it. I may even start to use this riff as one of my exercises :wink:)

ChordsAndScales.co.uk - Guitar Chord/Scale Finder/Viewer


   
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 Taso
(@taso)
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some might argue that there is a difference in tone when using the 13th fret on E verses the 8th on D...

http://taso.dmusic.com/music/


   
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(@biker_jim_uk)
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Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 536
 

I play 1st and Ring for the initial part then walk down ring middle index leaving my Ring finger for the 6th string and the 1st finger for the 8th fret.


   
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(@misanthrope)
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Joined: 18 years ago
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some might argue that there is a difference in tone when using the 13th fret on E verses the 8th on D...
Indeed there is, but it can be preferable to the sound of whatever problem you're trying to overcome :wink:

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 Taso
(@taso)
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somewhere along the line your going to have to be able to make moves like that, changing posistions, etc, I feel it's more beneficial to start it early, get used to it, and be able to do it for the rest of your guitar career.

The same goes for most 'shortcuts'.

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(@misanthrope)
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Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 2261
 

While I agree about not relying on them, I'm not averse to using shortcuts as temporary measures. How temporary usually depends on how many things are on my want-to-learn list :wink:

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