Purple Haze

I'd say, based on your other posts, that this song is currently too hard for you. There's nothing wrong with trying to push yourself but if you try for something too far out of reach it will only be discouraging and you won't get as much out of the process as if you had picked a more appropriate song. This song also requires some effects to get the right sound - with your acoustic you just won't get the same sound no matter how good a player you are.

oh no no no... i have an electric guitar...

could you suggest a bit of an easier song to learn then?

oh no no no... i have an electric guitar...

could you suggest a bit of an easier song to learn then?

An easier Hendrix song would be Hey Joe - there's a good tab for it in Easy Songs. Take a look at the Easy Song index.....

:D :D :D

Vic

Is Purple Haze supposed to be hard? :P +1 to Hey Joe

Call me crazy but I think Purple Haze is easier than Hey Joe (unless you play Hey Joe with the open chords).

And some tips...just watch, and listen.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=5hSW67ySCio

Watch those hands...listen for something similar to what you play. Listen to the rhythm. Hendrix is a great rhythm player and people forget that, so everything is tough. Good luck with it.

Watch those hands...listen for something similar to what you play. Listen to the rhythm. Hendrix is a great rhythm player and people forget that, so everything is tough. Good luck with it.

definite +1 on that. a lot of his solos on albums are pretty simple, but its the rhythm and how he changes it every time on stuff like Little Wing that most people fail to incorporate, in my experience.

purple haze is pretty simple, provided you're comfortable with playing the F-shape and the Hendrix E7 chord. the only bit that's particularly testing is the intro to the solo.

one simple tip for you

once learned the rhythm and the intro and everything, make sure you slide down from about fret 15 before every measure, like hendrix does on the recording. I used to be too lazy to do this, but it makes the song sound MUCH cooler

If you go by note by note on the tab, I am sure you are going to find it difficult and tiring. (And I wonder how those guys find the time to TAB it).

So just learn the blues and pentatonic scales in which hendrix is playing. And then get the feeling of the song by some random notes. Then try figuring it out by ear. It will be much more easy and fun.

Watch those hands...listen for something similar to what you play. Listen to the rhythm. Hendrix is a great rhythm player and people forget that, so everything is tough. Good luck with it.

definite +1 on that. a lot of his solos on albums are pretty simple, but its the rhythm and how he changes it every time on stuff like Little Wing that most people fail to incorporate, in my experience.

Definitely agree with this. People always classify Hendrix as a lead guitarist, which is true of course, but to me his rhythm playing is where it's at. I think too many people focus so much on his lead playing and fail to capture any of the "funk" that he could get because of his rhythm playing. Not that I don't like his lead playing, but the ease in which he could just create a nasty, funky groove and use chords as his lead was second to none. He's probably my favorite "rhythm guitarist".

Purple Haze is a great Hendrix song to start with , just dont try and replicate everything he does :shock: its a fantastic song to have fun with due to its structure and if nothing else it will give you lots of ideas , its a great stepping stone.

Learn that Hendrix E7#9 chord now and move it about a bit with plenty of hammer ons / pull offs its one of the most satisfying chords you will ever play 8)
.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kdxb2fiYod8

http://youtube.com/watch?v=nuCgPLLin0M

^^^ it can be fun without being spot on ^^^ :D

Watch those hands...listen for something similar to what you play. Listen to the rhythm. Hendrix is a great rhythm player and people forget that, so everything is tough. Good luck with it.

definite +1 on that. a lot of his solos on albums are pretty simple, but its the rhythm and how he changes it every time on stuff like Little Wing that most people fail to incorporate, in my experience.

Definitely agree with this. People always classify Hendrix as a lead guitarist, which is true of course, but to me his rhythm playing is where it's at. I think too many people focus so much on his lead playing and fail to capture any of the "funk" that he could get because of his rhythm playing. Not that I don't like his lead playing, but the ease in which he could just create a nasty, funky groove and use chords as his lead was second to none. He's probably my favorite "rhythm guitarist".

Totally agree. I find the rhythm section of PH just as fun to play as the intro/solo!

Just remember.... There's no single thing in any song that you can't do.

The trick is doing several things at the same time and all of them in order. :wink:

Watch those hands...listen for something similar to what you play. Listen to the rhythm. Hendrix is a great rhythm player and people forget that, so everything is tough. Good luck with it.

definite +1 on that. a lot of his solos on albums are pretty simple, but its the rhythm and how he changes it every time on stuff like Little Wing that most people fail to incorporate, in my experience.

Definitely agree with this. People always classify Hendrix as a lead guitarist, which is true of course, but to me his rhythm playing is where it's at. I think too many people focus so much on his lead playing and fail to capture any of the "funk" that he could get because of his rhythm playing. Not that I don't like his lead playing, but the ease in which he could just create a nasty, funky groove and use chords as his lead was second to none. He's probably my favorite "rhythm guitarist".
No doubt. Many people label Hendrix as the greatest guitarist ever because of his lead guitar/riff creating skills....but they don't understand his rhythm work. Listen to "MasterMind" from Woodstock, "Gypsy Boy", and more popular tracks like "Castles Made of Sand". And how about "Angel" and "Bold as Love"...he was the master.

One of the difficulties of copying Hendrix is that Jimi had very large hands, much larger than most people. He almost never played barre chords, he usually played the bass E (6th) string by wrapping his thumb over the top of the neck. His thumb was so long he could fret notes on the A and D strings as well.

And Hendrix almost never played traditional chords. He would often mute strings in the chord. This would get you a "hollow" sound for lack of a better term. The chords in Purple Haze are examples of these hollow sounding chords:



i= index finger
m= middle finger
r= ring finger
p= pinky finger
t= thumb

On the E7#9 chord, Jimi lets the bass E string ring open. This gives the chord a much heavier tone. On the G and A chords he wraps his thumb over fretting the notes on the 6th string, but very importantly, he also mutes the A string with his thumb. Then he plays the rest of the chord with the traditional "F chord" shape, only muting the 1st string. For the A6, which is a common chord in Blues and Jazz, just add your pinky to the A chord.

By muting the A string on the G and A chords Jimi is playing an octave on top. This is the sound that most players miss when trying to play this song. They play full barre chords which include the A string. And most everybody can recognize that it doesn't sound quite right. Hendrix does this in many songs. For instance in All Along the Watchtower, Hendrix mutes the G string:


C#5 B5 A5

You will see the chord progression for this song written C#m, B, A, and it is, but Hendrix muted the G string with his pinky, and the high E string with his index. Again, this gives his chords a very hollow sound.

So, when copying Hendrix you have to remember he had very large hands with long fingers. He did not fret chords in a traditional way, and this is one of the secrets to his sound.