Guitar Geeks

Hi All. I apologize for the long absence (I actually got e-mails asking when the next article was coming...so eff you, I have readers) but I took a break for the holidays (all of them) and have been extra busy with the job search. Which is looking up. But I digress.



My friend Paul, who is a phenomenal guitar player asked me (in an angry way) why the only person I talk about is Clapton...why don't I talk about Jimi??? My pal maintains, and he's correct, that as far as skill and creativity, there is Hendrix, then everyone else. So I decided to write a little informative piece on Hendrix, his sound and how YOU TOO can sound like Jimi. This bit took me a little while to put together...I read lots of tab and listened to Electric Ladyland and Are You Experienced several times each day while job hunting. Here goes:

First thing: You need to realize that Jimi was one of the first (not THE first) to uses feedback, distortion, etc. as part of his sound. Most musicians found this type of sound undesirable.


How to sound like Jimi:
Note: some of this stuff is basic...but not all my readers are familiar with electric guitars

1. KNOW your guitar.
If you have a strat, know what each pickup (treble, bass, and bridge) sounds like. Most all strats have a 5-way pickup switch that allows you to alternate between which pickup (or combination thereof) that you'll use. Try not to think of the pickups as "bass" or "treble." Think of them as dark or light colors if you will. I say this because Electric Ladyland sounds like the colors on the album cover...whoa man. Jimi used the tremolo arm (whammy bar) in conjunction with his effects pedals to create a unique sound. More about effects pedals:

2. Jimi used 4 main effects pedals.
A. Wah-wah pedal - emphasizes bass notes when you toe back (for rhythm playing) or treble
notes when you toe up (for soloing)
B. Fuzz Face pedal - is an extreme distortion pedal that, you guessed it, distorts the sound
by creating an overdriven effect (like your amp is too loud) and creates a fuzzy sound.
C. Octavia pedal - While common now, these were especially made for Jimi in the 1960s. This
effect pedal takes notes you play and projects them thru the amp at a higher octave (that
is, eight notes higher than the note you play on your guitar) allowing you to hit higher notes
than the fret board will allow.
D. Univibe Pedal - its a modulation effect pedal that produces a pulsating sound. The best way
to clearly hear this effect is Jimi's performance of the National Anthem at Woodstock. This pedal, along with liberal use of the whammy bar, creates his famous British Siren sound.

3. Jimi used simple chord voicings.
Meaning, he used 2 or 3 note chords and would often fret the low E string with his thumb,
leaving his pinky free to add sharp notes. Listen to The Wind Cries Mary to get an idea.

A MAJOR exception to this is Jimi's favorite chord (often called the Jimi Hendrix chord): E7#9.
The chord is actually, very simple:
1 - E is the root,
2- G# the third,
3- B the fifth,
4- D the flattened 7th (normally this would be a D# in the E-major scale but just trust me here),
5- then we add #9...9 notes up from E on the scale which is F#. Since we're adding a sharp 9, it technically becomes a double sharp F (Fx) or (drum roll) G. SO NOW, you have G and G# in the same chord, giving you a nice clash of major and minor tones.

Here's a diagram of the chord http://www.guitarconsultant.com/chords-e7s9.html
the third pattern is the one Jimi most used.

4. Jimi was a master of r&B and rock rhythm
Jimi was very accomplished in r&b rhythm guitar (think Curtis Mayfield and Ike Turner) and rock rhythm. The difference is the r&b rhythm is lighter (more treble) notes versus rock (more bass) heavier notes.


Those are some of my observations on Jimi. I hope all you guitar geeks enjoyed it...I know I did.

Until next time.