Play like Stevie Ray Vaughan

Tab simply cannot convey what goes into an SRV solo, other than telling you where to put your fingers, so listen to the audio carefully too.

Stevie Ray Vaughan usually didn't play with that much gain, which makes getting his speedier licks, bends and hearty vibrato that much more tricky - you have to put real effort into your playing. Attitude is paramount here. You can't get the vibrato, the tone or the vibe of a player like Stevie Ray Vaughan just by playing his notes; you have to think yourself into his persona.

The SRV tone

Stevie used all his Strat's positions, but a favourite was the middle pickup, as used here. You'll need to dig in hard for the SRV tone, and the heavier the strings the better (Stevie tuned down to Eb, while our leson is kept in concert pitch for ease of reference). Reduce gain and work on your vibrato for sustain. We used a Strat and Korg Tonelab software, on a Black Face amp with Tweed 4 x 10 cabinet with added treble boost.

Click 'see all pictures' in the picture box for full-sized tab.

Audio - Full track

Audio - Just the licks

Audio - Playalong

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