Learn Stevie Ray Vaughan blues lead guitar and funk-rock rhythm

SRV
(Image credit: Robert Knight Archive/Redferns)

Guitar lessons: Stevie Ray Vaughan was primarily a Strat man throughout his career; from the battered '50s / '60s partscaster ‘Number One’ Strat to his ‘62 ‘Red’. High frets, hot overwound pickups, heavy gauge guitar strings and downtuning to Eb all helped supercharge the tone he produced from Fender, Marshall and Dumble amps – with the help of an Ibanez TS-808 Tube Screamer.

Read more

SRV

(Image credit: Paul Natkin/WireImage)

5 songs guitarists need to hear by… Steve Ray Vaughan

Though he’d typically flip to the neck/middle position pickup for glassy cleans, the quintessential SRV tone can be heard on Pride And Joy – a medium gain tone delivered in his Strat's neck position single coil. The song sums up much of Stevie's fluid playing style too. 

The riff is pure SRV magic. It's part chord, part blues boogie, yet also showcases his effortless switching between rhythm and lead. We've taken inspiration from it with these two exercises… 

1. Funk-rock riffing 

Click on top right of tab for full screen view

(Image credit: Future)

This is a rhythm groove of the kind you’ll hear in songs such as cold Shot or pride And Joy – and shows the influence of funky players like Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson. 

Good timing is vital here, so do your best to lock in with the backing music when you play along. The bridge/middle pickup will sound great.


2. Blues lead 

Click on top right of tab for full screen view

(Image credit: Future)

The lyrical string bends in bars 1 and 2 showcase Albert King’s influence on the Texas bluesman. The pentatonic phrasing in bars 3 and 4 is in the territory of SRV’s other main hero – Jimi Hendrix

The fast lick at the end will take practice; try to hit the first and last note bang on time and let the other notes fall into place gradually as you improve.

More SRV lessons: How to play guitar like Stevie Ray Vaughan

Total Guitar

Total Guitar is Europe's best-selling guitar magazine.

Every month we feature interviews with the biggest names and hottest new acts in guitar land, plus Guest Lessons from the stars.

Finally, our Rocked & Rated section is the place to go for reviews, round-ups and help setting up your guitars and gear.

Subscribe: http://bit.ly/totalguitar