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Eric Clapton & Sheryl Crow -- Little Wing (Hendrix) Guitar Soloing Lesson + Tutorial
Eric Clapton is undoubtedly one of the greatest blues rock guitarists of all time, and his iconic rendition of “Little Wing” is a masterpiece that every guitarist should check out. But let's face it, mastering the song can be a daunting task, especially for beginners. Fortunately, with the right approach, anyone can learn to play “Little Wing” like a pro.
In this step-by-step guide, I'll break down everything you need to know to learn the song, from the basic chords to more intricate soloing examples. I'll also provide helpful tips and tricks along the way to help you perfect your technique and truly capture the essence of Clapton's style. Regardless of your level, this guide will help you see key insights into playing in the style of Eric Clapton and unpack one of the greatest rock guitar songs of all time.
So grab your guitar and let’s get started!
Who wrote Little Wing?
“Little Wing” was originally written by Jimi Hendrix and recorded by the Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1967. The song is a slower tempo tune with a deep soulful rhythm and blues-style groove to it.
Lyrically the song references a guardian angel type of figure and the original version is only about 2 and a half minutes long. The song begins with a beautiful guitar intro that sets the mood for the rest of the piece and features some of Hendrix’s most masterful guitar playing.
Eric Clapton’s Version
Eric Clapton has been performing Hendrix’s "Little Wing" throughout his career, starting with Derek and the Dominoes to the present.
In this post, I’ll be diving deeper into his guitar style from a live version on KZread with Sheryl Crow. One of the first things you’ll notice in contrast to the original Hendrix version is that Clapton actually raised the key.
Little Wing Guitar Tuning
Hendrix would often tune his guitar down ½ step to E flat standard like this:
6th string = Eb
5th string = Ab
4th string = Db
3rd string = Gb
2nd string = Bb
1st string = Eb
From there he would play the song in Em on his guitar but it would sound as Ebm concert pitch.
Clapton keeps his guitar in standard tuning so:
6th string = E
5th string = A
4th string = D
3rd string = G
2nd string = B
1st string = E
Then from there, he raised the key to F#m. So technically he is playing on his guitar the chord progression that Hendrix was but up 1 whole step.
The Intro
The iconic Hendrix version opens up with him playing through the progression of the song in a beautiful rhythm and blues style of guitar playing similar to Curtis Mayfield or Cornell Dupree, two of Hendrix’s biggest influences.
Clapton however added a driving power chord rock intro that is completely different. To play the intro you’ll need 3 power chord shapes, E5, F#5, and D5.
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