All Along The Watchtower- Jimi Hendrix

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Bob Dylan reportedly refused to play his song “All Along The Watchtower” anymore at concerts after hearing Hendrix’s soaring version. “It’s his song now” said Dylan.

Hendrix really brings out the big guns for the multiple solos featured in the song. Here’s a detailed look at the first solo.

Notes

  • A pickup is a note or sequence of notes which precedes the first downbeat in a bar in a musical phrase
  • The first solo has three pickup notes beginning in the fifth measure
  • A musical rest means the instrument is at rest- in other words, don’t play!
  • The lead guitar rests for the first four measures of the song

Lesson Resources

The following downloads are for Lead Workshop students only:

MP3 Jam Track

Solo 1 Tab/Music

Stairway To Heaven Part 3

Now, it’s time to put it together! Practice playing both parts together.

No Stairway?

This intro from Stairway To Heaven has been the butt of a few jokes over the years because it seemed that every time you went to the music shop someone would be hunched overplaying it.

Maybe you’ll remember the scene from the movie “Wayne’s World”:

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Changing To The Interlude…

The tail end of the riff changes when leading into the interlude. It’s just a two-note walk (A and B note) into what will be a C in the next measure (not shown).