little wing

Photo by Katrena Wise

Intermediate

Intermediate

  • Break down what makes Eric’s approach so unique.
  • Learn Hendrix’s “Little Wing” from a whole new perspective.
  • Pick up some new muscle memory on unusual chord shapes.
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Eric Gales’ method of playing a right-handed guitar left-handed and upside down gives him a sound that’s distinctively his. If you watch videos of him playing, you’ll notice he plays with his thumb wrapped around the top of the neck, like Jimi Hendrix or John Mayer. However, since his guitar strings are flipped upside down, his thumb is fretting what would be the first string to most people. This not only puts your brain in a whirl when trying to steal licks, but it also opens the door for some truly unique chord voicings. Gales, who fuses blues, rock, and classical together, constantly manages to play some truly otherworldly licks and passages.

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Melissa Dougherty on Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing" | Hooked

The 6-string foil for Grace VanderWaal and Mayer Hawthorne was mesmerized by the guitar god's dexterous orchestration and explains why the song is great for teaching solo-guitar compositions.

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