Smokestack Lightnin' - Tutorial + Tab

 


In this video, I will show you how to play the guitar part from the famous blues song Smokestack Lightnin' by Howlin' Wolf. The guitar part is actually very small and is only 2 bars long. This 2 bar riff is then repeated throughout the entire song. It is quite easy to play and shouldn't be too hard to learn, but there is some playing advice below to help you. This guitar piece is on the key of E in 4/4 time and is played on a standard tuned guitar.

 Smokestack Lightnin' Tab - Power Tab - PDF - TXT

Playing Advice

  • Keep the thumb moving - The song is in the key of E and only has one chord which is E. Throught the whole song the guitar plays the E bass note constantly on every beat of the bar. This is done by playing the lowest E string open with the thumb. You have to make sure to keep the thumb moving and keep playing this bass note on every beat of the bar to make it sound true to the original. Its easy to miss some of these bass notes or play them out of time, so try to be consistent as this regular bass pattern is a vital part of this song. 
  • Legato Slide - At the end of the 1st bar there is a slide from fret 2 to 4 on the G string. This slide is a legato slide, not a shift slide. In a legato slide you play the string when it is at fret 2 and then slide up to fret 4. You dont strike the again when you are at fret 4. If it were a shift slide, you would strike the string again. By using a legato slide, it gives the riff it's distinctive sound.
  • Off the Beat - At the end of the 1st bar you play the slide from fret 2 to 4 on the G string. This slide takes place 7/8 through the 1st bar and not on the first beat of the 2nd bar. The slide starts just before the end of the first bar and you slide up to fret 4 so you arrive at fret 4 on the first beat of the 2nd bar. This can be seen by looking at the music. It is easy to get this out of sync and start it on the 2nd bar and force in a quick slide to keep in time with the music. Although this doesnt sound too bad, it doesnt sound like the original. To get that distinctive long, legato slide you must start the slide at the end of the 1st bar of the music.
  • Getting the right fingers - When doing the slide from fret 2 to 4, I would recommend using the ring finger on your fretting hand for playing the slide. The reason for this is that it allows your middle finger and index finger to be in the correct position for playing the subsequent notes. You dont have to use this finger but if you dont you will have to jump around needessly to fret the next notes. It seems slightly unnatural to use your ring finger when fretting a note on fret 2 of the guitar but once you practise it a bit, it wont pose too many problems.
 
This is about all I need to say about this piece. The little slide between bars 1 and 2 is the trickiest part but with practise shouldn't pose too many problems. And just make sure to keep those bass notes with the thumb regular, contsant, and in time. Have fun playing this classic blues piece

Thanks for Reading,
Neil

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