Cross Road Blues (Cream version tab)
(arr. By Eric Clapton/tabbed by David Ashear)
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Crossroads Slowhand Discussion
"And, of course, there
was Cream. I still love to sit alone in a room and wrap myself up in that music.
They created an amazing fusion of Blues and hard rock, and some of their most
beautyful songs were covers."
- Martin Scorsese, Feel
Like Going Home [1]
Let's go back into
the 60's to learn a bit more about how to build up a Blues based guitar solo.
The history of Cream is filling books, it was one of the first so called
"super groups" in rock music. Bruce's and Baker's more jazz-based
backgound together with Clapton's Blues roots created a new magic music style,
they were among the first who introduced long improvisations into modern
popular music. And this is where we want to take a closer look at - building up
a solo architecture like telling a good story instead of the flashy "look
how fast I can play"-style.
General Thoughts
No, not again all
this scales and progressions stuff. You've read enough about it before, now
it's time to go one step ahead. You should know about the basics, have your
favourite licks, but now you need to know more about the way you can use it.
You should know how to express your thoughts while playing without thinking
about scales.
Compare it with
learning a new language. Imagine you've learned some words and some grammar
too, but you still think in your native language and translate it back. That's
time consuming and doesn't give you all possibilities the new language may
have. A child learns to speak without any grammar. It gets a feeling for the
words and sentences. That's what we need for our guitar playing, too. The
ability to think in music directly. You need some experience to do that, no
doubt. A good way to train this is trying to play the songs or licks you're
listening to on the radio or CD or watching on MTV, VH-1, your favourite Blues
DVD or video etc. and then trying to add your own ideas. Composing while playing.
This could be also
entitled
"Why is
someone playing with the speed of light not automatically the better (Blues)
guitar player?"
The reason is that
being able to play fast is useless if you don't find the right notes in
real-time, while playing. You can learn a song note-for-note, play it faster
and faster, inlcude tapping, sweep picking, palm-muted speed picking until no
one can follow, but if you play your solo, you're helpless. Speed is not evil
by itself, a good technique as well, but it's no end in itself. It's more
important to be able to express yourself through the guitar, that you know
which notes/licks/phrases will move the audience. Sometimes a fast run is great
to outline raw energy (like on the following Crossroads), but don't overload a
song running scales up and down. That's boring. Shredding is nice if you want
to build up some speed, but it's a hard time to listen to. There's nothing to
discover.
Below I'll discuss
some songs from Clapton's Cream era. Although I have to use tablature to
explain some things, you should not simply copy them trying to sound like EC.
Look behind and try to find out why it's played that way and how you would have
done that. Think in music.
Crossroads
Eric clapton, please...
vocals
- Jack Bruce at the end of
the song
I've always had
'Crossroads' held up as, like, one of the great landmarks of guitar playing,
but most of that solo is on the wrong beat. Instead of playing on the two and
four, I'm playing on the one and three and thinking, 'that's the off beat.' No
wonder people think it's so good-because it's wrong!"
- Eric Clapton, April '98
interview with Britain's Mojo.
Robert Johnson
composed this Blues classic and recorded it in 1936. Many Blues greats from
Ellmore James to Homesick James played their version of it, there's also a
movie where Ry Cooder played the soundtrack. Crossroads was among the first
Blues songs which EC played in a completely new way, mixing it with Johnson's
Traveling Riverside Blues, he also sang the lead vocals. This one is the live
version from the album "Wheels Of Fire", with the timeline included
from "Those Were The Days" (+ 9 sec.). It was recorded live at the
Winterland Ballroom on the 10th March, 1968, EC played a '61 Gibson SG-shaped
Les Paul, light-gauge Fender Rock and Roll strings, and a 100-watt Marshall
stack (Guitar Player 01/1999). Later versions of Crossroads lack a bit of that
fire, they were slowed down to a slow Blues or even reggae style.
Crossroads is a
standard Blues in A (A7/D7/E7) with the beat going on 1 and 3 rather than on 2
and 4 (EC's "error", see the quote above). This one is good to start
with because it's short and uses the typical 12bar chord progression even
during most of the solos.
At first the
intro, listen to it and assign the chord progression. The first 4 bars use the
A chord (I) like:
I-----------------I---------------------I--------------------I---------------------I
I-----------------I---------------------I--------2-0-2-------I--------2-0-2--------I
I--2--2-0-2-0h2-0-I------2--2-0-2-0h2-0-I--------2-0-2-0h2-0-I--------2-0-2-0h2-0--I
I--2--------------I------2--------------I--------------------I---------------------I
I--0--------------I-3b4--0--------------I-3b4--0-------------I-3b4--0--------------I
I-----------------I---------------------I--------------------I---------------------I
0:09
Use the palm of
your picking hand to mute the strings. To increase the power of the 3rd and 4th
bar EC used double stops. We know already what has to follow according to the
12 bar Blues structure - you're right, the next two bars use the D7 chord (IV):
I-----------------2-----I---------2-2---2-----I
I-----------1-1-------1-I-------------1-----1-I
I---------------2---2---I-----------------2---I
I------0-0--------------I-----0-0-------------I
I--3b4------------------I-3b4-----------------I
I-----------------------I---------------------I
0:16
Notice that the
strings are allowed to ring out in opposite to the first 4 bars. The next wo
bars are played like the 3rd and 4th bar (A chord, see above, still following
the 12bar structure). After this EC left the "playing with
chords"-mode completely and finished with a fast run over the minor A
Blues scale, including his favourite major note on the 6th fret of the G
string, the note that separates the A minor from the A major chord. He ends
with the root note of the V chord E7, opening it for the vocals:
I---------------------------------------------------5--------------------------------I
I-------------------------------------------------5---8h(5)---5-----------7----------I
I------------------------5b(6)---7h5---5b-6---5h6-----------7---5h6---5h6------------I
I-----------2-2------5-7-------7-----7------7-----------------------7----------------I
I-3b4-0-----0-0--5/7--------------------------------------------------------7~~------I
I-------0-------------------------------------------------------------------0--------I
0:24
Now we have 3
vocal choruses with some fills in the style above. The chords still follow the
12 bar blues progression, as does at 1:37 the first solo. We start using some
deep notes of the A major pentatonic scale and work up to higher notes of the
minor pentatonic. Adding a few double stops gives additional power. The solo is
2 x 12 bars long and uses the quick change standard Blues structure. Try to
associate the notes played to the corresponding chords: A(I) - D(IV) - E7(V).
Remember that in Blues you can play major and minor pentatonic scale notes over
major (seventh) chords.
measure 1 - 4
I----------------------------------------------5---5---------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------5h7-5-7---5h7-----------------------------I
I-----2---2-2---2---4b(6)------2---2---------------------7-5h6------------5~~--6p5---I
I-2h4---4-----4---4--------2h4---4---4/6-----------------------7------5-7----------7-I
I-----------------------------------------------------------------5-7----------------I
I-major scale
notes------------------------------------------------------------------I
1:37
measure 5 - 8
I-------5---------------------------------------------------5--------8-10------I
I---------8-----------------------------8-----------------5---8b(10)------10~~-I
I-7b(9)-----7b(9)-5h7~-5h7p5----5h7/9-9---9\7-5b------5h6----------------------I
I----------------------------7-------------------7-7---------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I-minor scale
notes------------------------------------------------------------I
1:44
measure 9 - 12
I-------8-------8---------------------------------------------5--------------------------------I
I--8h10---8h10-----------------------5----------------------5---8p5---5------------------------I
I-----------------9\7-5-7p5----5h6-7---7-5b-------------5h6---------7---5h7p5b--------5h6------I
I---------------------------7---------------7----------------------------------7-5-7-----------I
I---------------------------------------------7\5------------------------------------------7~--I
I-------------------------------------------------8b-5-------------------------------------E---I
1:51
Before going on,
try to play variations of this theme. Start with minor notes (1-4) only and
listen to the difference of sound.
Next one with some
double stops, still not going above the 12th fret (leaving it for the final
solo to increase the tension):
I--8b------10-11-12-12b(13)-8b--------8b----------------------------------8b-10b(12)-I
I-----10~~---------------------10~10~-----/8-8-8--------------/8-8-8-8h10------------I
I-----------------------------------------/9-9-8-9\7-5--------/9-9-9-----------------I
I------------------------------------------------------7-5-7~------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
1:58
I--10b(12)-10b(12)-10b(12)rb10p8-10-------8b--10b(12)rb10-8-10----------------7b-----I
I-----------------------------------10-10----------------------10p8h10------8-8b-----I
I-----------------------------------------------------------------------7h9------\7--I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
2:06
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I--------------------10-10----10-10-10-12p10----10~~~----------10----10-12b(14)------I
I-5b-7p5---5-7/9-11b-------11----------------11-------11--9h11----11-----------------I
I--------7---------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
2:12
I-------------------------------------------I
I-12b(14)-----------------------------------I
I---------10~~------------------------------I
I------------------5h7p5--------------------I
I--------------5h7-------7-5---(vocals...)--I
I----------------------------5--------------I
2:18
Although in this
solo we have found many things we've learned before like the use of major notes
in minor scales, the power of 1+5 double stops, the root note as the main note
to resolve the tension to and not to forget bends and vibrato even when we're
playing fast, we can feel (or hear) that this was not the final solo of that
song. As mentioned before, we left one option open: stepping to higher notes
above the 12th fret. At 2:41 it's time for the second solo, and we start around
the 17th fret, which is not easy on guitars with short necks (21 frets or
less). Another problem is the high distorted sound together with the feedback
of the marshall amps, so it sounds quite different if played "clean".
I--------------------------------------------17-------------17-17-17-----------------I
I----------17-17-17--17----------17----------------------------------20b(22)~~~------I
I--19b(21)--------------19b(21)-------19b(21)----repeat...---------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
2:41
I---17-------------------------------17------------------20b(22)-20-17h20p17---------I
I------20-------------------------17----20p17--------------------------------20------I
I---------(21)rb19-17-19----17-18-------------19-17b---------------------------------I
I------------------------19--------------------------19------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I---------------------------Compare
it to the intro (+12 frets)!---------------------I
2:44
I--17-----------17-------------------------------------------------------------------I
I-----20b(22)~~----20--------------------------17------------------------------------I
I---------------------(21)rb19-17-19-----17-19----19b~~-17--17----17-17----17--------I
I-------------------------------------19--------------------17h19----19-17-----------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
2:50
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I-17-------17----17-17-------17----17-------------17-------17----17-19-17------------I
I-17h19-19----19----17h19-19----19----------17h19----17h19----19----19----19---------I
I-------------------------------------17h19-------------------------------root!------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
2:54
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I--------17-17---------17-17-17-17--20p17----17-------------20b(22)rb20--------------I
I-19b(21-------19b(21)--------------------19----17p19h17----------------17-19-17~~~--I
I--------------------------------------------------------19--------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
2:57
I----------------------------17------------17----17---------17----20p17----20b(22)---I
I----------------------17-19----20b(22)~~~----20----20b(22)----20-------20-----------I
I----------17-17---------------------------------------------------------------------I
I-19p17----17-17---------------------------------------------------------------------I
I-------19-------19~~~---------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
3:01
I-20b-17----17------------17---------------------------------------------------------I
I--------20----20b(22)~~~----20-17-20-------------17b(19)rb17-15-17------------------I
I-------------------------------------19-17-19----------------------17h19~~-17h19p17-I
I----------------------------------------------19------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
3:05
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I-----17-19-----------------------17----17-------17-----------------17~~~-----20p17--I
I-----17-19--------17-19----17h16----19----17h18----19p17-----17-19-------19---------I
I--19-------19--19-------19-------------------------------19-------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
3:12
I----------------------------------17------------------------------------------------I
I-----20p17----20p17----20b(22)~~-----20-17------------------------------------------I
I--19-------19-------19---------------------19b(21)-17-19-17-------17b---------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------19-19-----19p17---------I
I----------------------------------------------------------------------------19------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
3:17
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I-----------------------------------------------17-19-19b-19-19b-19-19b-19-19b-------I
I-17-19-17----17-17----17-17----17-17-17--------17-19-19b-19-19b-19-19b-19-19b-------I
I-17-19-17-19-17-17-19-------19-17-17-17-19-19---------------------------------------I
I----------19------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
3:21
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I----19b----19b----19b----19p17------------------------------------------------------I
I-19-----19-----19-----19-------19b-17~~---------17----17-17-17----17-17-----17------I
I---------------------------------------19p17----17h19-19-19-17h19-19-19--19---------I
I---------------------------------------------19-------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
3:27
I----------------------------17-----------------------------17---------------17------I
I--20p17----20p17----20b(22)----20-17-20b(22)-20-17-20b(22)----20-17-20b(22)----20---I
I--------19-------19-----------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
3:29
I-----------------------------------------------17-------------------------19b(21)---I
I-17-----------------------------------------17----20p17----17-----------------------I
I----19b(21)rb19p17----19-17-----------17h18-------------19----17h19p17--------------I
I-------------------19-------19p17-19-----------------------------------19-----------I
I--------------------------------------compare
to the intro:-------------------------I
I--------------------------------------one
octave higher!----------------------------I
3:33
I-19b(21)-17-19----17~~----17----17-17----19b(21)----20b(22)-20-17h20p17----17~------I
I---------------19------19----19-------19---------17---------------------20----------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
3:36
I---------17--------------------------------------------I
I-20b(22)----20-17-------------------------------17-----I
I------------------19b(21)rb19p17-19p17----17h18--------I
I---------------------------------------19--------------I
I---------------------------------------------------19--I
I-------------------------------------------------------I
3:42
You see that EC is
playing with the licks, combining and using on different positions of the
scale. When reaching the end of the playable scale and it seems he can't
increase the tension, he again used double stops to go one step ahead. Analyse
them and try to find out which chords belong to them. Take a look at the simple
but effective turnaround at the end of the solo: going back to the root note
and then without a break adding notes from the V chord (E7) ending with E,
waiting for the last verse to come. Finally: this is not something to learn
note for note. Listen close how to use what you've learned and try your own
style!