Guitar Masterclass Band 2 Play in the Style of Eric Clapton: Guitar Book & CD

Stripped-back and soulful, with the kind of restraint and clarity that defines Clapton's approach. Each example captures the emotional directness of his playing: bent notes that ache, clean single-note lines that breathe, and voicings that sit perfectly in a mix.

Intermediate guitarists ready to move beyond generic exercises and study how a specific master constructs his sound. Players who want to understand the building blocks of blues-rock style through hands-on deconstruction of real licks and chord voicings.

• Listen to the CD tracks multiple times before reading the notation. Hearing the phrasing and dynamics first trains your ear to match the style, not just the notes.
• Pay close attention to the bend notation and vibrato marks. Clapton's tone relies as much on subtle string manipulation as on which notes he chooses.
• Work through the riffs slowly at first, using the tab to lock in finger placement. Once the muscle memory is solid, gradually match the tempo and feel of the recorded examples.
• Study how Clapton uses space and silence. His licks often sound more powerful because of what he doesn't play. Don't rush to fill every beat.

Assign this as supplementary material for students developing a personal style or preparing for jazz and blues electives. The notation and tab combination makes it ideal for self-study between lessons, while the CD provides the reference standard every intermediate player needs to hear repeatedly.

• Identifying and executing signature blues-rock licks and riffs
• Reading and interpreting bend, vibrato, and articulation notation
• Understanding chord voicings and substitutions typical of Clapton's comping style
• Matching recorded examples through careful listening and ear training
• Building vocabulary in minor pentatonic and blues scale applications