Psychedelic Rock Guitar

17 songs · 4 artists

Psychedelic rock expanded what the guitar could do. Effects, feedback, unusual scales and experimental techniques turned the instrument into something otherworldly. Born in the mid-60s, it influenced everything from prog to shoegaze.

Jimi Hendrix is the undisputed king of psychedelic guitar, and our collection is built around his groundbreaking work. You'll also find songs from The Doors and The Beatles.

Psychedelic Guitar: Beyond Conventional Playing

Jimi Hendrix changed guitar forever. He used feedback as a musical element, pioneered the wah pedal as an expressive tool, played rhythm and lead simultaneously, and combined blues feeling with avant-garde experimentation. Songs like Purple Haze sound simple on the surface but reveal layers of complexity when you study them closely.

Psychedelic guitar also relies heavily on effects: fuzz, delay, phaser, univibe and reverb are all part of the toolkit. The tone is about creating atmosphere and texture as much as playing notes.

Start with Purple Haze for the iconic Hendrix chord voicings. Explore more of Hendrix's catalog on his artist page.

Psychedelic rock lives primarily in the 60s. For its evolution, check Progressive Rock.