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Eric Johnson - Cliffs Of Dover Pt.1 - Intro - Guitar Lesson

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Eric Johnson - Cliffs Of Dover Pt.1 - Intro - Guitar Lesson

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Eric Johnson - Cliffs Of Dover Pt.1 - Intro guitar lesson video
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Eric Johnson Instrumental Rock G major
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Cliffs Of Dover Pt.1 - Intro

"Cliffs Of Dover" by Eric Johnson is a celebrated instrumental rock piece widely regarded as a showcase of technically refined and melodically rich electric guitar playing. The intro section alone offers guitarists a compelling entry point into Johnson's signature style, which blends clean tone, precise picking, and fluid phrasing. Learning this passage is valuable for players looking to develop tone control and expressive single-note technique.

  • Eric Johnson is known for his exceptionally clean picking technique and meticulous attention to guitar tone, both evident from the opening notes.
  • "Cliffs Of Dover" is an instrumental track, making the guitar the sole voice, every note choice and phrasing decision carries full musical weight.
  • The intro serves as a strong study piece for guitarists working on smooth legato phrasing combined with crisp, articulate picking passages.
Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Eric Johnson's primary instrument, with vintage single-coils and a rolled-back tone knob that deliver warm, articulate lead tones and dynamic range. His signature model features a 1-meg volume pot preserving high-end clarity, essential for his layered clean and overdriven tones.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Johnson uses original PAF humbuckers on his 1958/1959 model for heavier, mid-rich lead work, providing thicker sustain and compression on songs like 'Cliffs of Dover' when pushed through his Marshall head.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

While not explicitly mentioned in Johnson's primary setup, this model shares PAF humbucker characteristics that would deliver similar thick, creamy lead tones and compressed sustain for heavier passages.

Gibson ES-335
Guitar

Gibson ES-335

Johnson switches to this semi-hollow body for jazzier passages mid-song, its balanced tone bridging his bright Strat clarity and Les Paul warmth for sophisticated, articulate lead work.

Fender Twin Reverb
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Fender Twin Reverb

Johnson's core clean and light-crunch amp, run at volumes 5-6 for shimmering clarity and natural reverb that blends with his Marshall's grit to create his signature layered tone.

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9
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Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9

Set with low gain and high level as a clean boost, Johnson's TS9 pushes his amps into natural breakup while preserving the dynamic articulation crucial to his playing style.

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