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Eric Clapton - Cocaine - Guitar Lesson

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Key E major
Eric Clapton - Cocaine guitar lesson video
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Slowhand 35th Anniversary (Super Deluxe) album cover
Slowhand 35th Anniversary (Super Deluxe)
1977 3:42
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Eric Clapton Blues Rock 1977 E major
Capo Advisor 0 E major · Original key

About Cocaine

Few riffs in Blues Rock are as immediately recognizable as the one that opens "Cocaine." Built around a repeating E-based motif, it sits in E major at 120 BPM, which feels deceptively comfortable until you try to nail the tone and the tight, punchy articulation that makes it hit so hard. The key challenge is not the notes themselves but the confident, clipped picking attack and the way each phrase locks into the groove. Eric Clapton plays the riff with a slight edge that demands clean left-hand muting to keep the low end controlled and the rhythm crisp. Standard E tuning means everything is where you expect it, but getting the tone right requires a bright, slightly overdriven sound. When you work up to the full 120 BPM, use the Practice Toolbar to loop the main riff slowed down first, focusing on keeping that muting tight before you push the tempo.

  • The song's signature riff is built on a single repeating E-based motif, making left-hand muting essential to keep the rhythm punchy and controlled.
  • Played in E standard tuning at 120 BPM, the tempo feels moderate but demands precise picking attack to capture the riff's tight, driving feel.
  • A bright, slightly overdriven tone is key to matching the guitar sound on the recording, so dial in your amp or pedal before running the riff at speed.

How to Play Cocaine

Tuning: E Standard · Key: E major · Tempo: 120 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 120 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Clapton's primary instrument from the 1970s onward, his signature Strat features Vintage Noiseless pickups and an active mid-boost circuit that pushes clean Fender amps into controlled breakup, delivering his trademark smooth yet slightly gritty tone.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

The 'Beano' Les Paul with original PAF humbuckers paired with a cranked Marshall JTM45 created Clapton's legendary creamy, sustaining overdrive that defined the Bluesbreakers era and established his blues-rock foundation.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

While less documented than the Standard, Clapton's occasional use of this model maintained the thick PAF humbucker character essential to his early power-blues tone during his transitional years.

Gibson SG Standard
Guitar

Gibson SG Standard

Clapton's SG with PAF humbuckers and a cranked Marshall during Cream produced his searing, sustain-rich lead tone that became iconic for psychedelic blues-rock soloing and feedback exploration.

Gibson ES-335
Guitar

Gibson ES-335

The semi-hollow ES-335 with Derek and the Dominos gave Clapton a warmer, more articulate midrange response ideal for the soulful, slightly compressed tone heard on 'Layla' and bluesy slide work.

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

From the mid-1970s onward, Clapton's shift to the Twin Reverb running relatively clean allowed his Strat's mid-boost circuit to drive natural amp breakup, creating his refined blues tone without heavy overdrive pedals.

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