Creator Area
Sign in Creator Area

The Black Crowes - Hard To Handle Guitar Solo Lesson - Guitar Lesson

Practice Studio

The Black Crowes - Hard To Handle Guitar Solo Lesson - Guitar Lesson

Sections · Loop · Speed · Metronome

Not in tune?

Select a Loop

Start of your loop
End of your loop

Speed Control

Speed
100%

Tools

BPM
Key E minor
The Black Crowes - Hard To Handle Guitar Solo Lesson guitar lesson video
Guitar 365
Guitar 365 Top Contributor
YouTube: 1.6Msubs 209Kviews
Creator Page →
PLAY WITH BACKING TRACK
·
–50¢ 0 +50¢
· Tap to start

Your browser will ask for microphone permission.

Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
AI tone preset

AI-selected preset based on genre and era — adjust the knobs to taste.

Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
Listen on Spotify
The Black Crowes Blues Rock E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

Hard To Handle Guitar Solo Lesson

"Hard To Handle" is a blues-rock track performed by The Black Crowes, originally written by Otis Redding. The Black Crowes brought the song to a new generation with a raw, guitar-driven arrangement that highlights classic Southern rock sensibility. Its expressive solo makes it an excellent study piece for electric guitarists looking to develop blues phrasing, bending technique, and improvisational feel.

  • The song was originally written by Otis Redding, giving it deep roots in soul and R&B that inform the guitar phrasing throughout.
  • The Black Crowes' version leans heavily on blues-rock guitar tones, making it ideal for practicing expressive string bends and vibrato.
  • Learning this solo helps guitarists understand how to blend pentatonic blues lines with a loose, improvisational feel rooted in classic rock.
Fender Telecaster
Guitar

Fender Telecaster

Marc Ford's weapon of choice during his Black Crowes tenure, adding snappy brightness and articulation to lead lines that cut through Rich Robinson's warm rhythm foundation. The Tele's natural twang complements the band's blues-rock swagger.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Rich Robinson's primary voice, with late-'50s and early-'60s spec PAF humbuckers delivering warm, thick midrange and dynamic responsiveness. His ability to shift from clean shimmer to crunchy overdrive via pick attack and volume knob control defines The Black Crowes' signature tone.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

A heavier Les Paul variant offering deeper, more aggressive midrange character than the Standard, giving the band tonal variety for harder-hitting passages. Its thicker body adds sustain and compression for drive-heavy moments.

Gibson ES-335
Guitar

Gibson ES-335

Rich Robinson's semi-hollow secret weapon, providing a slightly more transparent, resonant character than solid Les Pauls while maintaining PAF humbucker warmth. Perfect for cleaner passages where note definition and natural feedback control matter.

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)
Amp

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)

The 1959 Super Lead is The Black Crowes' tone foundation, delivering natural tube breakup and power tube compression that responds to pick dynamics without high-gain distortion. Pushed hard for that organic, touch-sensitive overdrive essential to their blues-rock groove.

Marshall JTM45
Amp

Marshall JTM45

Rich Robinson's lighter-duty vintage Marshall option, offering similar tube-driven breakup character to the 1959 at lower wattages. Perfect for capturing that sweet spot where power tubes compress and every pick articulation cuts through.

Recommended for You

Play with Backing Track

Play with Backing Track

Solo (Backing Track)

Solo (Backing Track)