Creator Area
Sign in Creator Area

Practice Studio

Jimi Hendrix - Manic Depression - 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
Jimi Hendrix - Manic Depression guitar lesson video
Guitar 365
Guitar 365 Top Contributor
YouTube: 1.6Msubs 103Kviews
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.
Are You Experienced album cover
Are You Experienced
1967 3:42
Listen on Spotify
Jimi Hendrix Psychedelic Rock 1967 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Manic Depression

Few Hendrix tracks put rhythm feel front and centre quite like "Manic Depression." The song is built on a waltz-time groove in 3/4, which immediately sets it apart from the straight-ahead rock most guitarists are used to. In E minor, the chord shapes themselves are not especially complex, but landing them with the right behind-the-beat weight is genuinely tricky. Jimi Hendrix floats his rhythm guitar loosely over Mitch Mitchell's busy drumming, and matching that loose, swinging pocket without rushing the one-beat takes real patience. The lead work is sparse but expressive, leaning heavily on bends and vibrato in the upper register. Getting those expressive details right is where most of the work lives. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the rhythm section slowed down until the 3/4 feel is natural in your hands before you bring it back up to speed.

  • The song is in 3/4 waltz time, making it one of the few Hendrix tracks that demands you internalize a triple-meter groove on rhythm guitar.
  • Playing in E minor keeps the open low E string available as a resonant anchor, but the challenge is phrasing bends and vibrato with Hendrix's loose, vocal quality.
  • Rhythm guitar tone here is relatively clean and bright, so even small timing inconsistencies in the chord hits are clearly audible.

How to Play Manic Depression

Key: E minor · Tempo: 132 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 132 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Hendrix's reversed left-handed Strats with stock single-coils delivered bright, articulate tone with pronounced string separation that sang when driven through cranked tubes. The in-between pickup positions created his signature quack tones, while the volume knob let him dynamically shape fuzz in real time.

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)
Amp

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)

Hendrix pushed the Marshall 1959's power tubes to natural saturation, generating thick, harmonically rich overdrive that became his signature sound. The amp's aggressive breakup complemented his single-coils perfectly, delivering singing sustain without compressing his dynamic touch.

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

In the studio, Hendrix used the Twin Reverb's cleaner headroom to capture sparkling, articulate tones and explore different breakup characteristics than the Marshall. Its built-in reverb added spaciousness to tracks like 'Little Wing' without relying on external effects.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Hendrix treated the Cry Baby as an expressive tone-shaping tool, rocking it rhythmically mid-riff on 'Voodoo Child' rather than just switching it on and off. The pedal's resonant sweep perfectly complemented his fuzz textures and added vocal-like expressiveness to his soloing.

Recommended for You

Play with Backing Track

Play with Backing Track

Solo (Backing Track)

Solo (Backing Track)