Joe Satriani - Cryin' - Guitar Lesson

About Cryin'

Few Satriani pieces sit as comfortably under the fingers as "Cryin'" while still demanding real expressive control. Written in E minor at a steady 120 BPM in standard tuning, the song is built around lyrical lead playing rather than flash, which means your phrasing and vibrato are constantly exposed. The signature melody leans heavily on string bends that need to be in tune and held with conviction, and the slow-burn feel rewards a behind-the-beat approach that many players rush. Getting the vocal quality out of those bends is the real challenge here. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the main melodic phrases slowed down, listening carefully to where each bend peaks and settles before you try it at full tempo. Joe Satriani has described this piece as one of his most emotionally direct, and that intent is audible in every note choice. If you play Instrumental Rock, this track is a solid test of whether your lead tone sings or just sustains.

• The entire song sits in E Standard tuning, so no retuning is needed, but clean intonation on full-step and half-step bends in E minor is essential.
• The melody is built on expressive string bends and vibrato rather than speed, making consistent left-hand technique the main technical hurdle.
• At 120 BPM the tempo is moderate, giving you room to focus on phrasing and dynamics, though matching Satriani's vocal tone requires careful pick attack control.