Stevie Ray Vaughan - Lenny - Famous Riffs - Guitar Lesson

About Lenny - Famous Riffs

Few guitar pieces demand the combination of fingerstyle delicacy and expressive bends that "Lenny" asks for. Written by Stevie Ray Vaughan as a tender tribute to his wife, it sits at a gentle 60 BPM, which can fool you into thinking it is easy. At that slow tempo, every note is exposed, and the slightest timing wobble or uneven finger pressure shows immediately. The song is played in Eb Standard tuning, so drop your whole guitar a half step before you start, and the key of E minor gives the melody its bittersweet, floating quality. The signature moves are the smooth thumb-over-bass notes combined with melodic single-note lines on the upper strings, all while keeping a soft, rolling feel typical of Blues Rock balladry. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the opening melodic statement slowed down until your right-hand fingerpicking pattern feels completely automatic before you add any left-hand vibrato or bends.

• The song is played in Eb Standard tuning, a half step below concert pitch, so retune before attempting any of the chord voicings or bends.
• The fingerpicking pattern combines thumb-driven bass notes with melodic treble lines simultaneously, making right-hand independence the central technical challenge.
• At 60 BPM the slow tempo leaves every note fully exposed, so looping it slowed down to build clean tone and even vibrato is essential before playing up to speed.