Eric Johnson - Manhattan - Main Solo - Guitar Lesson

About Manhattan - Main Solo

The main solo from "Manhattan" sits at the heart of what makes Eric Johnson such a demanding player to study. At 120 BPM in standard E tuning, the tempo feels comfortable at first glance, but Johnson's phrasing is loaded with quick scalar runs, wide string skips, and his characteristically clean legato lines that demand real left-hand precision. Every note needs to speak evenly, which means sloppy hammer-ons and pull-offs will stick out immediately. The solo also calls for a controlled, singing tone, so your pick attack and the way you shape each phrase matter as much as the technical execution. Pick a phrase that gives you trouble and use the Practice Toolbar to loop it slowed down until the muscle memory is solid before bringing it back up to tempo. Within the broader world of Progressive Rock guitar, this solo rewards patience: nail the clean articulation first, and the musical expression follows naturally.

• The solo sits in E Standard tuning and rewards a light, even pick attack to keep Johnson's characteristic clarity across fast scalar passages.
• String skipping appears throughout the solo, making it worth isolating those leaps with the Practice Toolbar slowed down before attempting full speed.
• Johnson's legato technique is central here, so focus on consistent hammer-on and pull-off volume to avoid weaker notes dropping out of the phrase.