Eric Johnson - Manhattan Pt.3 - Second A & B Sections - Guitar Lesson

About Manhattan Pt.3 - Second A & B Sections

The second A and B sections of "Manhattan Pt.3" sit at 120 BPM in standard E tuning, but don't let that fool you into thinking the tempo makes things comfortable. Eric Johnson writes guitar parts that demand clean articulation at every dynamic level, and these sections are no exception. The B section in particular tends to be where phrasing falls apart for most players, because the melodic lines ask for precise pick attack and smooth position shifts simultaneously. Work through each section in isolation before linking them, and use the Practice Toolbar to loop the B section slowed down until the hand position changes feel automatic. The A section rewards attention to tone and touch as much as technique, so listen carefully to how notes decay rather than just whether you hit the right pitches. This is Progressive Rock writing at its most detail-oriented, where the difference between a competent run and a musical phrase is almost entirely in the right hand.

• At 120 BPM in E Standard tuning, the challenge is not raw speed but maintaining clean articulation and consistent pick attack across both sections.
• The B section involves melodic position shifts that benefit greatly from slow, isolated repetition, making the Practice Toolbar's loop and slow-down feature especially useful here.
• Right-hand control and touch sensitivity are central to this piece, as Johnson's phrasing relies heavily on dynamic shading within each phrase.