Stevie Ray Vaughan - Cold Shot - Guitar Lesson

Practice Studio

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Cold Shot - 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 F minor
·
–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.

Capo Advisor 0 F minor · Original key

Cold Shot


"Cold Shot" by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble is a blues shuffle that showcases Vaughan's signature Texas blues style, blending tight rhythm work with expressive lead playing. The song appears on compilations spanning his recorded output from 1980 to 1990, reflecting its lasting place in his catalog. For electric guitar players, it offers an excellent study in blues shuffle rhythm, chord voicings, and the kind of economical yet soulful lead phrasing that defined Vaughan's playing.

  • The song features a classic blues shuffle groove, a foundational rhythm pattern every electric guitarist should have in their toolkit.
  • Stevie Ray Vaughan typically tuned his guitar a half-step down to Eb, which affects tone and string tension when learning his songs.
  • "Cold Shot" appears across Stevie Ray Vaughan's compiled recordings spanning a decade, indicating its consistent popularity within his catalog.
Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

SRV's heavily worn '63 'Number One' with thick .013-.058 strings and responsive single-coils defined his expressive, dynamic tone. The guitar's worn frets and responsive pickups let him control saturation purely through picking attack and volume knob, a cornerstone of his finger-driven style.

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9
Pedal

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9

SRV used the TS9 as a clean boost with minimal drive, maxing the level to push his cranked tube amps into heavier saturation while adding midrange focus. This approach preserved his dynamic control and kept the tone transparent, letting his fingers shape every nuance of sustain and breakup.