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Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Child Pt.2 (1st Solo) - Guitar Lesson

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Key E minor
Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Child Pt.2 (1st Solo) guitar lesson video
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Jimi Hendrix Blues Rock E minor
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About Voodoo Child Pt.2 (1st Solo)

Few guitar solos in Blues Rock demand as much feel and spontaneity as the first solo in "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)." Jimi Hendrix built the whole track around a wah-drenched, thumb-over-the-neck approach that makes the bends and vibrato land with a raw, vocal quality. Playing in E minor at 98 BPM in Eb Standard tuning, you need to account for the slightly looser string tension, which actually helps with the wide bends Hendrix throws throughout. The real challenge is not hitting the notes but making them breathe: the phrasing sits behind the beat, the vibrato is wide and slow, and the dynamics shift constantly. Focus on each phrase in isolation and use the Practice Toolbar to loop sections slowed down so you can hear exactly where Hendrix sits in relation to the groove before you try to match his feel at full tempo.

  • The solo is played in Eb Standard tuning, a half step down from standard, which gives the bends a slightly looser, more expressive feel.
  • Hendrix's wah pedal is central to the tone here, used rhythmically rather than as a simple sweep, so practising with a wah is worth the effort.
  • Wide vibrato and behind-the-beat phrasing are the core technical challenges, more so than the speed of any individual lick.

How to Play Voodoo Child Pt.2 (1st Solo)

Tuning: Eb Standard · Key: E minor · Tempo: 98 BPM

It is played in Eb standard, a half step down, so tune down before you start or every position and bend will sit a half step sharp against the recording.

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 98 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Hendrix's reversed left-handed Strats with stock single-coils delivered bright, articulate tone with pronounced string separation that sang when driven through cranked tubes. The in-between pickup positions created his signature quack tones, while the volume knob let him dynamically shape fuzz in real time.

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)
Amp

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)

Hendrix pushed the Marshall 1959's power tubes to natural saturation, generating thick, harmonically rich overdrive that became his signature sound. The amp's aggressive breakup complemented his single-coils perfectly, delivering singing sustain without compressing his dynamic touch.

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

In the studio, Hendrix used the Twin Reverb's cleaner headroom to capture sparkling, articulate tones and explore different breakup characteristics than the Marshall. Its built-in reverb added spaciousness to tracks like 'Little Wing' without relying on external effects.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Hendrix treated the Cry Baby as an expressive tone-shaping tool, rocking it rhythmically mid-riff on 'Voodoo Child' rather than just switching it on and off. The pedal's resonant sweep perfectly complemented his fuzz textures and added vocal-like expressiveness to his soloing.

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