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John Mayer - Waiting On The World To Change Pt.2 - Solo & Outro - Guitar Lesson

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Key E major
John Mayer - Waiting On The World To Change Pt.2 - Solo & Outro guitar lesson video
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Classic Rock

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Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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John Mayer Blues Rock E major
Capo Advisor 0 E major · Original key

About Waiting On The World To Change Pt.2 - Solo & Outro

The solo and outro section of this track is where John Mayer really steps into his element as a Blues Rock guitarist. Playing in E major in standard tuning gives you full access to the open-position blues pentatonic shapes that Mayer draws on heavily here, and a lot of the expressive weight comes from string bends, vibrato control, and phrasing that breathes rather than fills every beat. The challenge is not hitting the notes, it is making them sing the way he does, keeping bends in tune and letting the vibrato settle naturally rather than forcing it. Nailing that feel takes repetition on small two or four bar phrases, so use the Practice Toolbar to loop individual licks slowed down until the muscle memory is there before bringing them back up to tempo. The outro in particular layers melodic ideas that reward close listening, so spend time with each phrase in isolation before stitching the whole section together.

  • The solo sits in E major, making open-position pentatonic and major blues scale shapes a natural fit across familiar fretboard territory.
  • Expressive string bends and controlled vibrato carry most of the melodic weight here, so intonation on those bends is the core technical challenge.
  • Looping the outro phrases slowed down is especially useful, as the melodic layering can obscure individual note choices at full speed.

How to Play Waiting On The World To Change Pt.2 - Solo & Outro

Tuning: E Standard · Key: E major

Use the section loop to isolate a passage and drop the speed to build each section up to tempo.

Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Mayer's foundation guitar before the PRS Silver Sky, his sunburst '64 Strat and Black1 Custom Shop model defined his early tone with their responsive single-coils that let his picking dynamics shine. The Strat's vintage tremolo and feel remain deeply embedded in his playing style and note articulation.

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

Mayer uses the '65 Twin Reverb for his cleanest tones, letting him achieve glassy, touch-sensitive breakup at moderate volumes without relying on gain. Its natural reverb and headroom complement his approach of using amp dynamics rather than heavy distortion.

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9
Pedal

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9

The TS10 pushes Mayer's amp into bluesy overdrive with midrange presence, essential for his soulful lead work on tracks like 'Gravity' and blues jams. This pedal adds grit without obscuring the pick dynamics and string clarity central to his tone.

Boss CE-2 Chorus
Pedal

Boss CE-2 Chorus

Mayer prominently featured this vintage chorus on 'Last Train Home' and throughout Sob Rock, using it to add shimmer and movement to his rhythm tones. The CE-2's lush, organic modulation fits his aesthetic of tasteful effects that enhance rather than dominate.

MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay
Pedal

MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay

The MXR analog delay provides Mayer with warm, repeating textures for slapback and ambient effects without digital artifacts. It sits perfectly in his pedalboard philosophy of color-adding tools that maintain the clarity and touch-sensitivity of his core amp tone.

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