Jimi Hendrix - The Wind Cries Mary - Guitar Tab

Are You Experienced

1967 3:21

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About The Wind Cries Mary

At 76 BPM in Eb major, "The Wind Cries Mary" sits at a gentle, unhurried pace that can fool you into underestimating it. The whole song is built around a series of chromatic chord walks, where the chords slide up or down by a half-step to land on the next position. Getting those transitions clean and in time is the real challenge, and the Practice Toolbar is exactly where you want to spend time here, looping each transition slowed down until the movement feels natural under your fingers. The lead fills between vocal phrases demand a light, singing touch rather than any aggressive attack, so right-hand dynamics matter as much as the fretting. Eb Standard tuning means every string sits a half-step lower than concert pitch, which affects the tension and feel of your bends. Jimi Hendrix made this kind of restrained, melodic playing look effortless, but it rewards careful, slow practice before you bring it up to tempo. This is a strong early study in Blues Rock phrasing and chromatic voice leading.

• The chromatic chord slides that open and connect each verse section are the technical core of the song and require precise left-hand control.
• Tuning down to Eb Standard lowers string tension slightly, affecting how bends and vibrato feel compared to standard E tuning.
• The between-phrase lead fills are short but expressive, making clean single-note tone and light vibrato the main technique to practise.