How to Sound Like Jimi Hendrix

Widely considered one of the, if not THE, greatest guitarists of all time, Jimi Hendrix broke musical barriers by basically creating the fusion of blues and hard rock. While nobody will ever perfectly replicate Hendrix' playing style, with the right tools and dedication, one can achieve his exact sound.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Fender Stratocaster
• Wah-Wah Pedal
• Overdrive Pedal
• Fuzz or Octavia Pedal
• LOTS OF PATIENCE

1. A Jimi Hendrix-used stratocaster Gather the guitar and pedals and plug everything in. Toggle the pickup switch to the most comfortable setting. It really depends on the guitar.
   
   Hendrix used a Fender Stratocaster and while that is recommended in achieving his sound, it is possible with other types of strats.
2. The correct guitar tone comes next. The tone should be lowered almost completely off, while the volume should be raised to maximum level.
3. On the overdrive pedal, the "Gain" knob should be turned all the way up. "Level" should be turned up to the desired volume. All other knobs should be turned off or to an extremely low setting.
4. The Fuzz pedal settings depend on the Hendrix song. The BOSS FZ-5 comes with three different settings: Maestro, Fuzz, and Octavia.
   
   Octavia can be heard in "All Along the Watchtower" for example. Fuzz can be heard in "Purple Haze." The setting depends on the desired song, but sticking with Fuzz and raising the "Gain" will provide the base for the Hendrix sound.
5. Be sloppy. Hendrix was a very sloppy guitarist. He was an innovator and easily one of the greatest of all time, but the bottom line is that he played sloppily.
   
   He did not care if he miffed notes or some blended together. By perfecting each note and playing extremely "clean", it is unlikely to achieve his sound.
6. Finally, HAVE PATIENCE. Only Jimi Hendrix can do exactly what Jimi Hendrix can do. Learning his songs and achieving his sound will take time.
   
   Once the songs are learned, use these instructions and soon people will wonder if they are hearing live music or an actual Hendrix album.

Tips & Warnings

• "Purple Haze" is arguably the easiest Hendrix song to learn. Learn that first and then fool around with the settings mentioned above.
• Do not settle on certain pedals. Some pedals truly are better than others and the main reason is because they will help achieve sounds like Hendrix' moreso than their competitors.
• Test out these pedals before buying. The type of guitar and amplifier will determine what the pedal sounds like.
• Hendrix played at EXTREMELY loud volumes to reach his tones, so use ear plugs if you plan to do this.