How to Play Guitar Like Stevie Ray Vaughan

Stevie Ray Vaughan is a legend in American rock and blues guitar. He was named the seventh greatest guitar player ever by Rolling Stone. Stevie Ray Vaughan released several albums that showcase his unique and transcendent style. Here are some tips to help you play guitar like Stevie Ray Vaughan.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Work on your blues standards. Stevie Ray Vaughan is one of the best blues guitarists to ever live, but he had to work at it as well. Practice blues rhythms and scales. A good foundation of blues style will help you build up to a Stevie Ray Vaughan caliber of guitar playing.

2. Listen to some of Stevie Ray Vaughan's influences. Like every great guitarist, there are other great guitarists that you can trace Vaughan's style back to. Start with Albert King, who was a blues guitarist and Vaughan's closest influence. Also look to Freddie King, Otis Rush and Jimi Hendrix.

3. Use heavier strings on your guitar and tune down a half-step. Stevie Ray Vaughan used thicker strings to get his distinctive tone. The half-step lower tuning is popular in Vaughan's style and in some of his influences.

4. Practice alternate picking and tremolo picking. Alternate picking is achieved by using heavy down strokes on the bass strings and lighter upstrokes for a chord or muted note. Listen to "Pride and Joy" for an example of alternate picking from Vaughan. Tremolo picking is accomplished by rapidly strumming a string to create a sustained sound. Also don't forget those signature Stevie Ray trills.

5. Equip yourself like Stevie Ray Vaughan. Stevie Ray played a vintage Fender Stratocaster, but if you can't get your hands on a 1962 Strat, consider the Stevie Ray Vaughan signature Stratocaster from Fender. As for his amps, Vaughan leaned toward Fender, especially the Vibratone, which acted like a Leslie Cabinet specifically for guitar. There are effect pedals that emulate the Vibratone sound. For other effects, look for a good "wah" pedal and potentially an Ibanez Tube Screamer.

Tips & Warnings

• To really channel your inner Stevie Ray Vaughan, don't forget the staple black bolero hat that Vaughan wore.

[popeyeandco]

on 4/3/2008 yes stevie is hands down the best bluesrocker there ever was... i love his music.. albert king, buddu guy and jimi hendrix.. now those are my boys i tell ya.
he may have made 7th, but to me he is number 1

[Duke22]

on 3/5/2008 Your discription of alternate picking is wrong. Alternate picking employs strictly alternating downward and upward picking strokes in a continuous run.