How to Play Little Wing by Jimi Hendrix

One of the most often overlooked aspects of guitar playing is rhythm guitar. Sure, licks and solos are fun but rhythm playing is at the heart of at least 80% of what is played most of the time in band situations. And in your quest to learn on how to strum chords, make your way back to the man who started it all - Jimi Hendrix. He's definitely a great source of education to all levels of musicians.

One of the most beautiful songs of Jimi Hendrix that demonstrates the importance of rhythm guitar is "Little Wing." According to Tom Morello in 2011 tribute to Hendrix in Rolling Stone magazine, “It's just this gorgeous song that, as a guitar player, you can study your whole life and not get down, never get inside it the way that he does. He seamlessly weaves chords and single-note runs together and uses chord voicings that don't appear in any music book. His riffs were a pre-metal funk bulldozer, and his lead lines were an electric LSD trip down to the crossroads, where he pimp-slapped the devil.”

Here’s how to play Little Wing on guitar:

Part 1

Part 2

part 3

While this song is particularly revered among guitar players, here are my top picks for the best covers of this wonderful tune.

Eric Clapton, Derek Trucks, and Warren Haynes

Stevie Ray Vaughan

Guthrie Govan with a Korean guitar player

Monte Montgomery

G3 Live with Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, and Yngwie Malmsteen

Carlos Vamos