Band Song 12 - Cocaine by Eric Clapton/ JJ Cale
Here's how to play the song 'Cocaine by Eric Clapton/ JJ Cale' on electric guitar!
This is a very 'multi-level' song, which means we have;
- a super easy 'Beginner' way of playing the riff using easy open chords
- an 'as the record' tutorial using power chords and barre chord shapes
- a guide to how to improvise your own guitar solo over this classic song!
This video is party of the Andy Guitar Band Program where after following the tutorial below you can jam along to a full live band with Andy in the video below!
This program aims to help those who struggle to jam along to full songs and to also help those who have the ambition to play in a band one day. I hope it helps!
Let's get started!
Song breakdown
Rhythm Guitar Parts
This songs has a simple power chords riff using E5 and D5 power chords, then a simple E5, D5, C5 and B5 power chord progression for the chorus. This along with the blues/ rock style makes it the perfect 'jamming' song to play with others and improvise your own guitar solos!
Lead Guitar Improvisation Section
There is a 16 bar improvisation section around 1:30 into the song. We did not play a solo here because we want YOU to improvise a lead guitar solo!
I recommend learning the lead part I teach in the video, and also using any licks or techniques you would normally use in an E blues or rock song.
Also, the following scales and modes work well over this track;
- E minor pentatonic scale - Beginner friendly, but try moving positions if you are advanced!
- E Blues Scale - simply adding the flattened 5th note to the minor pentatonic
- E Dorian Mode - the minor pentatonic with two more notes added per octave
- E Mixolydian Mode - basically the major scale with a flattened 7th (aka dominant 7th)
More help with these scales coming soon!
Andy Guitar Band - Live cover of 'Cocaine'
Here's the live cover alone so you can jam along to the live band without having to search through the tutorial video. Use this video to practicing jamming along to full songs - enjoy jamming along!
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Get more help
Need more help than this tutorial provides?
Check out some of Andy's recommended courses below.