I love Hendrix and play guitar, but need help?

Question

The most influential song ever in my life is Little Wing. I can play guitar well, but am having the toughest time on this song. I can hardly play any of it at all, and I don't suck. I need help with it badly. Tips, things to work on, techniques to learn, and correct tabs to learn from. It would mean a lot to me to learn this song. Thank You!

Answer 1

It's difficult to play guitar like Jimi.....Ya might know all the right notes, but how did he get those sounds? He was the absolute Master of the electric guitar, and 33 years after his death, Rolling Stone still named him as the Best Ever in their 2003 journalists/musicians poll of the 100 Best Guitarists.

That doesn't mean you can't learn "Little Wing".....but you can't learn his subtle technique, his ability to channel something otherworldly that most guitarists have no clue about. His entire body became part of his sound, whether he was palming his pick, working the whammy bar, or getting those sweet sounds out of the Octavia pedal.
Try going to his website and get the "Axis: Bold As Love" songbook. They have the complete arrangements for every song from the album.
Buy a digital modeling stompbox that has amp/effects presets and customize your tones to match his.
Hendrix used glissando much of the time......he sounded more like a bowed instrument, rather than something that was plucked with a pick. That's one of the secrets to "Little Wing" and "Castles Made Of Sand". They're such beautiful songs in their own way that it may take a while to get it all down, but it's worth the work you'll put in to it. Good luck...

Answer 2

i had the same problem learning some hendrix songs. it's not that your technique is poor, or you are doing anything wrong, you are just intimidated. how can you or me play the music of such a great guitar genius. they are tricky songs, some are damn hard, but for me atleast, it was all mental. get past the fact that you look up to jimi so much and his amazing style of play. take his songs, and learn them your way. then they will begin to sound like his way over time. i'm not jimi, but i play jimi songs that sound like me trying to play jimi. not me playing jimi sounding like jimi. does this make sense? good luck buddy.