Learn How To Play The Lead Guitar Of "I'm Tore Down" by Eric Clapton!

In this lesson, we'll learn how to play the lead guitar of I'm Tore Down by Eric Clapton. We'll learn the lead melody guitar played by Clapton, which is separate from the main rhythm of this song.

Clapton does the same few licks consistently throughout the song. We'll explore those four main licks to piece your way through this tune. You'll need to have a proper listen to the original recording to see where they fit. :)

🚨The Essential Blues Lead Guitar module is very helpful for the techniques you need to play this bona fide blues tune. :) Check it out for a deeper dive into the concepts.

Guitar Techniques You'll Need

We're exploring the melodic parts that answer the vocals of this song. This will be great if you want to play this with your band or just for jamming!

Many different guitar elements are happening in this blues standard, including some semi-tone bends, finger rolling, and flick-offs. What's great about the blues is that it's a bit more free-er. As long as you understand the structure and the rhythm, you can make it your own.

You'll need some notes muted at some point, or else things might get muddy. You can either use your thumb or the heel of your hand - choose whichever way feels more comfortable to you.

Learning From The Legends

If you want to explore the solo, you're better off transcribing this song on your own. It'll be an excellent exercise if you're at your intermediate level.

In iconic blues like this, you'll find some excellent material you can use in other songs. These guitar players have a massive influence on the blues genre, so it's worth studying a bit if you're into the blues!

Learning the solo by ear would be the right way to do it! Think of Eric Clapton. He learned this from Freddie by listening to the record repeatedly until he absorbed it properly!

Want Tabs to guide the lead guitar of I'm Tore Down? Check out JustinGuitar Tabs!