Cream - Sunshine of Your Love

dougp23 · #1 October 7th, 2006

Hey all.

Just trying to get the 2 riffs down. They are both pretty similar, but one of them is killing me, because the way I was shown it, you need your pinky. The riff goes like this (i'm typing too fast, so I won't do tabs):

3rd string down: 12 12 10 12
2nd string down: 12 11 10
Top String: 10 13 10

Now, it's that 13 that is killing me! I can't get my pinky to hit that without completely losing my place on the neck.

Anyone else play this a different way? I have been trying to get finger 3 to jump over to 13 and do the duty.....

OldG · #2 October 7th, 2006

I play the 8th fret on the A string instead (F), I find it easier to move in that direction for some reason...

Justapicker · #3 October 7th, 2006

Just leave your index finger planted on the E string at the 10 fret when you fret the 13th fret. Make sure your thumb is behing the neck, not wrapped around it like a baseball bat. Practice that particular move slowly, by itself, until it feels comfortable.

6string · #4 October 7th, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldG

I play the 8th fret on the A string instead (F), I find it easier to move in that direction for some reason...

ditto here, i think that's the way Clapton plays it.

dougp23 · #5 October 7th, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justapicker

Just leave your index finger planted on the E string at the 10 fret when you fret the 13th fret. Make sure your thumb is behing the neck, not wrapped around it like a baseball bat. Practice that particular move slowly, by itself, until it feels comfortable.

Sometimes the answer is so easy.....I'm gonna hafta go hide now....sheesh, i'm embarassed!!!

Yeah, I've seen the tabs where it's on the 8th fret too. My music instructor gave me this one where you're WAY down on the neck, and there isn't much room to move when you wanna hit that 13th fret!!! I think Justapicker has my answer.

Thanks!!

737blues · #6 October 7th, 2006

That eighth fret is an easy fix for this particular number Doug but as justapicker hints, that 13th fret from the 10th is in fact just a natural progression for your pinky given that you are starting in the tenth position. (First finger on the tenth fret)

Worth practising some chromatic exercises, finger behind the neck as the man said, to develop the stretch. Should be well within your reach that far up the neck.

#7 October 8th, 2006

''Just picker'' was exactly right about leaving your index finger on the tenth fret. This was how i found to play it. And i have seen this at several guitar web sites as well. If you play it slow it sounds decent.

dougp23 · #8 October 8th, 2006

Thanks all! It's just such a reach, and your hand is up against the body of the guitar almost, and the pinky is so weak!!! And here I've been hitting the gym without doing pinky exercises!!!

Seriously, though, when I do this, my piny is not straight on on the fret, rather, it's sort of laying sideways on the fret. Which is OK, I guess....

I can actually play it faster by having finger 3 run over and do that fret...but I think my instructor is trying to lay down a rule: "don't leave your pinky out of the game, sooner or later you're gonna need him!"

And yeah, I do tend to wrap around the neck, which makes it hard to be flexible and reach for the 13th fret. So I'm just practicing all kinds of hand and finger dexterity right now! Thanks everyone!

Mother-ANiMal · #9 October 8th, 2006

I thought the riff went like this

-------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------
-----9-9-7----------------------------------------------------
------------9-8-7---------------------------------------------
-------------------8--6--6

Justapicker · #10 October 8th, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by dougp23

Thanks all! It's just such a reach, and your hand is up against the body of the guitar almost, and the pinky is so weak!!! And here I've been hitting the gym without doing pinky exercises!!!

Seriously, though, when I do this, my piny is not straight on on the fret, rather, it's sort of laying sideways on the fret. Which is OK, I guess....

I can actually play it faster by having finger 3 run over and do that fret...but I think my instructor is trying to lay down a rule: "don't leave your pinky out of the game, sooner or later you're gonna need him!"

And yeah, I do tend to wrap around the neck, which makes it hard to be flexible and reach for the 13th fret. So I'm just practicing all kinds of hand and finger dexterity right now! Thanks everyone!

Try barring the 10th fret. Play a 10th fret D chord then an 8th fret C chord (D-D-C-D) in place of the 2 note riff on the fourth (D) string) Then, leaving the barre in place, play the descending 3 note riff on the 5th (A string) and the D-F on the sixth (E) string.

To get your pinky stronger practice making the four fret stretch on all the strings right across the fretboard.