About this recording
Electric Ladyland · 1968 · Original album studio recording
Playing level: advanced · Theory level: beginner
Start with C♯ minor in standard tuning as a listening reference. Keep this short lead separate from the later overdubbed features.
The scales at a glance
Compare the notes
Learn these shapes, then see how they help explain each solo below. Some are extra ideas for your own practice.
| Scale | Notes | Intervals | Use in this study |
|---|---|---|---|
| C♯ Minor Pentatonic | C♯ · E · F♯ · G♯ · B | 1 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · ♭7 | Listening guide |
| C♯ Natural Minor | C♯ · D♯ · E · F♯ · G♯ · A · B | 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · ♭6 · ♭7 | Listening guide |
Solo breakdown
Main solo
Guitar: Jimi Hendrix
Where is this solo?
The first short electric guitar lead between the early vocal sections. Later slide, acoustic and layered lead parts are separate.
C♯ Minor Pentatonic
Listening guide
Try C♯ minor pentatonic as a listening guide for the first short lead.
C♯ · E · F♯ · G♯ · B
◎ Outlined dots = C♯, the home note.
Standard tuning (teaching setup) · frets 9–12 · high string 1 at top · toward nut →
These dots show where the scale notes are. They do not show the order of the solo.
Read the note positions
- String 1, fret 9: C♯, interval 1, root
- String 1, fret 12: E, interval ♭3
- String 2, fret 9: G♯, interval 5
- String 2, fret 12: B, interval ♭7
- String 3, fret 9: E, interval ♭3
- String 3, fret 11: F♯, interval 4
- String 4, fret 9: B, interval ♭7
- String 4, fret 11: C♯, interval 1, root
- String 5, fret 9: F♯, interval 4
- String 5, fret 11: G♯, interval 5
- String 6, fret 9: C♯, interval 1, root
- String 6, fret 12: E, interval ♭3
More about these scales
C♯ Minor Pentatonic Listening guide
Try C♯ minor pentatonic as a listening guide for the first short lead.
C♯ · E · F♯ · G♯ · B
C♯ Natural Minor Listening guide
C♯ natural minor adds D♯ and A. Compare the wider collection, keeping the selected passage in mind.
C♯ · D♯ · E · F♯ · G♯ · A · B
How the chords shape the solo
Chords and note choices
Listen for the landing note
Listening idea A shape name and a sounding key can differ when a guitar is tuned down. The available teaching sources use different setups, so these diagrams use a clearly named standard-tuning reference instead of claiming a measured recording setup.
Technique tips
Technique and phrasing
- bending: A bend raises a note by pushing the string across the fretboard. Play the target note first, then bend a lower note until it matches. Practice suggestion
Practice ideas
Try the ideas yourself
Original practice suggestions; these are not the recorded solo.
Try this slowly
Find two C♯ notes in the map. Make a two-note question ending on the lower one and an answer ending on the higher one. Keep a full beat of silence between them.
Check: You can keep a steady pulse and hear the final note clearly.
A simple practice plan
Put the study into practice
- Listen to the chosen solo and identify its beginning and ending.
- Find the root notes: the notes the scale is named after. Say their names, then play them.
- Add one new note, or aim for a note from the chord. Make a short phrase of your own.
- Listen to the solo again. Can you hear where the phrase comes to rest?
Updated 2026-11-10
This analysis may contain errors or inaccuracies.