Eric Clapton's Secret: Why 'Bad' Technique Kept Him Playing for Decades #guitartutorial

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About Everglades Rhythm
Producer/Guitarist Darren Clarke.
Executive Producer Robert S. Perkin.
Rob Perkin - Piano, recorded at Presence Studios by Jon Russell
Darren Clarke - Electric Guitar & Bass, Clarke Lane Music, Nashville
Todd Sorensen - Drums, Utah

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[dandesmarais]

He's saying that classical technique isn't working for him and gave him tendonitis. But he isn't USING classical technique. A classical player will keep the neck at a 45 degree angle. That way when the classical player plays, his left wrist is straight. This guy keeps his neck parallel to the floor, and because of that he has to radically bend his left wrist. THAT'S WAY he developed tendonitis. If you want to play hours a day for years & years, you have to start with good posture.

[pennyparlay]

Dude your tone is pristine. Warm with a little reverb. Man I can listen all day.once again great tips.

[eddiejr]

I agree…”no pain no gain” might apply to some things in life but it does not apply to playing an instrument…well done👍

[robertjohnson]

Really glad I stumbled upon this lesson. Makes things less painful and more fun. It even seems to help with overall tone. Thanks!

[donk.]

Fabulous explanation, to the point and most helpful with your heartfelt comments- you're an experienced Pro. And I'm just a beginner, most encouraging ...Thank you...

[MaxPower-jssk]

I’ve been playing everyday since August 1977. Last year the fingers on my left hand became numb and weak, and my wise and elbow were painful. I received the tenosinovitis diagnosis, and I got good advice. It didn’t take long until the feeling and strength returned to my left hand and fingers. I had to change my method, but I did not have to stop playing.

[talesvinicius]

The thumb having to be in the middle of the neck thing was kinda invented before we even had proper studies on how it would affect your hand/tendons, and people stuck saying it's the correct way just because. Maybe even for classical playing having the thumb above the neck like blues players does is the better way to play the guitar.

[andrewtoal]

I too have tendonitis that forced me to change my technique. I started to vibrato like Clapton because I noticed he doesn’t crank down and wiggle ironically enough like BB does. He floats his hand pushing the string up. Let the tension of the string move you down so it’s synergistic. Then I stopped playing sitting down. Play with a strap standing up. It moves the guitar to a comfortable angle. When playing your wrist should be neutral to slightly up. This has helped my hand and playing immensely. It also helps with band rehearsals and gigs. There’s no learning curve from sitting to standing. Hope this helps anyone with these same issues. Great video.

[stradastudio]

Excellent video, so good to hear somebody talking outside the box on their techniques. Great break down on what works for you, would be good to see more vids like this.

[eddiejr]

What helped me the most was really really focusing on using the lightest touch possible…I used to grip like hell and squeeze the neck…but like you said, just relax and use a light touch and, voila!!…no more hand pain…well done 👍

[keithrahner]

Absolutely love this, fantastic illustration thanks 🎸

[coloaten]

As someone who is learning in their 50s and teaching myself, I really appreciate this video. I found myself naturally playing in this kind of technique just because I used to play keys and I was very aware of not injuring myself. Now I feel like technique is about what feels good than what the 'book' says.

[darwinsaye]

I had problems with my wrist for a while years ago because I played in the classical style, but with the guitar in the wrong position. Proper classical technique involves tilting the guitar neck up at about a 45 degree angle so that you don’t have to bend your wrist at an extreme angle to reach around under the neck. Notice how trained classical guitarists rest the curve of the guitar on their left thigh, rather than the right. I noticed when you demonstrated classical style, you did it with the neck horizontal. I guarantee that’s where problems will arise from. I will use a blend of both techniques nowadays, but I will move the neck angle accordingly as I need to, depending on which style I’m using at any moment. I haven’t had any wrist pain in years, and the bony calcified growth that I had developed on the back of my wrist went away over time.

[chriswatson]

My classical teacher when i was a kid put a strip of masking tape on the back of the neck. He called it the thumb-house. And he'd say keep your thumb in the thumb-house. But for a electric improv and soloing, the fingerboard of the electric being so much narrower than a nylon string, i found that i couldn't stop my thumb moving out of the thumb-house. And then string bending and vibrato i found alot easier with the non classical way. But....when i play nylon, the wider fingerboard pulls me back to the classical position

[JimmyDevere]

Good video. I had some hand/wrist problems too and was forced to come to similar conclusion as you. I would add: 4. wear guitar higher, at an angle, like many of these players did back in the 50s and 60s. 5. Most of these players used vintage guitars with thicker, more curved neck which helps with this technique (contrasted to the thin, flat necks modern shredders prefer).6. The string heights, wire gauge, fret size also influences technique, vibrato etc.

[simonbernal]

Interesting. I agree with all you say about relaxing on the guitar- yes I too got hung up about technique coming from a 70s jazz rock background- watching players like Al Dimeola . But then even the mighty John McLaughlin uses a lot of the bunched up fingers method, playing at a slight rocky angle with the ring finger… also what about the legend Gary Moore? He threw technique out of the window and used mainly the first two fingers on the fretboard! Django Reinhardt only had the use of two fingers! It’s the results that count. Tear up the book and be yourself.

[Sentientfx]

That's some good advice there. I got my information from classical books which said you should have your thumb on the back of the neck too. I couldn't stick to it for electric guitar music though. It's nice to have that experience validated. Thanks.

[fkitch]

Great content thank you, very nice that you do slow takes and explain subtleties, subscribed

[dougcombs]

Thanks for sharing your guitar knowledge and experience. Really cool eye opening stuff!

[chesterproudfoot]

Thanks for this! Suddenly grabbing the low E with my thumb doesn't seem impossible, which I could never do even with big hands. I think it will help resolve an issue I have with trying to reach a note for a slide without tripping over the fret.