In today’s video you’ll (sort of) see how to play Wind Cries Mary by Jimi Hendrix…
I say “sort of” because I’m not going to walk you through it note for note perfect… instead I want you to look at it a little differently.
You see, at some point, you’re going to want to learn a bunch of songs and you’re going to want to remember them all and you’re going to want to be able to learn more of them. And to do that, you can’t spend your time thinking about them one note at a time.
Instead, I hope you’ll see that in this video I’m showing you more about how to think about a tune than the tune itself. (But it’s a really fun tune and I hope you’ll get what I’m saying and put in that little extra effort to learn this song.)
80 replies to "Wind Cries Mary (Sort Of)"
I”m surprised that you never say that you can play the F maj by using the D min patterns. I see that you say to start on the minor 3rd (F) of the pattern, but it’s easy to find and remember the major patterns by dropping down 3 frets and playing the minor pattern.
Griff – this lesson was a light bulb moment or two!
Thanks Griff, and Happy New Year, looking forward to more in 2022 🙂 Cheers from the UK
that is fantastic thanks Griff
Great lesson, love the song, but I gotta say “wouldn’t really learn anything except how to play it”….You bust me up sometimes! 😉
Griff, I can watch your videos and always take something away and it is such a help in my BGU lessons, you are a master at teaching and playing. THANK YOU!
Hey griff great video it amazes me how u play and teach…Thanks!!
Hey Griff ur amazing totally a great player teacher and video just awesome…Thanks!
superb thanks
I have been wanting to get my fingers under this song, YOU helped to get a real good understanding of how to approach.
Hi Griff. Jimi Hendrix is my all time favourite guitarists and this is a great song. So thank you very much for an informative and enjoyable lesson.
Really helpful. I feel I SHOULD know all this already but it’s great to see it all hang together ( the CAGED system, the anchoring to the root to get the minor/major pentatonic scale trick ) in a lesson based on a great song.
Top Man, Griff.
Lightbulbs indeed! I started to learn this song years ago, before I had any formal lessons, using just tab found on line. I didn’t get very far. The way you explained it connected a lot of dots for me. Always loved this song, and have renewed interest in learning the song, not just memorizing the tab. Great lesson (as always) Griff and belated Happy Birthday!.
Great lesson Griff. Really helpful, thanks.
Thanks, Griff! Great lesson again!
Best lesson yet! My favorite Hendrix song ever!
great job thanks griff
This is a fab lesson, thanks Griff. I bought Caged Unleashed a month ago as I see it as the next step on my looooong journey and it has really given me a totally new perspective. It’s great to see a practical application of the theory here! At the risk of being greedy can we have more examples please🙂
best regards,
Chris
Oh and belated birthday wishes🍻👍
Excellent lesson! Love the way you teach!
Thanks Griff,
I’m one of those BGU Patriots that still can’t put the the melody, scales, appropriate CAGED Chord form, all together. Let alone trying to determine how to change the chord shape so as to accomodate some appropriate melody. I am refusing to get the copy off line until I have attempted your video many many times.
I know this will be very beneficial.
Please send more of the same to jog my brain.
Thanks,
Doug
Gee Griff, you make it all come together for the lesser mortals out there. Jimi was an exceptional musician and great person to try and emulate. Unfortunately that doesn’t mean that I could remotely come close to his prowess and musical knowledge.
He kind of seems to become one with his instrument(s). There is a story/ myth that he used to sleep with a guitar. Really, I could imagine him in a different context but that is another matter. Your ease in making the impossible better to at least understand, even though the finger muscle memory doesn’t keep up with the hopes and wishes held. Thank you as always Griff for this lesson.
Hey Griff, thanks! A good reminder to get back into the CAGED course. (which I’ve kinda neglected) This has some interesting finger work and should be fun to get into. Thanks again!
10/12/18
Brought back a lot of memories, saw Jimi play at the Isle of White in the UK a couple of weeks before he passed away. I always enjoy your video’s Griff keep them coming they are so informative. Thank You
I learned this song before I really had a grasp on the caged system. Now that I am versed on it it’s so much easier to play. Now I use these concepts in all my playing.
Very nice lesson. It’s a bit beyond my beginner capabilities, but I understand the concepts and can get my fingers in the right positions with a little effort. It’ll be a while before I can play it well, but a great inspiration to see the potential. Now back to that “Sweet Little Lady” in ABGU to continue improving!
Thanks 4 letting us understanding griff
Magic
Icould almost swapp my acoustic 4 an elec
Any chance of some lessons from our earlier bros, Joe Williams
Sun house, fred Mcdowell ,lightnin Hopkins etc
Or more current Tommy Emanual
Im Shure they would have patterns
Like Jimmys that your watchful eye
Could pass on
All the best to you
Joe
Thanks Griff.
Thanks griff I am only a beginner really I play for my own enjoyment so this was a great lesson as I like hendricks
Yeh
Thanks Griff, as usual making it fun and I’m enjoying the challenges.
great stuff.
One thing for sure …..there is a lot of @#$% on the net but I like to think the real music lovers know the difference, Keep it coming Griff
rgds Trevor
Another great lesson that stretches me in ways I need to stretch. Thanks Griff, God bless.
Thanks, Griff-
Great video, easy to understand, and very concise. Just the way I like it!!! “Hendrix Unleashed”.
So Cool! Can’t believe I’m playing some Jimi Hendrix! Holy Shit thank you! Love it!
Set the way back controls!
Thanks for this funtime piece Griff. After the fog of the 60’s-early 70’s cleared I realized that what had always been the hook for me as far as “The Experience” was concerned was in actuality Noel Reddings base work. In those hazy days I attributed all of what I was hearing to Jimi. A truly uneducated set of ears at the time. But I’m rambling.
All of that said, this was always my favorite Jimi tune as well. Just a beautiful peace of music, so sad.
Nice to be able to learn the method behind it and understand where it was coming from. Thanks Griff.
Peace,
Dave in the Adirondacks
Fantastic thanks Griff, one of my all time favourites also!….thanks for unlocking the secrets. The videos of the last few months especially have filled a lot of those annoying little knowledge gaps which have been holding me back. Always so grateful for the tremendous effort and thought you put into your teaching, you should know that I for one spread the BGU word at every opportunity! Thanks again Griff.
I DOWN LOADED THE TABS AND LYRICS. THANKS FOR SHOWING ME THE HAMMER ON’S AND THE LEAD. I HAVE LITTLE WING DVD AND THAT REALLY HELPED WITH THE SOLO HE PLAYS IT A BIT DIFFERENT HE GOES TO THE LOW STRINGS AND DOES SOME NOODELING. I SAW HIM PLAY THIS AT MONTEREY POP. 1968.THANKS GRIFF. NOW I CAN SOUND, LIKE HENDREX. 🙂
Great lesson and chord type practise. I am interchanging this particular lesson with my all time hard strum, “Mother” by Pink Floyd. Thank you for another “goodie”.
Thanks Griff. I started playing guitar many years ago a guy i worked with back in the 60’s told me to get a bass and he told another employ to get a guitar and he would teach us how to play. walla we got a band lol well we got seperated after a fashion so i traded the bass in on an electric guitar a went thru years of trying to learn how to play and i picked up a lot but was never happy with my progress. then I came across your 4 note solo a couple years back I bought some of your courses and have followed you ever since you have helped me fill in the spaces and I have found i knew a lot more than i thought i knew about the guitar with your input. the point is this lesson is another instance when you showed me how to put things together that I already knew and didn’t know I knew Thanks I always learn something from you sometimes its a lot and sometimes its a little bit but I always learn something from your teachings. Rohn
This is exactly the way I like to learn. The way you teach me to fish is why I keep coming back to learn more. Thank you
Now that I actually watched it I really like it and will get the tabs but I also forgot to mention that I also know the A Major A Minor blues scales as well as G and C major blues scale as I also practice the How to Improvise course which I highly recommend as well as getting the blues jamtracks which help me in so many ways,,,I also know the 4 note solo by heart now as I play it almost every day,,, Have you though about doing a course on this counting thing…I hear something and then mimmic the sound but I really enjoyed this one…it goes well with all the other Treasures that are in the Blues Unleashed Treasure Chest…And the Griff Hamlin wall of knowlege that now covers my entire bedroom wall and rearanging thigs to put other things to just look up at as I am practicing IN THE ZONE…..
This is interesting…I need to get your strumming and mastery course…I now know all penatonic boxes major and minor, C blues scale, F blues scale, A harmonic scale, all the mode shapes and my speed is really oicking up playing these daily as well as power cords…although my bent finger makes power cords a challenge as I now know many chord shapes but always looking for new ones I like the 11th cords and 9,6,7 cords…but I got me a metrodome with a pendullum to practice this counting thing…I hear and move…but this is very good….and I save all your emails in your BluesUnleashed Treasure box so I can access it later…I cannot beleive how much I learned in only2 and ahalf years…need to get more courses though…
Thanks Griff, I bought your caged lessons wasn’t impressed with it, putting this stuff to use makes it seem more practical. love this song I will work on it along with all the other stuff. Keep up the videos.
thanks Griff…nice inspiring lesson…lots of ideas to take on-board…I very much appreciated the fact that you did not spoon feed it to us as it affords the opportunity to consider what if…
Yup. Me and my teacher do this all the time. Kind of a Ruff out line some chords a bit of pickup lines maybe and some lead throughts then see what I can do with it. I find it much easier to remember cus I’m doing it in my way.If it sounds good to me then I’m making good music. 🙂
My left hand thumb naturally comes over the neck and wanna fret the notes on the lower strings.
Thanks Griff. I just recently learned this song. Have always wanted to. I’m just getting comfortable in box one. Now new ways to use, practice there. I love the fills. Cool stuff. I’ll look into the caged lesson.
great little lesson. Ive played guitar for many years but never really understood some of the progressions with the little lead riffs that happen in between. I think your right and I guess you have to play it your way to start the motor running. Thanks for the insight.
Great fun to play around with . Thanks.
Awesome lesson Griff! And I love that you are not spoon feeding us. The only concept I still get confused about is the minor vs major pentatonic. But then, I am viewing this at work (hey…lunchtime man!) and dont have my axe with me. Im sure it will make more sense when I whatch it AND I have my guitar.
Thanks Griff..J H was a very talented musician. I’m still a bit stumped maybe because i haven’t proceeded past box 1. Why did you chose a Suhr over a Fender Strat and amongst all your amps do you have an all valve job…if not…why not. Isn’t one solid state the same as another?….just curious
Wow great analysis Griff. Caged Unleashed has proven to be a great tool for me. I’ve been working through Caged Unleashed and as you were explaining this song I was able to understand your description with depth beyond, and also play this song for the first time as I followed along with you. Thanks for your help!
Awesome thanks Griff great job Jimi Hendrix is an all time favorite.
Hey Griff,
Great little lesson and I will be learning this at some later stage as I really like the sound and different chord structure using Box 1.
I have save it in my library to learn later after I get through a few of the BGU Courses that I have purchased.
Again thanks for sharing this song as I really liked Jimi Hendricks and played a lot of his songs back in the 60’s in a band as a Drummer and loved the guitar work and sound back then..
Michael-Sydney-Australia 15 Sept 2016
Excellent, thank you. I never analyzed where the notes came from before. That light bulb shined bright for me.
Fantastic! Amp EQ, pickup selection, and guitar tone settings, please? Hearing you play this and watching it being done is magical for a guy who’s listened to this tune for forty-five years. Thanks!
Griff. A little over my head, but after watching 3 times now I’m starting to get it. Still lost on the theory though.
Great lesson Griff,I used to play this in black and white,now i am playing it in color.You are correct in saying its like turning a lightbulb on.Cheers from New Zealand.
Love this one, Griff. I always loved the song, but, more than that, some of the almost country ballad type hammer-ons in it are so cunning and lyrical. It’s great to have this to work on because these little riffs can be used in all sorts of places. What a genius Jimmy was! Thanks again!
Very cool lesson thanks like many of us I’m a struggling musician and much appreciate your video’s and can’t wait to buy the complete course thanks again Griff
Ross
Fun lesson, Griff. What effects do you use to get the Hendrix sound for this?
Big Fat thumbs up Griff!!!
Cool, Thanks Griff
Griff, a most useful lesson, take some of these basic ideas and run with it. I am much more a fan of creativity rather than copy. I’ve been playing this song for years, sometimes just the way you did and sometimes slightly different, after all music is art.
That you do all this just blows me away, you are a good soul
How about showing us stuff for us who play acoustic?
Hey, is that an SX guitar? I got a blem for a hundred bucks, bought a used wilk trem and had Nico’s pups make me a loaded pickguard for 150…..man they sound and incredible and are made very well…..
Thanks Griff, the art of critical thinking, leads to art. Point the direction and and know your destination! There will always be help along the way. Great lesson, never wanted any note for note tabs…..wouldn’t sound like me. Thanks again!
Cheers Griff for the lesson I shall add this song to my practice schedule to do after my course work
I’m working on your major and minor blues scales course at the moment its another excellent course not got the cadged as yet
Wizardry, pure wizardry, humito must whisper in your ear to help you achieve the nonordinary state of realiy you enter to understand and perform as you do. Caged Unleased is a thought provoking course in which you must expand your insight and acceptance of musical knowledge. Your video gives a brief insight as to the use of this helpful procedure Let the music lead you, long live music.
Well, I DO find great value in the way you teach! I was spoon fed in my teens to get me going.
Now, I wanna know why and how all this music stuff works…and how to view the neck.
Tons of information! You just highlighted another use of CAGED. And seeing the Major boxes (almost) is very helpful.
I really like this jimi sound. Thanks so much!
Been looking for this for a long time. Thank you for the video and lesson.
Grif,
Wat to go. You nailed it again. A great lesson that brings out a lot of inspiration and concepts for future songs and improv. Thanks for all you do.
Excellent Griff… Thx
I always appreciated the fills that Jimi Hendrix incorporated in his music and I use them, or similar a lot. First song I ever learned on guitar was
“Hey Mr. Tambourine Man” by Bob Dylan and my real appreciation for Jimi Hendrix came when he did “All Along The Watchtower” also written by Bob Dylan and it is Jimi’s version of the song that still remains one of my favorites today. You have to wonder just how much we would have learned from Jimi Hendrix if he hadn’t have left us so early. Good lesson…
Great lesson. Teaching to fish is almost always the best process. Also, with the video, it is fairly easy to return and look at it again, and again and . . .!! Thanks for the training and working the “little grey matter!”
Great lesson Griff! This is a song I’ve wanted to learn for quite awhile now.
I don’t mind this approach to song learning and I do appreciate what you’re trying to do. Although I would have liked to see a couple of more sections of the song covered, as well as note or two on getting the tone. Eg. Pickup selected, general amp settings, effects, etc.
I also like the tip o the cap to your CAGED Unleashed course. I was on the fence for that course and I’m now seeing more practical application. Thanks again for this…
Some days I just don’t read the post or watch the video because I think I don’t have time. I am so glad I did this morning. I am 100% on board with your approach. That is, to understand the musical idea, to feel the physical shapes of the moves on the fret board (and right hand), to tune in to the thought/feeling that drives the piece. All of this makes it possible to practice with purpose. And it’s FUN! Thank you so much. You are an exceptional teacher.
Hey Griff I have been around for at least twelve years and been studying with Your help. Playing guitar for at least fourty five years really. Still working attempting to master guitar . I have to say that this lesson was and is a eye opener for Me. I had to chance to copy down all the cords for this tune when I was about thirteen years and thats when I started learning. My older Brother would not let Me use the book but let Me copy the cords . Anyways the cords are all open cords and so in this lesson it kinda did turn a light on. As You can probably understand that . The diffrent cord progression which is what I mean i am sure You get that. So in endindg this note to You one thing that will definatly help ring the bell is to flatten the tuning, thats if one is to sound pretty much like Hendrix . Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn actually hung out for awhile think Jimi really gave Steve much infulence musically.THANKS FOR THIS ONE SERIOUSLY GOOD STUFF .
Great video Griff . Thanks again for making things interesting. Just for fun thought i would try it like jimi did it by flipping my guitar over and playing lefty. Didnt work out so good as one might imagine. But you gotta mix it up a bit right!
Thanks,
Dave
A common misconception is that Jimi played with the strings upside down. He did not. Jimi played a right handed guitar, left handed. But, he flipped the strings around so the orientation of the strings related to the neck is the same ( same as a left handed guitar played by a left handed player ). Hope that makes sense.
well I am still an intermediate player of acoustic guitar. So for myself this lesson is a tough job . I think if chord progression was given ,possibly I could have tried .Yet I liked the idea you have given I have been trying various combinations to make lick different one .This has been as suggested by you to try . It helps very much and is satisfying .
This lesson i must say is over my head as on today .By following your way , Griff Sir, I feel I will succeed one day . Thank you .
Choice I see now how easy that was. I see how the cuzzies play now thanks heaps