Lay Down Sally Guitar Lesson (Eric Clapton)

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Looking to unlock that funky, bluesy guitar riff that Eric Clapton played on "Lay Down Sally"?

If so, this "Lay Down Sally" guitar lesson will be your step-by-step guide to the chords, rhythm, and even soloing over this fun song!

If you're a guitarist of any level, this song is a great one to add to your repertoire. If you’re a beginner I would suggest starting with just working on the three fundamental chords and changing between them in time.

Getting that down first helps you build a strong foundation for the tune. Then, for more experienced guitarists, this song is a chance to explore Clapton's iconic bluesy rhythms and add some new licks to your arsenal.

So, grab your guitar, and let's get ready to learn how to play "Lay Down Sally"!

Like so many great songs there are only 3 chords you need to know to play this one. A, D, and E.

These chords can be played in the open position and sound great strumming along with the song.

What Key Is Lay Down Sally In?
Lay Down Sally is in the key of A major and uses just the three primary chords of the key called the I, IV, and V.

A = I chord

D = IV chord

E = V chord

Before you can start playing the groove for "Lay Down Sally" on guitar, you'll want to be able to switch between these chord shapes in time for each section. The song is built using 3 parts. The first part is the intro or the vamp which just stays on the A chord for 8 bars.

Then you move on to the second part, the Verse. This is where Clapton comes in singing.

“There is nothing that is wrong…”

Verse
The verse follows a 14-bar chord progression. It starts off with:

A (4 bars)

D (2 bars)

Then that repeats -

A (4 bars)

D (2 bars)

Then you finish the verse up with 2 bars of E.

E (2 bars)

So all together it looks like this:

A (4 bars)

D (2 bars)

A (4 bars)

D (2 bars)

E (2 bars)

Those last 2 bars of E build us into the chorus where Clapton sings:

“Lay down Sally…”

The chorus is simply an 8-bar progression that spends 2 bars on each chord.

A (2 bars)

D (2 bars)

E (2 bars)

A (2 bars)

"Lay Down Sally" is a timeless classic that offers a fun groove and simple chords for guitarists of all skill levels to improve their playing. By applying the concepts and techniques presented in this guide, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the bluesy style that Eric Clapton is known for and add some new skills to your toolbox. So keep practicing, and 👉 Read the full blog here: https://www.jonmaclennan.com/blog/lay...


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