Jimi Hendrix is unquestionably among the most influential guitarists of all time. When he stepped into the music scene in the late ’60s, he broke almost every rule in the guitar-playing handbook.

For many of his contemporaries, he was simply too avant-garde to emulate properly. Only relatively recently have guitar tab sheet music makers begun to decode and translate his style. Here’s how to play Hendrix songs the way Jimi did.

Use Your Thumb for the Low Notes

Jimi Hendrix was a self-taught guitarist. Though he frequently jammed with other musicians, he never received formal education in music. For this reason, he often improvised his techniques, inadvertently finding new and interesting ways to explore the guitar neck.

Instead of playing standard barre chords, for example, Hendrix almost always placed his thumb on the low E string and his pointer finger on the high E. This created a “broken” sound, in which he separated chords into top and bottom sections. Sonically, the style added interest and complexity to otherwise basic melodies.

Think of Sporadic Notes as Chords 

Unlike many earlier musicians, Hendrix never seemed to feel compelled to play chords in their standard, traditional forms. While this made his music sound virtuosic and fascinating, it would confuse young guitarists looking at guitar tab sheet music for many years.

Jimi would often form a full chord pattern with his right hand while hitting only two or three strings with his left. When you attempt songs like “Hey Joe” or “Little Wing,” think of the entire song as a traditional chord progression in which you only need to strum a select number of notes.

Bend with Multiple Fingers

Guitarists inexperienced with modern rock music tend to attempt bends with only one finger. When playing music as bend-heavy as Hendrix’s, this can become extremely tiring.

If your ring finger needs support, place your pointer and middle behind it to strengthen the bend. Doing this allows you to bend deeper, and it can free up other fingers to deliver additional sonic maneuvers.

Master Hammer-ons and Pull-offs from Barre

As you’ll quickly find from any of his tabs, Jimi’s favorite tool for enhancing his songs is using hammer-ons and pull-offs. Doing these rapidly can take practice and muscle memory, so if you don’t have them down, try building your power and speed with simple exercises.

Once you have the dexterity, you can begin to attempt Hendrix’s trademark broken barre chord hammer-on and pull-off. This technique requires you to use the above-listed thumb technique to form a major or minor chord. Then, hammer on and pull off with your pinky finger to the note four frets up from your pointer.

Usually, you’ll hammer the fifth or sixth string, and you’ll likely have to quickly move onto other barre positions in the same key.

Getting Jimi Hendrix songs down note-for-note is no simple task, and many guitarists go their whole lives without trying. But it can be done with the right understanding and some accurate sheet music. For the best Jimi Hendrix Experience and Band of Gypsies guitar tab sheet music, see the selection at Musicnotes today.