By William Clark
One of rock and roll guitar’s first leading innovators, Jimi Hendrix had the power to pick up the guitar and make mind blowing music that was completely unrivaled in complexity and technique for the time.
Such mind blowing music that has continued to appeal to music fans from every generation since, and still can give the listener chills from it’s pure greatness.
Arguably the ultimate example of this greatness is the world- renowned masterpiece by The Jimi Hendrix Experience known simply as: Are You Experienced?
From a dynamically unique cover of Bob Dylan’s “All Along The Watchtower” to the elaborate soloing and chord patterns found in such songs as “Purple Haze” and “Foxey Lady”, Are You Experienced would prove to be an earth shattering event in rock history. It would inspire such legendary guitarists as Eddie Van Halen and Stevie Ray Vaughan to try and make music just as jaw dropping.
Nearly every guitarist for decades to follow would give their best effort to try and master Jimi’s classic soloing styles and rampaging riffs, but his performance would prove to be nearly impossible to master just by ear alone.
In an attempt to soothe these guitarists’ broken spirits, Hal Leonard has released the flawless guide to perfecting their playing: the Are You Experienced? Guitar Tablature Book.
This book promises quote “authentic transcriptions with notes and tablature”, but does it match up to it’s pretty big promises? After close examination, I have to say it absolutely does, and then some. Not only does this book provide the guitarist with note-for-note transcriptions of the entire album, but it also gives the information on which pedals are used and instructions on how to perform the guitar tricks in each song
For example, in “Third Stone from the Sun”, to hit the back of your headstock as to allow all strings to ring out.
Such information would prove invaluable to the at-home guitarist looking to learn how to masterfully perform each song as done on the record.
I have to say, Hal Leonard did a truly terrific job when it came to this release, down right to the smallest of details.
Included right before the sheet music are 24 full color pages featuring blown up photographs of the members in the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Jimi’s actual handwritten lyrics, and a beautiful foreword by famous music critic Dave Marsh, whose gives a poetic ultimate opinion on the album that any fan will fall in love with: “There may be music greater than the music here, but we will have to journey where Jimi went untimely before us to hear it”.
Overall, I have to say that the guitarist out there looking to master one of the most hailed classic rock albums should find this tablature book to be priceless.
But, be warned, it won’t be an easy road on the way to perfection. So first, answer me this: Are You Experienced?
Format: Songbook
Original Release Date: May 6, 2008
Label: Hal Leonard
Tracks:
1) Are You Experienced?
2) Can You See Me
3) 51st Anniversary
4) Fire
5) Foxey Lady
6) Hey Joe
7) Highway Chile
8) I Don’t Live Today
9) Love or Confusion
10) Manic Depression
11) May This Be Love
12) Purple Haze
13) Red House
14) Remember
15) Stone Free
16) Third Stone From The Sun
17) The Wind Cries Mary
