Why Guitar Players HATE Jimi Hendrix 

What still blows my mind is that Hendrix’s mainstream career was only 3 years long and over 50 years later he has influenced nearly every guitarist to ever pick up a guitar since 1970

As a 17 yr old in a garage band in 1967 it’s impossible to express how different he played compared to everybody at that time. It literally “blew our minds”. The first notes of Purple Haze were like nothing anybody had ever heard before. The Wind Called Mary, Manic Depression, Foxy Lady, nobody did that! Unbelievable, mind boggling, etc, set the guitar world upside down. I know his stage presence was also on another level but it’s the music that was so epic. Glad I lived thru that time. Historic

His voice is so under rated because his guitar playing is so good .I love his singing

For me it's about the guitar in Voodoo Child. It's insane. It's out of this world. And somehow, unlike any musician I've heard before or since, he actually, somehow succeeded in encoding his existence into that song and he truly lives again every time it is played out loud. I haven't been able to get over it since the first time I heard it, can you tell lol

Jimi Hendrix was a fearless pioneer and was not bothered to be technically perfect. He was in a way a good example of what Beethoven once said he can forgive a player playing a false note but playing without feeling was unforgivable.....

My moment of "Ohh, that's why hendrix is unique" was learning castles made of sand... then being like "He is singing and playing that riff at the same time"

The thing about Hendrix I HATE personally was his best music was turning into a Rock Jazz fusion near his death. You listen to Band of Gypsies and the way he did rolls and calls of Message of Love, Changes, Who Knows. And the actual melodies were getting more jazzy. More evoking of a construct versus a walking blues or part. Now saying that still some of my favorite songs are still his earlier stuff like Castles Made of Sand, Little Wing, and Wing Cries Marry. But he was always evolving and My God if he was alive even a few more years the stuff he could do. If you ever doubt Hendrix get some good live recordings of him. He was kind of hit or miss due to drugs and drinking. But when he was on, OMG, no one better in the world. He was the like the equivalent to Guitar that Bruce Lee was to Kung Fu. He was out of this world. Even people in the 1960's that thought they were near the top heard him and bowed down to him.

"Little wing" is a genius piece of music. Yes, the chord progression is beautiful, but the rhythmic variation (Paul David does a great video on the "Little Wing" guitar playing) and the phrasing along with the harmonic progression really make it. One thing that absolutely wows me about Hendrix that I don't hear people talk about is how he could sing a song while playing lead guitar, and there is an incredible independence between the phrasing of the vocals and the phrasing of his guitar playing. It's like Jimi had 2 brains that could work together, and one controlled his singing while another controlled his guitar. It comes through in his live performances more than in his studio recordings. I cannot think of another guitarist who could sing and play complex guitar parts with so much variety between the phrasing of the vocals and the phrasing of guitar. It's incredible.

Before Hendrix electric guitar was simply an electrified guitar. He single handedly turned it into an industry of guitars, amps, pedals and the rest as followers tried to re-create it. Other players created musical lines, Hendrix created soundscapes.

I think the secret to Hendrix was that he was a born natural musician who did it his way. He didn't over-analyse but simply played from the heart with pure feeling and now, today, people like to analyse his style because it certainly was very unique. And that uniquness is what made him so great.

In the early 60's I was privileged to see bands like John Mayall,Clapton, The Who,Faces, but when I saw Jimi play it was something completely different and since that time not heard anything that comes close. If only he had lived longer we would have seen so much more.😢

This touched my heart deeply. Thank you. I love the attention to details and rare footage we see here. I grew up with Hendrix's music. Love his beautiful soul and I love how you explained this!

I guarantee you, had Jimi never picked up a guitar……..can’t even imagine the world we would live in. He impacted everything.

So my favorite thing about Hendrix is how he played around with syncopation. It gave his playing this kind of groove that you don't usually see outside of jazz. He would do these beautifully subtle rhythmic changes that are near impossible to replicate. Sometimes in a solo he would drag ever so slightly behind the beat, then shred to "catch up" and land right on the down beat. I always hear covers of Hendrix and miss that swaying unpredictable flavor he mixed in.

My favorite part of Hendrix, even as an enthusiast of the technical shredding, was his ability to develop a mood. Songs like Castles Made of Sand still resonate to this day because he ties every aspect of song writing and performance together into a piece that creates the same feeling for me now as it did the very first time I heard it 30 years ago. He even accomplished that with covers, which is extremely difficult when the song is already known. Best line about Hendrix was from Dylan. After watching Jimi perform All Along the Watchtower for the first time, he was asked what he felt about seeing his song performed by Hendrix. His answer? "It's not my song anymore..."

I'm not a guitar player. I never really played an instrument, but as a choral singer, I spent a lot of time around the music of MANY genres, making music indispensable in my life. I say all that to say - I watch your videos not to "learn" so much as to watch a person who truly loves music and your process of learning. I appreciate you man. Thanks for this, because it warms my old heart.

What makes a guitarist the GOAT is having a combination of technical skills x songwriting (commercial success) x stage presence x innovation. Jimi had it all.

Jimi was from another planet. An assault on the senses. A genius.

The difference is that Hendrix had a soul background, not just blues. He'd learnt that the blues had progressed into that lovely major sounding soul sound, and he blended the two. Also, he mixed up timing between a swinging sound chug and a flourish of classical sounding trills. He just soaked everything up; jazz, Indian music, psychedelic, you name it, if it was happening, he took it in.

Love the cuts. Helped my weak music theory memory keep up with what you were relating. Totally agree - Hendrix challenged the status quo. Thanks for this video and please keep 'em coming.

One thing that people tend not to mention with Hendrix is. He is considered one of the most influential guitarists and is known as a guitarist. But there are many guitarists that make albums, but the songs a merely backing tracks for their guitar playing, unmemorable songs. But all of Jimi's studio albums, are full of memorable and often iconic songs. I don't think of him as his stage presence so much. He had it, but he didn't need it.

You can hear in his music that Jimi loved the blues but he played It with a psychedelic style that took on a whole new sound and I think that’s one reason why guitarists love him. He transcended the norm. There are many, many great guitarists through history.. but as a guitar player, when I hear Jimi’s music It almost sounds spiritual.. sounds corny but you really get a feel that this guy was using that instrument to paint the most colorful pictures.

Fantastic break down and chords lesson. Thank you very much.

Thanks Mike. Really learned something today! Like your style!

In the context of his time, Jimi was like no other. He took the instrument far beyond the boundaries of what guitarist of the day could of never imagined. He didn't just play the guitar, he played into it with incredible imagination and fearlessness.

As a trumpet player, I feel the same way about miles davis. His music was completely unique, his style is easily recognizable, and his playing matches his outward persona of coolness with the suits (and his later fashion) and the raspy voice, and the way he would never introduce his band, or a tune, and would turn his back to the audience while he played, and would just walk off stage when he was done. Miles was friends with hendrix and really liked his music, and even wanted to do some collaborations with him, although it never happened. A lot of his guitar players in the 70s were very hendrix esque with their sound, especially Pete Cosey.

I clicked on this video not quite knowing what to expect, and then I didn't want it to end. That's the mark of a good creator. Someone who makes things people don't wanna stop consuming. You're a passionate and talented human being. Thanks.

You have a GREAT channel! Love your analysis.

Little Wing is one of the greatest progressions to play lead over. It truly never gets old.

Hendrix isn't only an innovator of guitar he was drawing influence from many different sources. He is a musical alchemist but also he put so much of his own heart and expression into what he had learnt and he played guitar with a freedom that abandoned technique in favour of exploring raw emotion

Man You killed this. It was so smart and funny and well presented. Will def check out some more of your vids, thnx

I was blessed to Hendrix perform in Miami about a month before he passed. I am still excited about that that show!!!!

One shouldn't forget Hendrix's lyrics. The lyrics for Little Wing are beautiful, as are the lyrics for many of his other songs. He was a complete musician. A composer, an instrumentalist, a lyricist, a vocalist, and a performer. One of the greatest of all time.

You can be totally unschooled in music, never had a lesson, and still become a great musician. It’s a talent granted to the few that are gifted enough to figure it all out. Jimmy had “it”. He could create music in his head like he was hearing it, and spontaneously transfer that thought into guitar notes at live venues. We call it musical genius. He called it FUN!!! ✌️

Rhythm playing is spectacular throughout the entire Axis album. Completely soulful, funky, musical and unique.

When I was learning to play guitar as a young teen in the mid-80's, I did what seemed the sensible thing to me: I got every Hendrix album I could find, and got reeeaaally good at moving the needle back one or two grooves at a time, so as to hear a couple seconds of some brilliant passage over and over, deciphering how to play it as best I could. Using this method I learned everything on his 3 major studio releases (Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold as Love, and Electric Ladyland), then started on oddballs like 'Midnight Lightning' and 'War Heroes', then on to live albums like 'Live at The Fillmore East' and the Woodstock recording... Now to be sure, I got a LOT of it wrong, there was no tab, no youtube, no great guitarists I could go sit and watch and pester with questions; but over the years I eventually learned them a LOT better, my playing improved. So I often say "Jimi Hendrix taught me how to play guitar'....but of course this is totally wrong, because then I did the same thing with Jimmy Page & Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton & Cream, and David Gilmore & Pink Floyd, with a sprinkling of Alvin Lee, of Ten Years After, Ulrich Roth of early Scorpions (SUPER underrated guitarist, check out 'Sails of Charon' or anything off of 'Virgin Killers' and yes, controversial album name, but still a good album) along with some Rory Gallagher and Alex Lifeson of RUSH... I'm SUPER envious of guitarists starting out nowadays with the absolute deluge of available free tools to help you learn, it's almost crazy, but I feel like I was in good stead with my approach... Lately, being no longer particularly active playing in bands, I've been going through Yngwie Malmsteen's first album 'Rising Force'; this is a monstrous tutorial on neo-classical playing, and mad technique! Been a lot of fun. As for why was Hendrix the GOAT? He had it all; rhythm, technique, dexterity, showmanship, compositional skill and songwriting, he even had a great look: the crazy clothes, the 'fro, the upside down Strat, plus, and perhaps most, ORIGINALITY...Before or since, NO ONE can touch him for originality, although EVH and Yngwie come close, though only in playing, not the rest. Jimi truly WAS the GOAT....

I think what makes Hendrix great was he wasn't looking at music in an analytical mindset. He was going on feeling and timing. It was always about experimenting. Trying new sounds all the time. So many people break music down to a science and yet the best of us rely on feeling. There's always a tone and time to do it.

Not only was he beyond good, he was also humble.

Great video man ! 🤙 love this! You also got a great sound!🎸

Dude, this is masterful analysis. Keep up the great work, anyone who knows as much as you do about music (and is this good at explaining it) should make as many videos as possible imo.

The very first Rock concert I went to was the Jimi Hendrix Experience. After that nothing came close. And Jimi Hendrix seemed like a genuine good man. I wept at his passing, and still miss him.

It's the emotion that comes through his playing that's unmistakable. Players over analyze him but can never recreate his magic.

Like the other greats, it was all the little things that Jimi did that added up to big things. Not just his leads, but like you said, his rhythm playing. His palm muting, his showmanship, his willingness to experiment with all kinds of crazy tonalities and effects, his dedication to the instrument and learning the craft, his openness to new ideas, and the list just goes on. There’s only a handful of people who get to the level he did.

I have been watching your videos for a few weeks, but the way you broke this down earned you the sub. Nicely done 👍

Jimi was one of the best concerts that I ever saw. And I was close. He just wailed, screaming guitar then stops on a dime and tunes. he says "for your listening pleasure" as he is adjusting the tuning. He was unique. and he is still influencing guitar players 50 years later.

First concert I ever saw. Got two feet from Jimi onstage on press row when I was 15 years old. Watched his foot close up rocking the wah wah on Voodoo Child. Spanish Castle Magic and Red House too. May 9, 1969. Still the greatest I've ever witnessed and I've heard all the greats. His writing skills were unmatched. He influenced me to learn to really play and work hard at my playing and writing and ultimately spend my career as a serious musician!

Man, I wish I could express how much your videos make me love music on a deeper level. Your passion is inspiring.

The one thing my father told me about Hendrix was that he played with folks who taught him alot about structure and melody as he often had to fill in for a missing member of the King Curtis band or who ever he was playing for. He adopted well and mastered that pentatonic scale (slave scale) as it was called back when certain people rejected our music. He also played all day long and often woke up in the middle of the night and played until the morning. Gifted and talented, yes but a true lover of music and the drive to figure it out.

Fantastic rhythm player, composer, songwriter, huge imagination, fantastic stage presence beautiful singing voice, and he ALWAYS looked and sounded cool. That’s why they’ll never be another Jimi. A true ‘one off’

Great analysis! I’d like to hear your opinion and analysis of Frank Gambale’s May the fourths be with you?

Great explanation of this song so well broken down thanks alot

love these H.A.T.E. videos, you're great at explaining, storytelling, demonstrating, and contextualizing these great guitarists

The fact that Jimi was 27 when he passed is mind boggling, he was far too talented, would’ve loved to see how he would be if he was alive still

may I ask what are the pickups on this particular guitar? i seen it in other of your videos and i kinda like the tone of it :D

Great breakdown thank you ! I try to explain the complexity of Jimi but none musical people dont understand. Thank you again.

Hendrix was a total genius, no one else comes close, rhythm, lead, song writing, making music, originality, no one.

Hendrix had it all. The ultimate Rock Musician. If everyone listened to Hendrix the world would have an abundance of LOVE.

This is the first video of yours that I've seen, very enjoyable. Love that tone

More than 50 years after Jimi Hendrix's death, many guitarists are still unable to surpass what Jimi Hendrix accomplished.

Theres ONE key factor that makes Hendrix amazing. He was in his early 20s during his whole career. He was a kid and changed everything. Hands down. Nothing more to say.

I use to have this discussion with Mike Abdullah our guitar player with the Stylistics, we both knew that Hendrix was so much more then a lead player. His chordal work on ballads like little Wing and Angel were a work of art , in many respects like Mozart passages and his chord work on basic rock/funk groves were laced with riffs and rhythm patterns that made the song special snd his studio overdubbing of lines over lines was frightening. The man was in a class of his own. Even his work with the Isley brothers and little Richard made their music move better.

You have a nice, light touch. It is good you demonstrate the minor pentatonic box Jimi was working with. Speak of the modes he was in. Jimi had influenced chord ally by Curtis Mayfield. What does Curtis mean by Doobee Down? A beautiful melody.

So happy to be living in the information age - learned a lot - thanks for making this!

Perfect mix of storytelling, theory, playing, and pure entertainment. Love it

Yes your right his rhythm is often overlooked but his sense of rhythm was the key to his genius.

Nice Strat dude! Great analysis esp. regarding the music theory part 👍🏻Studio version of Little Wing is on Layla.

GREAT CHANNEL!!!!! SUBSCRIBED

Artists like Hendrix and Prince just have a 'WOW' factor. They're wired different than the average human. After all these years I listen to their records and watch their concert footage and it never ceased to amaze me.

As a guy in his 40s, I really appreciated the opening story. It is great that people are allowed to discover Hendrix and that he is no longer just accepted dogma for anyone with a guitar. Discovering Hendrix is one of the great joys.

I’m a first time viewer. I immediately subscribed and liked. I thoroughly enjoyed the video even though I didn’t understand music speak.

First. Cool video mon. I think you have an appeal that is informative and undeniable.. May even encourage and help some folks.. Almost everything you said on a technical level, Hendrix would have cocked his head and wished he could have comprehended, just because he was the curious sort. Even on the most simple terminology 'pentatonic' he would have likely enjoyed hearing about it, heard it before, BUT .. If you hum a few bars I can play it .. Anyway. I thought this was a great video.

Hendrix played even when the notes didn't align perfectly, he was sporadic, and played what he felt, that's why he is so hard to replicate and still a pioneer today, he was a master at improvising

Jimi was a freaking genius rhythm and solo player. Plus like Robert Johnson, he had huge hands so he could play rhythm and solo at the same time..

Hendrix live at Monterey. Intro to 'Like a Rolling Stone' He says This is a song by Bob Dylan. Then he adds 'and that's his Grandma over there'. Took me a few years to get the joke, until I saw the video, when it cuts to Noel Redding.

According to Eddie Kramer, he said that Jimi would overlap and keep laying down different guitar tracks on different songs. Not only that, but Jimi wrote, produced, and played many different instruments on the Electric Ladyland album. It's sad that Jimi was here for such a short time.

I was a Jamaican at the university of Texas, in 1988, having been introduced to Hendrix by my tennis teamate in high school at Gonzales, Texas. I LOVED Hendrix. He was my salvation, from him I branched off into a lot of others, like Ronnie Montrose, and the guys in King Crimson, and Santana, Robert Johnson....the list goes on and on. But when I hear Little Wing, I still cry, or Castles made of Sand. Give thanks and praises for the OG.

I have a copy of Hendrix playing in his living room... and a phone rings in the background. He continues to play through it and its so real.

Not just his guitar playing, but his voice too... goes so perfectly with what he's playing and he does both at the same time. Absolute legend.

Hendrix sounds 50 years ahead of everyone no matter what year you pick. He transcends time and competition.

Little Wing is one of my favourite songs ever, a true masterpiece. Can reduce me to tears when the solo hits. Hendrix, as lauded as he is, is still underrated in terms of vocals, songwriting and production.

Great vid! Loved growing up to Jimi and so many other greats. I read recently how at Woodstock he was blown away by Alvin Lee and TYA. Ever do that guy?

I loved him from the first listen to the last solo learned. Great man.

I honestly think Prince is one of the most underrated guitarists. He was phenomenal on his guitar.

Mike excellent breakdown. I think a lot of people who think Jimi is overrated don't look at the "big picture" if you will. It's his rhythm playing that has moved me so much. I so much dig his version of "Like a Rolling Stone' from the Monterry Pop festival. My favorite solo from him is "Message to Love" from Band of Gypsies. He just kills it both rhythmically and the way he just blends the solo in is the stuff of legends.

Hey my friend I got a 1996 Fender Stratocaster USA Jimi Hendrix tribute guitar it’s upside down right handed to where you can look in the mirror and pretend you’re Jimmy being left-handed.. it’s also got Al Hendrix‘s autograph on the front of it..from my understanding There’s three in existence and I have one of them. I love your show brother.🎸

I heard him first on my 17th birthday, he was dead before my 20th birthday and I turned 73 today. I’ve been listening to him constantly for 56 years and he’s still my favorite guitarist and the favourite of virtually every guitar player I’ve ever known.

I can tell these breaking down and analyzing videos you do come from pure love & passion and that's why they're so great 🖤... Please keep doing them

Jimmy Hendrix was from a another dimension. we have never experienced anything like this in music history and our live. His virtuosoity and guitar playing is unparalleled.🎹🇱🇷🔥🔥🔥

Retired and in my late 60's now, only just now am I interested in guitars (I don't play, never have). While my knowledge of guitars is limited, I find my personal favorite to be a Gibson Standard 1955 Goldtop w/ Bigsby, There are other favorites but the Gibson I described would be my first choice. So like I said, I'm in my 60's and suddenly I have this urge to learn guitar. Question is, do I have enough time left to learn and do I have enough brain cells left to learn with (they wear down as you age so I'm told). Mike Cole, what do you think of my personal guitar choice (remember i know next to nothing about guitars) and what do you think are my chances of learning how to play in what limited time I may have left (or maybe I'll live to be 100, who knows). The reason I chose a Gibson Standard 1955 Goldtop w/ Bigsby is because of Link Wray and 'Rumble' 1958. I want to learn and then play it on the same or close to the same instrument he used. Maybe too ambitious a goal this late in life?

Well done mate ! Massive guitar fan , keep playing , keep music live ! I used to play drums, over in England ! Big fan of Eric Gales , Ronnie Earl , Satriani Eric Johnson and the guys you mentioned 😘! In the Eighties , when I was in my twenties , I wanted so much to find a guitar player ,who was into the music i loved so much , it wasn't easy.

As a 13 year old when Jimi first appeared in the U.K. with ‘Hey Joe’ I liked his sound, and then when ‘Purple Haze’ was released, that just made me really sit up and take notice. There was a new programme starting called ‘Dee Time’, a play on ‘Tea Time’, where former pirate DJ Simon Dee interviewed a whole variety of famous people and there were musical acts on as well. I think the very first programme had Jimi on when Purple Haze had been released and I was at family friends home for a visit and asked if I could watch the programme as there was a musician on I wanted to see. When he appeared playing his guitar behind his head and with his teeth, someone asked me in a bit of a horrified way, “This isn’t who you wanted to see is it”? 😂 They weren’t expecting Jimi or my reaction to him. He was so exhilarating and exciting to watch and listen to. I actually also saw his last performance on the BBC, when he stopped playing his own music and became playing ‘Sunshine of Your Love’ as a tribute to Cream, who had recently disbanded, against the wishes of the TV show’s (Lulu at the BBC, or some other title with the Scottish singer’s name in the title) producer, and as a result the BBC banned Jimi from appearing again. I also recall being very sad when my mother gave me the news of his death.

In short, Hendrix was more than a musician. Back in the day people called him a magic man. That sums it up. I've just felt the greatest since of loss since I heard of his passing back in high school.

Thanks. Very informative

Mike, love your show🎉

My favorite Hendrix album is axis because it really brings every aspect of his music together. It showcases how brilliant his song writing and how much of a poet he was, if you listen closely to the lyrics of little wing, one rainy wish, and bold as love, those songs are nothing but poetry. Then his chord progression and rhythm playing brings out his r&b side. Then you got track likes Spanish castle magic, if 6 was 9 and little miss lover with hard hitting riffs with bluesy and melodic solos

He's difficult to replicate with timing that flows in and out. Very unique.

The man had everything when it came to music: style, swag, rythm, melody, he just knew how to conjure a musical landscape of his own, if you listen to any hendrix album there is something uniquely hendrix to all of them.

Loved the commentary, but I kept waiting to hear you rip this song start to finish

I don’t think you mentioned it specifically, but the way you have your thumb over the top of the neck is also a Jimi thing. Apparently he’d use his thumb there to creat some pretty unique voicings to his chords. Great vid. Jimi is one of those people who started writing on the first page of everything that was to come after.

My first concert was seeing Hendrix in 1968. That's when I decided to play guitar and of course back in those days Hey Joe was the first song we all "learned". We got the basic chord structure down and could somewhat fake the lead but could never correctly figure out his rhythm playing on that song. The thing though is very few could really learn to play it properly. His rhythm playing on that song and many others including Little Wing was from another planet. Really listen to it and see if you can emulate it. In my book, that is what makes him the GOAT of blues based rock. He is definitely the most sophisticated rhythm guitarists ever. I must say, SRVs version of Little Wing still gives me goose bumps. He was able to capture the essence of the song like no other. Great review!