Sweet Home Alabama Guitar Lesson (Lynyrd Skynyrd)

👉JAM THE BLUES ANYWHERE ON THE NECK! Discover the 5 easiest and fastest ways to play the blues scale with this FREE PDF GUIDE→ www.jonmaclennan.com/bluesscales
Sweet Home Alabama Guitar Lesson (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
👉Follow along with the FULL lesson here: www.jonmaclennan.com/blog/swe...
Whelp…
Today I have something cool for you…
And there really isn't much more to say other than THIS...
Right now, for the first time ever, I'm going to share with you how I play one of the most ICONIC guitar riffs of all time!
I’m talking about THE EPIC, THE LEGENDARY Lynyrd Skynyrd Tune…
"Sweet Home Alabama."
Apparently, Ed King was the guy who came up with the main signature guitar part. (Your friends will recognize this right away when you play it!)
Ed played it on a Fender Stratocaster.
I’ve played this tune countless times with band after band…
It always seems to come a little later in the set when everyone starts to cut loose on the dance floor…
In fact, I even learned a simple version of “Sweet Home Alabama” as one of the first riffs I ever played. (I’ll show you how to play that easy version too.)
My cousin showed it to me.
He taught me the chords and this little picking pattern.
I remember playing it to my parents and friends as a kid… and even they thought it was cool…
They were impressed…
I think it was because they could recognize it right away… (You can do this too!)
Ed King jammed this monumental riff as a counterpart to what Gary Rossington played.
Gary held down a light arpeggiated guitar part (using the same chords) you can hear as well in the background on the final track.
So without further ado…
Let’s dive into this Sweet Home Alabama guitar lesson!
Who wrote Sweet Home Alabama?
"Sweet Home Alabama" is a classic rock song by the American band Lynyrd Skynyrd.
The song was written by Ronnie Van Zant, Gary Rossington, and Ed King, members of the band.
It was released as a single in 1974 and also appeared on their second studio album, "Second Helping," which was released in the same year.
The song was recorded at Studio One in Doraville, Georgia, which was chosen for its proximity to their hometown of Jacksonville, Florida. The recording process was produced by Al Kooper and engineered by Rodney Mills.
"Sweet Home Alabama" quickly became one of Lynyrd Skynyrd's signature tracks and remains one of their most iconic and lasting songs.
It is a staple of classic rock radio and has been covered and referenced in various forms of media.
"Sweet Home Alabama" reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. The song has become an anthem for the state of Alabama. (It’s often played at sporting events and other public gatherings in the state.)
In Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time," "Sweet Home Alabama" was ranked at No. 398 in their 2004 list and then climbed to No. 389 in their 2010 list.
Is Sweet Home Alabama easy on guitar?
To play an easy version of “Sweet Home Alabama” on guitar is not going to be too difficult. There are 4 chords total in the song, and you can almost get away with playing just 3 as a beginner.
However, to nail all the guitar parts like the recording is incredibly difficult. That is going to require an advanced level of guitar playing
Sweet Home Alabama Guitar Chords
You only need to know 4 chords to play “Sweet Home Alabama” on guitar D, C, G, and F.
👉Follow along with the FULL lesson here: www.jonmaclennan.com/blog/swe...
👉JAM THE BLUES ANYWHERE ON THE NECK! Discover the 5 easiest and fastest ways to play the blues scale with this FREE PDF GUIDE→ www.jonmaclennan.com/bluesscales

[@jonmaclennan]

👉JAM THE BLUES ANYWHERE ON THE NECK! Discover the 5 easiest and fastest ways to play the blues scale with this FREE PDF GUIDE→ www.jonmaclennan.com/bluesscales

[@philiphmooresr]

Great breakdown… Thanks John, I appreciate your lessons!

[@stevestrang480]

Great tutorial on Sweet Home Alabama. Thanks

[@morrisonmcqueen1364]

Fantastic work. Cheers for sharing

[@DavidStokesTX]

Your best lesson ever! Thank you!!

[@michaelluby5029]

Great video John!!

[@stevefielding8324]

Thanks for such an excellent lesson Jon. An awesome breakdown of one of my top 10 all-time!!

[@keithjones6326]

Jon, love your playing, great lesson. I’ll have a go. Thanks.

[@listairgin]

Great lesson and demo! Thank you Jon. 🌌🌅🌠

[@wildaboutnature7006]

Great lesson John. I love that song. Thank you so much for all your great lessons! Happy Thanksgiving 🍁

[@jorgepleiteguerra9297]

Very usefull, thank you Jon

[@57RickH]

Thanks for that thorough breakdown! I've been trying to nail down that fast lick at G (in the intro part) for a long time so this is very helpful. 🎸🎸👍🏻

[@tigermcflash131]

Thanks Jon...Super!!

[@DavidMilne-xs5dl]

Much appreciated bro,thanks

[@Kirk1914]

Your lesson is excellent

[@LMacNeill]

The most complete and in-depth lesson I've seen for this song, without getting *stupidly* detailed. Just the gist of it, yet also showing each *important* riff that makes the song so recognizeable. Now if I were only good enough to actually *play* it like this! 😂 I'd love to see a play-along video.

[@perrry100]

;-)

[@zivamariediva8082]

love it shanks

[@CyberManor]

Nice tutorial! Can you break down one of the lead lines from the new Intervals song Mnemonic? Thanks!

[@edfeten4724]

At 5:57 you are bending the G string at the 5th fret up a step. On my acoustic I am not able to bend up a step. Is this typical on an acoustic or does it mean I need new strings or something? By the way, this is a great video!

[@perrry100]

Is that a FSR Stratocaster Pro II

[@perrry100]

😁Amp settings please

[@brianbritton8447]

Your playing that first riff wrong Ed King rolls off the b flat to b to start he wrote it so I would go watch Ed's version to. Play it correct.

[@edfeten4724]

At what time in the video are you referring to? Thanks

[@brianbritton8447]

@@edfeten4724 At 3:24 in video it is not open A Ed rolls off the B flat or the first fret on the A string . To start the riff and every where else in the song where the riff is played.

[@perrry100]

This is to get you started and have some fun with the guitar @@brianbritton8447

[@k.t.ingram375]

wrong.