Guitar & Bass Tabs
Hocus Pocus
About Hocus Pocus
Focus, the Dutch progressive-rock powerhouse, formed in 1969 in Amsterdam when classically trained keyboardist Thijs van Leer teamed with virtuoso guitarist Jan Akkerman. They built a sound that fused intricate keyboard textures, jazz-inflected improvisation, and razor-edged rock guitar, setting a benchmark for the European prog-rock scene and influencing countless players with their fearless musical curiosity. Over the years, Focus became synonymous with tight, adventurous arrangements and a willingness to push genre boundaries, inspiring generations of players to blend technical prowess with catchy musicality.
With Moving Waves (1971) and the global hit Hocus Pocus (1972), the band demonstrated that complex, inventive music could also be crowd-pleasing. Their work across the 1970s—along with later reunions and live performances—showcased Akkerman's dazzling guitar lines and van Leer's melodic keyboard dialogue, helping to popularize a synthesis of classical, jazz, and rock that many modern players chase in their own practice.
🎸 Want to know what gear Hocus Pocus used, their playing style, and fun facts? Scroll below the lessons!
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Focus
Hocus Pocus
View Tab →Playing Style
Jan Akkerman's guitar playing blends classical training with rock virtuosity, delivering crisp, melodic leads and blistering riffs. His technique spans fast arpeggios, rapid scalar runs, precise alternate picking, legato phrasing, and occasional sweep-picked lines, all framed by dynamic rhythm guitar. He often locks in with Thijs van Leer's keyboards to create call-and-response textures, using bright, articulate tones and tasteful effects like phaser, chorus, and delay to add space without muddying the groove. What makes his sound unique is the seamless fusion of precision-classical technique with expressive rock instincts, always serving the song's energy and mood.
🎸 Gear & Equipment
Iconic gear tied to Focus and Akkerman includes a sunburst Fender Stratocaster (often paired with Marshall-style amps for biting leads) and, on other sessions, Gibson Les Pauls for thicker tones. His on-stage rig typically featured a pedalboard with phase shifter, flanger, chorus, and analog delay to create spacey textures, plus versatile amplification that could switch from clean to crunch to cut through the mix. Thijs van Leer complemented the guitar work with a Hammond organ and vintage keyboards, creating the band's signature blend of organ swells and rock leads.
Why Learn Hocus Pocus Songs?
Learning Focus tracks like Hocus Pocus builds core rock and prog-rock skills: tight rhythm discipline, precise alternate picking, rapid arpeggios, and expressive phrasing. The guitar parts demand clean articulation, good timing with dynamic shifts, and a knack for weaving around keyboard lines. Difficulty ranges from intermediate to advanced, but the payoff is real: you’ll develop a confident, melodic lead approach, strong groove awareness, and the ability to pull complex arrangements into your own playing toolkit.
Did You Know?
- 1Focus formed in Amsterdam in 1969 and became one of the era's defining prog-rock acts.
- 2The 1972 single Hocus Pocus is famous for its playful yodeling section and catchy instrumental hook.
- 3Guitarist Jan Akkerman is widely regarded as one of the most influential rock guitarists of the 1970s.
- 4Thijs van Leer, a classically trained keyboardist and flautist, helped shape Focus's signature blend of classical, jazz, and rock.
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