Guitar & Bass Tabs
Eric Johnson
Learn Eric Johnson's Guitar & Bass Style
Discover how Eric Johnson developed their signature guitar and bass sound, the techniques you'll encounter in their music, and the best lessons to begin your learning journey.
Eric Johnson is a Texas born guitarist whose precision tone and lyrical phrasing helped reshape modern blues rock. Emerging from the vibrant Austin scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s, he built a reputation as a virtuoso who combines technical mastery with expressive musical ideas. His breakthrough came with the 1990 album Ah Via Musicom, which includes the guitar tour de force Cliffs of Dover and earned him a Grammy for Best Instrumental Rock Performance for that track.
Over a career spanning several decades, Johnson has influenced countless players with his meticulous approach to tone, touch, and composition. His playing blends blues scales, jazz-inspired lines, fast arpeggios, and melodic storytelling, proving that instrumental rock can be both technically dazzling and deeply musical.
Beyond albums, Johnson remains a fixture in the global guitar community, known for endurance on tour, teaching clinics, and a relentless pursuit of tone. His discography, awards, and enduring popularity continue to inspire new generations of players to chase clarity, sustain, and expressive dynamics on the fretboard.
🎸 Want to know what gear Eric Johnson used, their playing style, and fun facts? Scroll below the lessons!
Watch the Lesson
Cliffs Of Dover
Eric Johnson
View Tab →Playing Style
Eric Johnson's playing style is defined by a bright, singing tone and careful note articulation. He favors precise timing, hybrid picking, and a blend of alternate picking and legato, which lets him weave melodic lines over complex chord progressions. His playing blends blues, jazz, and rock influences, with frequent use of arpeggios, rapid runs, and expressive bends. He is known for his dynamic control, often dialing back volume for subtle nuance and pushing it for climactic peaks. A hallmark of his approach is tone shaping as an intrinsic musical idea, not just a byproduct of technique.
🎸 Gear & Equipment
Johnson is closely associated with the Fender Stratocaster, typically delivering a bright, clear signal that sustains beautifully into gentle overdrive. His live rigs are widely reported to include tube amplifiers such as Dumble style builds and other high end amps, complemented by reverb and delay to create his signature shimmering sustain.
Why Learn Eric Johnson Songs?
Learning Eric Johnson tunes helps players develop precise picking technique, tone control, and melodic phrasing that sit at the heart of classic rock instrumental playing. Cliffs of Dover is a landmark piece for developing clean tone, speed, and control, while other Johnson tracks emphasize dynamic touch, timing, and expressive vibrato. The material is challenging enough to push intermediate players toward advanced skills, but the tabs and lessons provide guided paths that build solid rock fundamentals.
Did You Know?
- 1Born in 1954 in Austin, Texas, Eric Johnson became a cornerstone of the Austin guitar scene.
- 2His track Cliffs of Dover from the Ah Via Musicom album earned him a Grammy for Best Instrumental Rock Performance.
- 3John Mayer has cited Eric Johnson as a major influence on his own guitar work.
- 4Johnson is renowned for his relentless tone chasing and meticulous rig tuning that fans and gear nerds adore.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Learn to Play Eric Johnson Guitar
Explore Eric Johnson guitar and bass lessons with a focus on riffs, rhythm parts, classic rock techniques, and practice-friendly video lessons.
Start Here
Begin with the most recognizable riffs and rhythm parts before moving into harder songs.
Techniques
Practice power chords, timing, picking control, bends, vibrato, and classic rock phrasing.
Next Step
Use the lessons below to build a practice path from easier songs to more advanced parts.
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