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Editorβs notes
In this lesson, Iβll teach you how to play the unplugged (acoustic) version of βLaylaβ by Eric Clapton. This lesson includes tabs for the intro riff, chords needed for the entire song, strumming pattern, and various other tips that will prove helpful in learning how to play this song. While this tune was originally released in 1971 by Derek and the Dominos, this lesson obviously is modeled after Claptonβs 1992 release as part of his album βUnplugged.β
Video timestamps:
- 0:00 Playthrough
- 0:55 Greeting & lesson overview
- 1:43 Song structure
- 2:20 Riff: chord shapes needed
- 5:27 Riff: bass note practice
- 7:15 Riff: putting it together
- 9:25 Verse: chords & strumming
- 11:45 Advanced riff variations
- 13:55 Farewell
Audio of Eric Clapton playing it
Song chord progressions
Intro & chorus:
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Dm Bb C Dm x3
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Dm Bb C Am C x1
Verse:
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
C#m7 G#7 C#m7 C D E E7
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
F#m B E A F#m B E A
Verse chord shapes
E βββ1ββββ4βββββ4ββββββββββββββ0ββββ0βββββ2ββββββββββββββββββ
B βββ3ββββ5βββββ4ββββ5ββββ7ββββ0ββββ3βββββ2ββββ3ββββ4ββββ2βββ
G βββ2ββββ4βββββ5ββββ5ββββ7ββββ1ββββ1βββββ2ββββ3ββββ4ββββ2βββ
D βββ0ββββ6βββββ4ββββ5ββββ7ββββ2ββββ2βββββ4ββββ3ββββ4ββββ2βββ
A ββββββββ4βββββ6ββββ3ββββ5ββββ2ββββ2βββββ4ββββ1ββββ2ββββ0βββ
E ββββββββββββββ4ββββββββββββββ0ββββ0βββββ2ββββββββββββββββββ
Dm C#m7 G#7 C D E E7 F#m Bb B A
Intro riff
First up, note that I am using these chord shapes for the riff. Notably, I am simplifying things by playing only 3 strings per each chord. The notes below in parentheses Iβm not playing - you can if you wish, but note it makes things tougher for you.
The idea is to spend two counts on each chord, in the order shown below. Then repeat.
E ββββ(1)ββββββββββββββββ(1)ββββ
B βββββ3ββββ(3)ββββ(5)ββββ3βββββ
G βββββ2βββββ3ββββββ5βββββ2βββββ
D βββββ0βββββ3ββββββ5βββββ0βββββ
A βββββββββββ1ββββββ3βββββββββββ
E ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Dm Bb C Dm
Hereβs the tab for the generalized riff:
E βββββββββ(1)βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ(1)ββββββ
B ββββββββββ3ββββββββββββ(3)ββββββββββββ(5)βββββββββββββββ3βββββββ
G ββββββββββ2βββββββββββββ3ββββββββββββββ5ββββββββββββββββ2βββββββ
D ββββββββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ3ββββββββββββββ5ββββββββββββββββ0βββββββ
A ββββ0ββ3ββββββββββββ3βββ1βββββββ1ββ1βββ3βββββββββ0ββ3βββββββββββ
E ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Dm Bb C Dm
When first learning this, I recommend practicing just the bass notes first. For each bass note, be sure to use left-hand fingers that allow you to play the chords youβll need. This way, when youβre fluent enough with the bass notes, you can work on bringing in the full chords.
E ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B βββββββββ(3)βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ(3)ββββββ
G βββββββββ(2)βββββββββββ(3)ββββββββββββ(5)ββββββββββββββ(2)ββββββ
D ββββββββββ0ββββββ0βββββ(3)ββββββββββββ(5)βββββββββββββββ0βββββββ
A ββββ0ββ3ββββββββββββ3βββ1ββββββββββββββ3βββββββββ0ββ3βββββββββββ
E ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Dm Bb C Dm
To transition into the verse, end the riff as follows:
E ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B ββββββββββ3βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G ββββββββββ2βββββββββββββ3ββββββββββββββ5ββββββββββββ2βββ5βββββββ
D ββββββββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ3βββββββ3ββ3βββ5ββββββxβxβββ2βββ5βββββββ
A ββββ0ββ3ββββββββββββ3βββ1βββββββ1ββ1βββ3ββββββxβxβββ0βββ3βββββββ
E ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
Dm Bb C Am C
Strumming pattern options
The patterns I recommend are as follows. First is this simpler (?) one, which uses emphasized/accented down-strums on the β1β and β3β counts, with lighter βdown-upsβ happening on the β2 +β and β4 +β counts.
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D . D U D . D U D . D U D . D U
> > > >
Spoken, this would be:
"DOWN, down-up DOWN, down-up DOWN, down-up DOWN, down-up"
Another option is to do this more typical strum pattern. Iβm showing the down-strum on the β1β count as emphasized/accented, though thatβs optional.
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D . D U . U D U D . D U . U D U
> >
Which would be spoken as:
"DOWN, down-up, up-down-up, DOWN, down-up, up-down-up"
Lyrics w/ chords
(intro, played with riff):
Dm Bb C Dm x3
Dm Bb C Am C x1
C#m7 G#7
...What'll you do when you get lonely
C#m7 C D E E7
And nobody's waiting by your side
F#m B E A
...You've been running and hiding much too long
F#m B E A
...You know it's just your foolish pride... Lay----
Dm Bb C Dm
Layla........ you've got me on my knees
Dm Bb C Dm
Layla......... I'm begging, darling please
Dm Bb C Dm
Layla......... darling won't you ease my worried
Dm Bb C Am C
Mind....
C#m7 G#7
...I tried to give you consolation
C#m7 C D E E7
...When your old man had let you down
F#m B E A
...Like a fool, I fell in love with you
F#m B E A
...You turned my whole world upside down... Lay----
Dm Bb C Dm
Layla........ you've got me on my knees
Dm Bb C Dm
Layla......... I'm begging, darling please
Dm Bb C Dm
Layla......... darling won't you ease my worried
Dm Bb C Am C
Mind....
C#m7 G#7
...Make the best of the situation
C#m7 C D E E7
...Before I finally go insane
F#m B E A
...Please don't say I'll never find a way
F#m B E A
...And tell me all my love's in vain... Lay----
[ chorus ] => [ instrumental chorus w/ solo ] => [ chorus x2 ]
Dm Bb C Dm
Layla........ you've got me on my knees
Dm Bb C Dm
Layla......... I'm begging, darling please
Dm Bb C (let ring) Dm (let ring, end)
Layla......... darling won't you ease my worried mind
Advanced notes about the intro riff
Hereβs the actual timing of the first line of the riff, as heard in the recorded Clapton version:
E |βββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
B |ββββββββββ3ββ|ββββββββββ(3)βββββββββ(5)β|βββββββββββ3βββββββββββ3ββ|β
G |ββββββββββ2ββ|βββββββββββ3βββββββββββ5ββ|βββββββββββ2βββββββββββ2ββ|β
D |ββββββββββ0ββ|βββββ0βββββ3βββββββββββ5ββ|βββββββββββ0βββββββββββ0ββ|β
A |ββββ0ββ3βββββ|ββββββββ3ββ1βββββ1ββ1ββ3ββ|βββββ3ββ3ββββββββ0ββ3βββββ|β
E |βββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
Dm Bb C Dm Dm
+ 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Note that the 2nd and 3rd time he plays this, the timing slightly changes. For example, the C comes in on the β1β count of next measure the 2nd time it is played:
E |βββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
B |ββββββββββ3ββ|ββββββββββ(3)βββββββββββββ|β(5)βββββββ3βββββββββββ3ββ|β
G |ββββββββββ2ββ|βββββββββββ3ββββββββββββββ|ββ5ββββββββ2βββββββββββ2ββ|β
D |ββββββββββ0ββ|βββββ0βββββ3ββββββββββββββ|ββ5ββββββββ0βββββββββββ0ββ|β
A |ββββ0ββ3βββββ|ββββββββ3ββ1ββββββββββββββ|ββ3ββ0ββ3ββββββββ0ββ3βββββ|β
E |βββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
Dm Bb C Dm Dm
+ 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
And the third time it is played, he slides up from the Bb to C shape. Listen along for reference, and watch my video lesson to see me play each version.
Hope that helps!
Let me know how things work for you when learning this song! Hopefully well. Hit me up with any comments / questions / etc.
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