Prompt
Create a 4-week learning plan to learn the guitar part of Stevie Ray Vaughn’s Voodoo Child with a daily schedule spread over the day for a total of 1 hour a day, list and link resources, check links to make sure they are active and not broken
Plan
I’ll create a 4-week learning plan to master Stevie Ray Vaughan’s version of “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” on guitar. Here’s a comprehensive daily practice schedule broken down into manageable segments.
4-Week Guitar Learning Plan: Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Voodoo Child”
This plan is designed for intermediate guitarists with some experience in blues playing. You’ll practice 1 hour daily, divided into focused segments throughout the day.
Essential Resources
- Official Backing Tracks: Elevated Jam Tracks – Voodoo Child Style
- Guitar Tabs: Ultimate Guitar – Voodoo Child SRV Version
- Reference Videos:
- Technical Tutorials:
Equipment Needed
- Electric guitar (preferably with single-coil pickups)
- Overdrive/distortion pedal
- Wah-wah pedal (optional but recommended)
- A guitar amp with good dynamics
- Metronome or metronome app
- An audio recording device (smartphone is fine)
Week 1: Foundations & Intro
Daily Schedule:
Morning (15 minutes):
- 5 min: Warm-up with E minor pentatonic scale (key of the song)
- 10 min: Learn and practice the iconic intro/wah section
Afternoon (20 minutes):
- 10 min: Work on the main riff that follows the intro
- 10 min: Practice the first verse’s rhythm guitar part
Evening (25 minutes):
- 15 min: Begin learning the first solo section
- 5 min: Record your daily progress
- 5 min: Listen back and identify areas for improvement
Weekly Focus: Master the intro and main riff with proper tone and feel.
Day-by-Day Breakdown:
- Days 1-2: Focus on the intro wah section and getting the tone right
- Days 3-5: Add the main riff, work on transitions
- Days 6-7: Begin adding dynamics and expression, record a complete intro + main riff
Week 2: Verse Sections & First Solo
Daily Schedule:
Morning (15 minutes):
- 5 min: Warm-up with chromatic exercises for finger strength
- 10 min: Practice the verse sections with proper dynamics
Afternoon (20 minutes):
- 15 min: Work on the first solo section
- 5 min: Practice transitions between sections
Evening (25 minutes):
- 15 min: Slow-tempo play-along with backing track
- 10 min: Record and review progress
Weekly Focus: Develop the SRV touch and attack on strings, focus on bending accuracy.
Day-by-Day Breakdown:
- Days 1-3: Master the verse sections and transitions
- Days 4-5: Deep dive into the first solo section techniques
- Days 6-7: Connect all learned sections at a moderate tempo
Week 3: Second Solo & Song Structure
Daily Schedule:
Morning (15 minutes):
- 5 min: Warm-up focusing on string bending and vibrato
- 10 min: Practice the second solo section
Afternoon (20 minutes):
- 10 min: Work on the bridge/breakdown section
- 10 min: Practice SRV’s vibrato and bending techniques
Evening (25 minutes):
- 15 min: Play through all sections learned so far
- 10 min: Record and analyze your tone and timing
Weekly Focus: Perfect the SRV vibrato technique and work on speed for solo sections.
Day-by-Day Breakdown:
- Days 1-3: Learn and practice the second solo section
- Days 4-5: Master the bridge/breakdown section
- Days 6-7: Connect all sections with proper transitions
Week 4: Final Solo & Full Song Integration
Daily Schedule:
Morning (15 minutes):
- 5 min: Warm-up with speed exercises
- 10 min: Practice the final explosive solo section
Afternoon (20 minutes):
- 15 min: Work on any challenging licks or transitions
- 5 min: Focus on improvisation in SRV style
Evening (25 minutes):
- 20 min: Full song play-through with backing track
- 5 min: Record your complete performance
Weekly Focus: Full song integration, performance quality, and developing your own expression.
Day-by-Day Breakdown:
- Days 1-3: Master the final solo section
- Days 4-5: Polish any rough spots throughout the song
- Days 6-7: Multiple full song play-throughs at performance tempo
Technical Focus Areas
- SRV’s Picking Technique:
- Heavy attack with pick held firmly
- A combination of alternate picking and occasional economy picking
- String Bending:
- Full-step and half-step bends with precise pitch control
- SRV’s signature wide vibrato on bent notes
- Dynamics:
- Volume swells using guitar volume knob
- Transition between clean and dirty tones
- Wah Pedal Technique:
- Slow, expressive wah movements in the intro
- Quick “cocked wah” positions during solos
Progress Tracking
Record yourself at the end of each week, playing as much of the song as you’ve learned. Compare these recordings to track your progress and identify areas that need more work.
Week 1: Intro and main riff Week 2: Intro, main riff, and verse sections Week 3: First half of the song, including solos Week 4: Complete song performance
Final Performance
On the last day of Week 4, record a complete performance of the song with the backing track. Compare this to SRV’s version and your Week 1 recording to see how far you’ve come!
This 4-week plan breaks down learning Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Voodoo Child” into manageable daily practice sessions. Here are the key highlights:
- Daily Structure: Each day includes 1 hour of practice divided into morning (15 min), afternoon (20 min), and evening (25 min) sessions
- Progressive Learning: The plan builds methodically from the intro and main riff in Week 1 to full song performance in Week 4
- Technical Focus: Special attention to SRV’s signature techniques like his aggressive picking style, wide vibrato, and expressive wah pedal use
- Resources: A collection of backing tracks, tabs, and video tutorials to support your learning
- Progress Tracking: Weekly recording sessions to monitor improvement
The plan is designed for intermediate guitarists who have some experience with blues techniques. It focuses not just on playing the notes correctly but on capturing SRV’s distinctive tone and feel.
Is there any specific section of the song you’d like me to elaborate on further, or would you like more detail about any particular technique?
Scott Le Duc 