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Comment jouer Purple Haze de Jimmy Hendrix ?
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Purple Haze

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(1967)
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How to play Purple Haze by Jimmy Hendrix?

Learn the Guitar Riff Intro from “Purple Haze”, cult song by Jimmy Hendrix ! This song was written by Hendrix in 1966 and was recorded for his first album, “Are You Experienced”.

Hendrix claimed that “Purple Haze” had been inspired by a dream where he walked under the sea and was enveloped in a purple mist, an experience that was saved by his faith in Jesus.

Anecdote musicaleAt the beginning of the song, the chord used includes a flat fifth interval called a “tritone” (E and B flat), which has long been associated with invoking the Devil. As a result, its use in music was once prohibited

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> HOW TO PLAY Purple Haze ?

If you want to know how to play Purple Haze by Jimmy Hendrix here are some tips for you!

“Purple Haze” follows a structure typical of rock music, with a measure in 4/4 (four binary beats). The tempo is moderate, with a marked beat that maintains a connection between modern popular music and dance.

The bass plays an important role in this pulsation by providing metrical and harmonic support for the piece, while the drums use rapid rhythmic figures on different toms to punctuate the ends of phrases. The phrases themselves are often grouped into two measures, thus forming regular periods, and are accompanied by a main riff which is often repeated throughout the song.

Here you will find a course to learn how to play Purple Haze by Jimmy Hendrix and his Cult Guitar Riff :

  • How to play Purple Haze by Jimmy Hendrix on the Guitar?
    The main guitar riff is the signature of “Purple Haze”. This riff is built around a melodic cell that repeats throughout the song, using considerable intervals like the descending minor 7th (G-A). The riff also uses a pentatonic scale common in blues (E, G, A, B, D, E), which is easy to play on guitar.How to play Purple Haze by Jimmy Hendrix: Guitar Riff
    The main riff is repeated four times with two measures each, with an initial incantation in the first measure and a final fallout to the tonic E in the second measure. By reducing the riff to the supporting notes, we obtain the following melodic pattern: B, A, G, E. Hendrix uses all the subtleties allowed by the use of electricity to play with sound modulations and effects to bring the riff to life and create a unique atmosphere.How to play Purple Haze by Jimmy Hendrix: The Rhythm
    Finally, it is important to note that the song also uses syncopations and offbeats, typical of jazz and blues, to add rhythmic interest and make the piece more complex. These rhythmic elements are present in the main riff as well as in the vocals. If you really want to learn “Purple Haze”, so it's important to work not only on the main riff, but also on the rhythmic structure and nuances of the song as a whole. I hope this helped you better understand how to play Purple Haze by Jimmy Hendrix on guitar! 

> what is the story of Purple Haze ?

How to play Purple Haze by Jimmy Hendrix: The genesis of “Purple Haze”

“Purple Haze”is a song by the rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix, released in 1967. It is one of the best known titles of Hendrix and remains one of his most popular and widely performed tracks to date. “Purple Haze” was written by Hendrix in 1966 and was recorded for his first album, “Are You Experienced”. The song is characterized by its lively guitar riff and catchy melody, which immediately captured the attention of rock music fans.

Jimi Hendrix and the producer and manager Chas Chandler used unusual studio techniques to produce the distinctive sound of“Purple Haze”.
They employed a particular method to create the background echo effect, recording a pair of headphones placed around a microphone to give the impression of a distant track. This unusual studio trick was used to add an extra dimension to the song, creating a unique sound that contributed to its popularity. For one of the guitar tracks, Hendrix used a device called the Octavia, which could raise or lower the guitar a full octave.

The day after Christmas in 1966, Jimi Hendrix wrote the lyrics to “Purple Haze”. He wrote a lot more than what was ultimately used in the song. This was at a press reception at the Upper Cut Club in east London, hosted by the former boxer Billy Walker, that the piece has been developed. In the club's compact dressing room, Hendrix started playing the song's hot riff and drew all the attention to himself.
That's when Chas Chandler said, “Write the rest of this down. It’s the next single!”

How to play Purple Haze by Jimmy Hendrix: What is “Purple Haze” about?

The title “Purple Haze” refers to a state of mind or atmosphere of confusion and doubt, and the song itself is often considered an anthem to the counterculture of the 1960s. The lyrics of the song are cryptic and ambiguous, but Hendrix's powerful and energetic music quickly attracted a wide audience. Many believed the song's title was related to the Majijuana strain of the same name.

Hendrix claimed it was inspired by a dream where he walked under the sea. In this dream, he said a purple mist surrounded him, engulfed him and lost him. It was a traumatic experience, but in his dream, his faith in Jesus saved him.

At one point, Hendrix wrote the chorus “purple haze, Jesus saves,” but decided against it.
Part of the lyrics were formed from the free verse ramblings that Jimmy noted from time to time.

This song was written under the direction of the manager of Hendrix, the former bassist of Animals, Chas Chandler. They had just released the first single ofHendrix, the resumption of “Hey Joe” by Tim Rose and were looking for a sequel. Chandler was impressed when he first heard the riff, and prompted Jimmy to finish writing the song.

The phrase “Scuse me while I kiss the sky” in “Purple Haze” became legendary, but it also became notorious for being one of the most misinterpreted lyrics of all time. Many people heard “Scuse me while I kiss this guy” instead of “Scuse me while I kiss the sky,” and this led to general confusion as to what the song actually meant.
This confusion was reinforced by the fact that Hendrix has sometimes sung the line this way during his live performances and even pointed at a member of his band to add to the confusion.

How to play Purple Haze by Jimmy Hendrix: The anecdote about “Purple Haze”

At the beginning of the song, the chord used includes a flat fifth interval called a “tritone” (E and B flat), which has long been associated with invoking the Devil. As a result, its use in music was once prohibited

Hendrix established a recording studio in Greenwich Village called Electric Lady, a month before her death. The studio includes several rooms, one of which is named after “Purple Haze” in homage to his famous song.
This mixing room is decorated with a purple table. Electric Lady Studios has become a popular destination for many artists: The Clash, Weezer, Patti Smith and Alicia Keys have all recorded in these studios at one time or another.