Pick up into Measures 1-2:
Jerry kicks this one off with a nice and slow accented forte bend on the upbeat of 3 in the final bar of section G, which he holds for two full measures. Notice that each time just before he picks this bent note he relaxes it ever so slightly, then raises it back to pitch. This detail is indicated with a ghosted grace note in the score, and if you listen you will hear this. To my ear Jerry's natural tone, meaning what comes directly out of his fingers, as opposed to what he gets out of his pickups, amps and effects, has a very vocal, crooning sort of quality. This particular phrase reminds me of something Gerry McGee might play. JD has often acknowledged GM as an influence. Check out Gerry McGee, if you haven't already.
Measure 3:
Bending the d-string at the second fret requires strength. I need to use two fingers, bending with the bird, supported by the index finger. I use standard gauge .10 strings, while I've heard Jerry uses either .09s or a mixed set, so you might try going to a lighter gauge if this bend gives you problems.
Measure 4:
Note the ghosted grace note again before he plucks this held bend.
Measure 5:
Jerry bends that open b-string from behind the nut up 1 1/2 steps to a D. He gives a few tips on what year models of Telecasters are most suitable for this in his audio lesson, which I found illuminating. You'll need to buy his lesson if you want to hear these tips in his own words.
Measure 6:
Now the open e-string is bent up to F#, again from behind the nut. I find this bend slightly more difficult than the previous one with my guitar, even though it's 1/2-step closer. The thinner the string, the more stretching required. One tip I can offer is removing the string tree, or at least releasing the strings from the tree and retuning them up to pitch. Now when you bend them downwards they might catch on the tree, if you haven't removed it. Or, depending on how deeply the nut is slotted, they may jump free of their slots while you play. I have learned to reach the F# by applying some lateral pressure to the bend in addition to the straight downward pressure.
Measures 7-8:
It shouldn't take too much practice before this nice little phrase starts to sound musical.
Measure 9:
Time to twang on that open a-string, bending from behind the nut again up to B.
Measure 10:
A practical and great sounding phrase which teleports you from the open position up to your pentatonic box on the 7th fret. This is something you can apply to many situations.
Measure 11:
Super easy. Kinda Hendrixy. You don't need any help from me here.
Measures 12,13,14:
At the time I started studying this lick, it was probably the most difficult single-note run I had ever attempted to learn, so don't feel discouraged if you don't get it quickly. Slow the metronome way down, and make sure you accent the downbeats of each triplet.
I once read an interview with Tony Rice, where he described his concept of playing in relation to the tempo, and he offered the analogy of the piece of music being a rolling train, and the measures being box cars, and the notes being hobos inside the box cars, and said that while the each of the hobos have a little freedom to move about within their box car, they can't get into the next car. I've never heard it put better than that. I'll try to cite this reference later... I think it was in one of the free samples of the Tone Quest Report. In any case, I think there's a little of that concept going on in this phrase, since it's written much straighter than it sounds when JD plays it.
Measure 15:
And what a cool way to resolve the previous phrase. Don't overlook the stacatto indications on the downbeats of 1 and 2.
Measure 16:
It's indicated that this last behind-the-nut bend on the low e-string stretches up 2 1/2 steps to A. Jerry says that this is possible, and offers a few revealing tips -- get his audio lesson. It also sounds good if you just bend it a whole-step up to F#, which isn't too hard.
Good luck learning this solo. Take it slowly, and one small phrase at a time. It took me about a year of practicing it before it started to sound musical and flow, so don't be discouraged. If you persist it will happen for you too. One phrase at a time...
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