Robert Cray Smokin Gun. Why This Riff?
It is important to continue to add colour and flavour to your rhythm playing, so with our man Robert “Young Bob” Cray in mind, this simple but beautifully melodic riff will provide you with several things to master.
The Component Parts
Apart from the relatively easy strumming pattern, the introduction to Smokin Gun contains a melody line using variations of the Em and Am chords, deadening of the strings to create a percussive sound, followed by a lead lick that mimics part of the vocal line to finish it all off.
Sounds like a lot of work, but you’ll be surprised how quickly you will master this.
The Sound
Use whatever you like, but keep it as clean and as effect-free as possible. If you have a Fender Strat, you can attempt to recreate Robert Cray’s style, but try to put your own mark on it.
Robert Cray Smokin Gun. Introduction
Robert Cray Smokin Gun. Teaching Video
