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Jimi Hendrix - Hey Joe - Guitar Tab

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Key C major
Jimi Hendrix - Hey Joe guitar tab video
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Are You Experienced album cover
Are You Experienced
1967 3:30
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Jimi Hendrix Psychedelic Rock 1967 C major
Capo Advisor 0 C major · Original key

About Hey Joe

"Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix is one of the most recognized rock standards of the 1960s, built around a descending chord progression that has made it a rite of passage for electric guitarists worldwide. The song's lyrics follow a man fleeing to Mexico after shooting his unfaithful wife, giving it a dark, blues-influenced narrative. Its combination of rhythm chords, expressive lead work, and Hendrix's signature tone makes it an essential and rewarding piece to study on electric guitar.

  • The song was originally written and copyrighted by Billy Roberts in 1962, predating Hendrix's famous recording.
  • "Hey Joe" runs approximately 3 minutes 30 seconds and features a memorable descending chord sequence: E, B, G, D, A.
  • Hundreds of artists have covered "Hey Joe" across multiple genres, cementing its status as a true rock standard.

How to Play Hey Joe

The song moves through: Intro, Verse 1, Verse 2, Solo, Bridge, Verse 3.

Key: C major · Tempo: 84 BPM · Difficulty: Medium

The foundation of this song is the descending major chord progression moving through five chords in sequence, and getting those open-position shapes to ring cleanly while keeping the rhythm loose and slightly behind the beat is the real challenge at 84 bpm. Learn the rhythm part thoroughly before touching the solo, since Hendrix's lead work in the middle section uses expressive bends and vibrato that require some fingerboard comfort to execute convincingly. The solo is the hardest section, so looping it at reduced speed is worthwhile until the bends land in tune. A common pitfall is rushing the chord changes and losing that slow, heavy groove the song depends on.

Loop each section and focus on clean, even timing rather than speed, with the metronome at 84 BPM.

Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Hendrix's reversed left-handed Strats with stock single-coils delivered bright, articulate tone with pronounced string separation that sang when driven through cranked tubes. The in-between pickup positions created his signature quack tones, while the volume knob let him dynamically shape fuzz in real time.

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)
Amp

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)

Hendrix pushed the Marshall 1959's power tubes to natural saturation, generating thick, harmonically rich overdrive that became his signature sound. The amp's aggressive breakup complemented his single-coils perfectly, delivering singing sustain without compressing his dynamic touch.

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

In the studio, Hendrix used the Twin Reverb's cleaner headroom to capture sparkling, articulate tones and explore different breakup characteristics than the Marshall. Its built-in reverb added spaciousness to tracks like 'Little Wing' without relying on external effects.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Hendrix treated the Cry Baby as an expressive tone-shaping tool, rocking it rhythmically mid-riff on 'Voodoo Child' rather than just switching it on and off. The pedal's resonant sweep perfectly complemented his fuzz textures and added vocal-like expressiveness to his soloing.

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