Lay Down Sally Guitar Lesson (Eric Clapton)

Looking to unlock that funky, bluesy guitar riff that Eric Clapton played on "Lay Down Sally"? 

If so, this "Lay Down Sally" guitar lesson will be your step-by-step guide to the chords, rhythm, and even soloing over this fun song!

If you're a guitarist of any level, this song is a great one to add to your repertoire. If you’re a beginner I would suggest starting with just working on the three fundamental chords and changing between them in time.

Getting that down first helps you build a strong foundation for the tune. Then, for more experienced guitarists, this song is a chance to explore Clapton's iconic bluesy rhythms and add some new licks to your arsenal. 

So, grab your guitar, and let's get ready to learn how to play "Lay Down Sally"!

Lay Down Sally Chords

Like so many great songs there are only 3 chords you need to know to play this one. A, D, and E. 

For A play it like this:

For the D play it like this:

For the E play it like this:

These chords can be played in the open position and sound great strumming along with the song.

What Key Is Lay Down Sally In?

Lay Down Sally is in the key of A major and uses just the three primary chords of the key called the I, IV, and V.

In the key of A major, the chords A, D, and E are all what we call diatonic harmony in the key. 

In terms of music theory, here's how they connect:

• A Major (I): The A major chord is the I (one) chord in the key of A major. It's built on the tonic note, A, and consists of the A, C#, and E notes. This chord provides a stable and consonant sound as the tonal center of the key.
• D Major (IV): The D major chord is the IV (four) chord in the key of A major. It's built on the fourth degree of the A major scale, which is D. The notes in the D major chord are D, F#, and A. The IV chord provides a sense of tension and movement away from the tonic chord (A).
• E Major (V): The E major chord is the V (five) chord in the key of A major. It's built on the fifth degree of the A major scale, which is E. The notes in the E major chord are E, G#, and B. The V chord creates even more tension and is often used to build anticipation and lead back to the tonic (A) chord.

The relationship between these chords follows a common pattern in music theory. The I (A major) is the tonic chord, providing a sense of home and resolution. The IV (D major) chord adds a touch of tension and is often used to transition to the dominant chord, V (E major). The V chord creates a strong desire to resolve back to the I chord, completing the musical cycle.

This progression of I, IV, V is prevalent in many styles of music, including the blues, and it's a fundamental structure for creating harmony and chord progressions. The tension and resolution created by these chords give the music a sense of movement and emotion, making them essential in the understanding of music theory and composition in the key of A major.

Before you can start playing the groove for "Lay Down Sally" on guitar, you'll want to be able to switch between these chord shapes in time for each section. The song is built using 3 parts. The first part is the intro or the vamp which just stays on the A chord for 8 bars. 

Then you move on to the second part, the Verse. This is where Clapton comes in singing. 

“There is nothing that is wrong…”

Verse 

The verse follows a 14-bar chord progression. It starts off with: 

A (4 bars)

D (2 bars)

Then that repeats - 

A (4 bars)

D (2 bars) 

Then you finish the verse up with 2 bars of E.

E (2 bars)

So all together it looks like this:

A (4 bars)

D (2 bars)

A (4 bars)

D (2 bars)

E (2 bars)

Those last 2 bars of E build us into the chorus where Clapton sings:

“Lay down Sally…”

The chorus is simply an 8-bar progression that spends 2 bars on each chord.

A (2 bars)

D (2 bars)

E (2 bars)

A (2 bars)

Learn how to play the “Lay Down Sally” rhythm on guitar

Next, let's spice up the groove with a part in the style of what you hear Clapton play on the recording.

Start by fretting the A shape with one finger. From there play the open 5th string on a down pluck and then and upstrum on the 3rd and 4th strings like this:

Then I use the thumb of my fretting hand to come over the top of the neck and play the 2nd fret on the 6th string. Then open low E, then back to the 2nd fret with the thumb, and finally end with another upstrum on the part of the A chord on the 3rd and 4th strings.

In the 2nd measure, I start with a rest, then another upstrum, then a bass line again on the low 6th string. Tip: I play the note on the 2nd fret of the 6th string with my thumb, while the note on the 3rd fret I play with my middle finger on the fretting hand.

Then I repeat the first measure again:

In the 4th measure, I play an alternating string lick that descends down like this:

Having different riffs and grooves you can mix in is key. This is how you start getting the style under your fingers. Clapton plays it differently every time.

Try putting it all together like this:

For the chorus groove, here I’ll just play a straight-up blues rhythm pattern for each chord like this:

In these types of guitar parts, you can really see how Clapton always infuses the blues into everything he is playing. 

This type of rhythm is something that could be heard in a Muddy Waters or Bo Diddley song.

But mixing it in with a two-beat feel like “Lay Down Sally” really gives the song a fun groove.

Soloing and Scales

The solo section for “Lay Down Sally” returns back to the intro vamp and just stays on the A chord.

Here Clapton primarily uses the notes in the A minor blues scale which can be played at the 5th fret like this:

These would be the frets to play on each string:

6th string frets = 5, 8

5th string frets = 5,6, 7

4th string frets = 5, 7

3rd string frets = 5, 7, 8

2nd string frets = 5, 8

1st string frets = 5, 8

Next, let’s look at a few examples of how Clapton might improvise over this progression.

Example 1 stays entirely in the 5th position, and uses string bending and some funky rhythms to match the feel of the song like this:

Example 2 mixes things up a bit by adding the note B into the lick on the 7th fret of the 1st string. This is a common scale tone Clapton would add to his solos in major and in minor keys for some extra sweet flavor.

Example 3 moves up to the 10th position but still uses the blues scale. This one combines some gritty bluesy bends with just a few notes and demonstrates classic Clapton style.

Conclusion 

"Lay Down Sally" is a timeless classic that offers a fun groove and simple chords for guitarists of all skill levels to improve their playing. By applying the concepts and techniques presented in this guide, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the bluesy style that Eric Clapton is known for and add some new skills to your toolbox. So keep practicing, and for another great bluesy tune in the key of A major, check out "Call Me The Breeze" or "Crossroads" next!