The Ultimate Superstition Guitar Lesson (Stevie Ray Vaughan, Stevie Wonder)

I’ve noticed over the years of being at countless jams and sitting in at shows and venues that “Superstition” is a song that a lot of bands call.

It’s a universal jamming song, for sure at least here in Los Angeles. 

One of the great things about it is that the main part of the tune is just a groove over one chord Eb minor. 

Then there is a B section…

Today I’m going to break down the iconic original by Stevie Wonder. But also a great blues guitar version done by Stevie Ray Vaughan. 

In fact, I’ve been onstage so many times and this song has been called that I even created a unique tuning for it. 

This tuning allows you to play the riff and get a really full sound, without having to tune your whole guitar down ½ step. 

(This is covered in the Stevie Wonder lesson video)

Tuning down all the strings can be a pain to do onstage quickly with just one guitar. So this hack is a lifesaver.

For the Stevie Ray Vaughan version, I’ll tune everything to match Stevie Ray Vaughan. Which would be down one-half step.

Also, there is a version as well of Stevie Wonder and Stevie Ray Vaughan playing it together. Talk about a supergroup!

So grab your guitar and let’s dive in!

Who wrote Superstition?

The song "Superstition" was written and performed by the legendary American musician Stevie Wonder. It was released in 1972 as a single from his fifteenth studio album, Talking Book. 

"Superstition" is one of Stevie Wonder's most iconic and enduring hits, known for its catchy and funky groove.

The song features Stevie Wonder's distinctive groove and powerful vocals. And it's often cited as one of the greatest funk songs of all time. 

The song's infectious rhythm and memorable melody have made it a classic and a staple of Wonder's live performances.

"Superstition" achieved commercial success, reaching the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. 

It has since become one of Stevie Wonder's signature songs and is widely regarded as a masterpiece in the world of funk and soul music. The song's popularity has endured over the years, and it continues to be celebrated and covered by artists from various genres.

What tuning is Superstition?

When I’m on stage and playing song after song at a gig. I often don’t have time to tune my whole guitar down one-half step like Stevie Ray Vaughan did in his version of this song. 

So what I do instead is just drop the low E string down to Eb, and modify the riff just slightly. 

This is a quick hack that can get a really full sound with a band, without the hassle of having to retune the entire guitar and throwing the equilibrium of the guitar’s tension all out of balance.

To keep the entire guitar in standard tuning while dropping only the low E string down to Eb, do this…

Tune the Low E String to Eb:

Begin by tuning your low E string (the thickest string) down one-half step to Eb. You can use a tuner to ensure it's accurately tuned to Eb.

Tune the Rest of the Guitar to Standard Tuning:

Leave the other five strings (A, D, G, B, and high E) in standard tuning (EADGBE). Do not change their pitches.

So the strings listed from low to high (in pitch) with this secret tuning would be:

6th string = Eb

5th string = A

4th string = D

3rd string = G

2nd string = B

1st string = E

How do you play the Superstition riff on guitar?

Once you have made this adjustment. Then I play the Superstition riff like this:

Superstition Guitar Chords

Now using this secret tuning trick, you will also have to adjust any chord shapes you play that involve the 6th string. (Because we changed the tuning on that one string)

The B-section chord progression is just a four-bar chord progression that goes like this:

Bb7, B7b5 (1 bar)

Bb7, A7b5 (1 bar)

Ab7 (1 bar)

Bb7#5 (1 bar) 

For the B-section, I use simple 3-note rhythm chords like this:

This takes a second to get used to. But is very effective live. Especially when we have to remember Stevie Wonder wrote this on the keyboard. Often keys that are great for the keyboard are not the best guitar keys.

This leads me to my next point…

What key is Superstition in?

“Superstition” is in the key of Eb minor. 

Stevie Ray Vaughan’s tuning for Superstition

Now…

Stevie Ray Vaughan’s version is played with the entire guitar tuned down one-half step

So if the original key is Eb minor, and we are guitar players.

Let’s be real here… Playing in Em is way more convenient than playing in Eb minor. This is for many reasons. But a few key points are range and open strings.

In E minor every string can be played open and fit the song.

So if you want to match Stevie Ray Vaughan’s tuning for this song then you will need to tune to what is called Eb standard. To tune your guitar to Eb standard you’ll need to drop every string by one half step.

Here’s how from standard tuning…

Low E String (6th string): Start with your low E string and tune it down one-half step to Eb (E flat).

A String (5th string): Next, move to the A string and tune it down one-half step to Ab (A flat).

D String (4th string): Tune the D string down one-half step to Db (D flat).

G String (3rd string): Lower the G string by one-half step to Gb (G flat).

B String (2nd string): Tune the B string down one-half step to Bb (B flat).

High E String (1st string): Finally, tune the high E string down one-half step to Eb (E flat), just like the low E string.

Step 3: Check Your Tuning

After you've tuned all the strings down by half a step, it's essential to double-check your tuning to ensure accuracy. You can use an electronic tuner or your ear to compare the pitch of each string to the desired tuning. Play the open strings and adjust them as needed until they match the correct pitches: Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb.

So the strings listed from low to high (in pitch) tuned down ½ step would be:

6th string = Eb

5th string = Ab

4th string = Db

3rd string = Gb

2nd string = Bb

1st string = Eb

Superstition Guitar Lesson (SOLO)

Now that you have the basic progression and groove together. Let's talk about soloing over "Superstition"

Conclusion:

"Superstition" by Stevie Wonder is undeniably a timeless classic. Its universal appeal and groove have made it a staple in countless jam sessions and performances, particularly here in Los Angeles. 

In this blog we looked at how this song revolves around a simple yet irresistibly funky one-chord groove in Eb minor, making it an ideal jamming choice.

We also delved into the bluesy rendition of the song by the legendary Stevie Ray Vaughan, who tuned his entire guitar down half a step to match his interpretation. 

To simplify matters on stage, a quick tuning hack that involves dropping just the low E string to Eb while keeping the rest of the guitar in standard tuning can be a lifesaver.

Remember that practicing and experimenting with the song will help you capture its unique essence and groove. So keep practicing and for more great blues guitar lessons check out this blog on the 101 Best Blues Songs To Learn On Guitar next!