Learn to Play Cream Crossroads • Eric Clapton Guitar Lesson + Tutorial

Crossroads guitar lesson! Learn how to play Crossroads by Cream, featuring Eric Clapton’s iconic blues-rock riffs, bends, and licks. This lesson breaks down the intro, turnaround, chords, and phrasing that make this jam a classic.

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Marty here with one of my favorite blues rock songs to teach—packed with Clapton’s classic bends, phrasing tricks, and that mix of major and minor pentatonic that gives it such a killer feel. Whether you’re working on rhythm or lead, this one’s loaded with great takeaways.

What you'll learn in this video:
⦿ How to play the Crossroads intro riff and turnaround
⦿ The Chuck Berry-style blues lead licks Clapton used
⦿ When to mix A major and minor pentatonic scales
⦿ Boogie rhythm techniques and two rhythm position options
⦿ Clapton-style phrasing: bends, pull-offs, and slides that sing

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0:00 – Intro Jam + What You’ll Learn
0:46 – Crossroads Intro Riff (Open Position)
1:50 – Clapton’s Signature Micro-Bends + Feel
3:07 – Adding Harmony Notes to the Main Riff
4:10 – D7 Chord Groove + Bends for Grit
5:10 – E5 Power Chord + Blues Turnaround
6:00 – Chuck Berry-Style Lead Licks
7:00 – Pull-Off Licks + Sliding Into Arpeggios
8:33 – Playing the Full Intro with Feel
10:09 – Two Rhythm Guitar Options for Verses
12:00 – Alternate Position Boogie Patterns
13:44 – The Major + Minor Pentatonic Blend
15:30 – How Clapton Mixes Scales Over Different Chords
17:00 – Final Thoughts + Free Guitar Guide