In this lesson, I'll show you how to play the intro lick of Brown Eyed Women, as John Mayer did with Dead and company on July 23, 2017 at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, WA. I'll share with you the left hand techniques that Mayer uses and we'll also go over the music theory behind the notes and John's Approach. Let's check out a quick demonstration of the intro lick, and then we'll get into the lesson itself.

  • Over the E chord, John uses grace note slides in conjunction with the E major pentatonic.

  • Over the A chord, John mixes notes of the A major arpeggio, with notes of the E major pentatonic.

  • Over the E, John uses an E chord in the C shape. He even anticipates the chord change by playing the full shape, while we are still in the A chord.

  • To really nail the feel of this intro, it's important that the notes are played staccato!  Take a close listen to how short and punchy Mayer's approach is, and you'll see why : )

Gear Used for This Video

Video Recording:

Performance:

  • Paul Reed Smith Hollowbody II (2013) with 57/08 Pickups

Audio Recording:

Full PDF of Intro, Rhythm, and Solo Parts

John Mayer Brown Eyed Women