Eric Clapton – Third Degree (Guitar Tab)

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Chords

Let's start with the intro. Some piano parts are included - if you have no piano...

I-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
I--------13/15~~-(13tr15)-13----------------------------------------------------------|I
I-12-12-----------------------(14)rb12-------------------------------10-12b(14)rb12---|p-I
I-(piano)--------(piano)---------------12-10h12-10h12-10h12-10h12-12------------------|I
I-----------------------------------------pick softly---------------------------------|I
I-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
 0:00

I-------------------------------------------------------------------13--10--13--10----|I
I-------------------------------------10----------------------------12b-----12b-------|I
I-10-12----10-12b(14)rb12p10----10-12----12-10h12-9h10--------------------------------|I
I-------12-------------------12------------------------12-10tr12..--------------------|from G7 chord...-I
I--------------------------------------------------------------.piano.----------------|I
I-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
0:09

                                    (Bb9)(A9)   (Eb9)(D9)
I-------------------------------------13--12-------6--5-------------------------------|I
I-10----------------------------------13--12-------6--5----vocals start---------------|I
I----12-10----10h12-10----------------13--12-------6--5-------------------------------|I
I----------12----------12-10tr12...---12--11-------5--4-------------------------------|I
I-------------------------------------13--12-------6--5-------------------------------|I
I-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
                        0:19

During the vocals we play a very soft rhythm guitar using downstrokes only: D9 Got me... D9 G7 Eb9 D9 I c... D9 A7 Got ... D9 A9 G9 I ... G9 A9 G9 Bad love.... D9 is .... Short guitar break at 1:02 with a variation of our well known Blues starting riff, going to the root note at the high E-string and then back to the root note at the low E-string:

                                                                  (Bb9)(A9)
I-------------10------------10--13---10-----------------------------13--12----|I
I----------10----10-13b(15)-----12b-----10----10--------------------13--12----|I
I--12b(14)---------------------------------12----12-----------------13--12----|I
I---------------------------------------------------10--------------12--11----|I
I------------------------------------------------------12\8---------13--12----|I
I-----------------------------------------------------------10----------------|I
1:01

A9 G9 Well I just can't stay G9 D9 no more on this third degree At 1:23 a variation of the above theme, than starting the next verse. Chords are the and guitar fills between area again versions of the above theme. At 2:41 we have a solo, all around the D minor Blues scale at the 10th fret. It starts like:

I-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
I-----------13/15-15-15~~~--13/15-13/15-13/15-13------------------------------13------|I
I--14-14-14--------------------------------------(14)rb12-10---------10-12/14---------|I
I------------------------------------------------------------12---12------------------|I
I-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
I-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
 2:41

I-------------------------------------------------------------13--10------------------|I
I-------------------------------------------------------------12b----10---------------|I
I--14\12-10----10h12-10h12-10-------------------------------------------12-11----11---|I
I-----------12----------------12-10----------------------------------------^--12------|I
I-----------------------------------12-10--------8h10-8h10-8---------------major------|I
I-----------------------------------------13-10----------------------------note!------|I
                                                              2:54

I------------10------------10------13---13--13---10-----------------------------------|I
I---------10----10-13b(15)---------12b--12b-12b-----10-----10-------------------------|I
I-12b(14)----------------------------------------------12b----12b-12-10----10---------|etc..-I
I-----------------------------------------------------------------------12------------|I
I-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I
I-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|I

You now go on with the licks above. Remember to play fluid and clean, using small bends sometimes a major note. Build up and release tension, another short example from 3:35 like:

I----13-15-17-15-17-15h17p15--13-15-13---------------|I
I-15-----------------------------------15-13-15~~~---|I
I----------------------------------------------------|I
I--------------------------------------------root----|I
I--------------------------------------------note----|I
I----------------------------------------------------|I
 3:35

The end is easy to figure out, a short lick up and down ending with the chords Eb9 / D9.