Alright, boys and girls, we’re at the final chapter of Jimi’s “Voodoo Child” masterclass. You’ve learned the bass riff. You’ve conquered the one-string runs. Now it’s time to talk about something that separates the good blues players from the absolute legends: the string stretch.
This is where Jimi puts it all together. This is where you hear that voice in his guitar—that crying, wailing sound that makes you feel something deep in your chest. And the beautiful thing? It’s not nearly as hard as it sounds.
The Setup: E Pentatonic Minor at the 12th Fret
You’re still in E pentatonic minor, still working at the 12th fret position. That’s your home base. From there, move to the 3rd string—that’s your G string if you’re counting from the top, or your third-thickest string. You’re gonna fret the 14th fret. That’s an A note, and it’s sitting right in the E pentatonic scale.
Now comes the magic. You’re gonna bend that note. Not just a half-step bend. You’re gonna stretch up a whole tone—that’s two frets worth of pitch. So you’re bending from A all the way up to B. That’s a big stretch, which is why this move is called the “string stretch.”
Three Fingers Behind The Bend
Here’s the secret that separates a shaky bend from a solid one: use three fingers. Get your first finger on the 12th fret of that 3rd string, your middle finger on the 13th fret, and your pinky on the 14th fret. All three fingers are working together, supporting that bend. You’re not pulling the string with just your pinky alone. You’ve got backup.
Why? Because control is everything. A bend that goes flat—where you don’t hit the note you’re aiming for—sounds awful. A bend that goes sharp—where you overshoot the pitch—sounds worse. You want to nail that B note with precision. Three fingers give you the strength and stability to do that.
From The 3rd String To The 1st
After you’ve bent that string and held it steady, the next move is to cross over to the 1st string—your high E string. You’re gonna hit the 12th fret on that string and continue your scale run downward. This is where your down-up picking pattern kicks back in. Down on the bend, up as you transition, down again on that 1st string.
The string crossing happens fast. You’re not stopping. You’re not hesitating. It’s one fluid motion from the bend on the 3rd string to the 1st string, and you’re continuing the line of the solo. Jimi made this look effortless. That’s because he practiced it until it was.
The Fast Finger Option
Want a shortcut? You can do this whole stretch with just your pinky if you’ve got the hand strength and the finger dexterity. Fret that 14th fret with your pinky, bend it up a whole tone, and you’re done. It’s faster, but you sacrifice some of that stability we talked about. My advice? Learn it the three-finger way first. Get it solid. Then, once you’ve got it in your bones, experiment with the single-finger version.
Here’s something I tell all my students, and I mean this from the heart: Jimi never played “Voodoo Child” the same way twice. He improvised. He experimented. He let the moment guide him. That’s what made him great. So learn these licks, understand them, and then make them your own. Add your own bends. Change the positions. Make it speak in your voice.
Want to keep exploring? Head over to our complete guitar riffs collection to see how other masters approached their craft.
You’ve Got The Tools Now
Three parts, and you’ve got the whole picture. Part 1 covers the bass riff, Part 2 tackles the one-string runs, and the string stretches here in Part 3—they all add up to something bigger. That’s how you approach any lick you want to learn. Break it down. Understand each piece. Then put it back together. That’s the path to becoming a real guitar player, boys and girls.
