Welcome back! In this lesson, Colin Daniel from RiffNinja.com shows you how to combine the E major scale on the B string with the open E drone, creating a powerful riff trick inspired by John Fogerty’s “Hey Tonight.”
You’ll learn how to switch between melodic runs and harmonic phrasing, and how the C# minor scale (relative minor of E major) fits perfectly with this approach.
👉 By the end, you’ll have a foundation for a 4-bar solo that blends both styles — and you’ll be ready for Lesson 4 where we put it all together.
Key Takeaways
• The E major scale on the B string gives you a strong melodic foundation.
• You can play it melodically (picked notes) or harmonically (double-stops).
• The C# minor scale connects seamlessly since it’s the relative minor.
• This approach creates a “Fogerty-style” riff sound — perfect for classic rock textures.
🎸 Practice Resources For This Lesson 🎸
Jam Track — Play Along Now
Go Deeper: Unlock the Drone Riffs System
What you just learned is one piece of a much bigger puzzle. Hendrix and Van Halen didn’t just play single notes — they used drone techniques to make one guitar sound impossibly full.
That’s what the Drone Riffs Course (The Guitar Player’s Bag of Riff Tricks) is all about. The vertical trick you just learned is just the beginning — in the full course, you’ll discover how pros like Hendrix, Van Halen, and Petty expanded this into their signature sounds.
Inside, you’ll discover:
• The Van Halen “Double Guitar” Effect — how he layered sound on Ain’t Talkin’ ’Bout Love
• Hendrix’s Voodoo Child Secrets — the drone patterns that made his solos legendary
• The “Raised 6th” Transformation — Tom Petty’s mysterious minor-scale twist
• Cross-Key Soloing — a pro move that adds instant color (most players never learn it)
This isn’t theory for theory’s sake. It’s 2+ hours of practical methods with jam tracks and tab that make your solos sound professional right away.
