Stevie Ray Vaughan - Scuttle Buttin' - Main Riff

Dive deep into one of blues-rock’s most electrifying riffs with our detailed guitar lesson on "Scuttle Buttin'" by Stevie Ray Vaughan. Featured on Vaughan’s iconic 1984 album "Couldn’t Stand the Weather," this explosive riff exemplifies his ferocious playing style and masterful command of blues guitar techniques. Ideal for intermediate and advanced players, this note-for-note tutorial demystifies the riff, allowing you to integrate Vaughan’s powerful phrasing and dynamic rhythm into your own playing. Danny Gill breaks down this classic riff in this exclusive Lick Library video tutorial.

About the Guitarist – Stevie Ray Vaughan

Stevie Ray Vaughan is considered one of the greatest electric blues guitarists of all time. Known for his intense, fiery style, Vaughan rejuvenated blues music in the 1980s, merging traditional blues structures with rock-driven intensity. His guitar playing is renowned for its emotional depth, aggressive yet controlled bends, and flawless timing. Vaughan's work, particularly on tracks like "Scuttle Buttin'," has influenced generations of guitarists, from blues purists to hard-rock shredders. His legacy continues to inspire musicians around the world, making his playing an essential study for aspiring guitarists aiming to master blues guitar.

Techniques Covered in 'Scuttle Buttin''

In this guitar lesson, we break down the main riff of "Scuttle Buttin'," dissecting the key techniques Vaughan employs. By mastering these techniques, you’ll not only learn to play the riff authentically but also significantly enhance your overall guitar skills.

Alternate Picking

"Scuttle Buttin'" is renowned for its fast-paced alternate picking, which involves rapidly alternating between upstrokes and downstrokes. This technique is essential for executing the riff’s quick, aggressive lines smoothly and efficiently. Mastering alternate picking improves your picking accuracy, speed, and timing, enabling you to tackle fast-paced blues and rock solos with confidence and precision.

Slides

The riff prominently features slides, both ascending and descending, which create a fluid, seamless transition between notes. Slides add expressiveness and emotional depth to your guitar playing, imbuing riffs and solos with a vocal-like quality. Practicing slides in the context of Vaughan’s riff will enhance your finger agility and accuracy across the fretboard, essential for any style of guitar playing.

Hammer-ons and Pull-offs (Legato)

Vaughan uses rapid-fire hammer-ons and pull-offs—commonly known as legato—to produce smooth, connected phrases that contrast sharply with the riff's intense picking passages. This technique enables fluidity and speed without excessive picking effort, providing a smooth sound crucial for blues phrasing. Integrating legato into your playing helps build finger strength, dexterity, and control.

Open String Riffs

A characteristic of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s style is the use of open string riffs, blending fretted notes with ringing open strings. The main riff of "Scuttle Buttin'" features such a technique, adding depth, resonance, and rhythmic complexity. Learning to incorporate open strings into riffs will enhance your creativity and rhythmic playing, especially valuable in blues and rock contexts.

Palm Muting

Palm muting is subtly utilised in "Scuttle Buttin'" to control note sustain and add rhythmic definition. By lightly resting your picking hand on the strings near the bridge, you achieve a tighter, percussive sound. Developing control of palm muting will add dynamic contrast to your playing, essential for rhythm guitar parts and riffs demanding clarity and punch.

String Bending

Though brief, Vaughan’s use of string bending within the riff injects expressive, bluesy character into the performance. Accurate bends require precise pitch control, strengthening your sense of intonation and musical ear. Mastering bends elevates your guitar playing, allowing you to convey greater emotion and personality in your solos and riffs.

Vibrato

Finally, vibrato is a subtle but essential aspect of Vaughan’s style, providing warmth and emotional depth to sustained notes within the riff. Practicing vibrato enhances your overall expressiveness, helping you develop a distinct, personal voice on the guitar.

Why Learn 'Scuttle Buttin''?

Learning the main riff from "Scuttle Buttin'" equips guitarists with essential blues-rock techniques that can transform your playing. These techniques—alternate picking, slides, legato, open string riffs, palm muting, string bending, and vibrato—are fundamental skills beneficial across various musical styles. Beyond technical proficiency, absorbing Stevie Ray Vaughan’s playing style helps you understand how to incorporate emotional intensity and rhythmic precision into your music, shaping you into a more versatile and expressive guitarist.

Guitar Techniques Used in this Lesson:

• Alternate Picking
• Slides
• Hammer-ons
• Pull-offs
• Open String Riffs
• Palm Muting
• String Bending
• Vibrato