Clapton is famous for his "women tone" of the Cream era, as well as the thinner Stratocaster sound from his early solo career. 埃里克·克莱普顿闻名于世的两种标志性音色，一个是他早期在奶油乐队的“女性音色”，另一个就是他独立发展时期单薄的Strato音色。

More recently,he's tried to combine Strat tones with fatter Les Paul-like tones via a midrange booster in his namesake Fender solidbody. 更近期的克莱普顿则喜欢用一把他本人签名款的实体Fender，内部通过一个中音推进电路，把Strato 和Les paul 两种音色相结合。

Clapton's so-called "woman tone" from the Cream era is created using the neck pickup of a solidbody with humbuckers. 所谓奶油乐队时期的“女性音色” 是克莱普顿用一把实体吉他的琴颈双线圈拾音器做出来的。

Roll the tone control all the way off and the volume konb all the way up. 所有的音量旋钮打到最大，而把所有的音色旋钮开到最小位置。

An alternate method of creating "woman tone"is to set a wah-wah pedal in the back position, towards its fatter.muted tone range. 另外一个得到“女性音色”的办法是把一个哇音效果器放置在比较靠后的位置，参数设置到声音发闷几乎静音的程度。

To help increase the effect, the bottom-heavy thump of a 412 cabinet can't be beat. 这个时候使用一个412箱体单元可以增强这种音色效果。

Prime examples of this sound can be heard on Cream's "Strange Brew" and "I feel free". 你可以在奶油乐队的单曲 Strange Brew 和 I feel free 里面听到这种音色。

The other definitive Clapton tone is created with a Stratocater through a vintage Fender tube amp.as heard in Derek & the Dominos and his early solo work. 克莱普顿的另一个标志，就是他在Derek & the Dominos乐队以及他单飞以后的Strato 加Fender电子管音箱的音色。

This sound is very "Strat-y" and employs far less distortion than his Cream tone. 这个时期的音色非常有Strat 味道，相比奶油乐队时期失真度更小。

It was during the first half of his solo career that Clapton was trying to escape the guitar hero reputation 这是在他单飞的早期，希望改变自己，退去身上吉他英雄的光环

and this cleaner,non-heavy rock texture helped him achieve that much to the dismay of fans who wanted him to be a guitar god. 然而事与愿违，正是他这种比较轻摇滚的音色，却在粉丝们中为他获得了吉他之神的称号。

In1985,however,Clapton kicked on the overdrive once again for the track "forever Man" from Behind The Sun. 克莱普顿在他1985年专辑 Behind The Sun中的一首forever Man 重新踩下了过载效果器。

Here, the guitarist found his "woman tone"again and rocked like he hadn't in 15 years. 这一次人们惊喜地发现，他的标志“女性音色”又回来了，几乎和15年前一样，没有变。

the cut "Miss You",from the following year's August,was even more explosive 第二年8月份的单曲Miss You则更为激进

featuring ol‘slowhand tearing up his Strat solos with fierce overdrive and speedy blues licks.这位吉他慢手用激烈的过载和快速的乐句撕扯他手中的Strato

If you want to sound like Clapton, there are a few approaches to take. 如果你希望自己的演奏和克莱普顿一样，有以下几个方法可以训练出来。

Start by listening to the blues,especially B.B.King,Buddy Guy,Muddy Waters,Otis Rush,and Albert King. 首先你要听一些布鲁斯经典曲目，尤其是B.B.King,Buddy Guy,Muddy Waters,Otis Rush,以及 Albert King等等。

Then get familliar with Clapton's recordings with Hohn Mayall's Bluesbreakers and Cream. 然后熟悉克莱普顿在奶油乐队和Bluesbreakers乐队合作的一些录音专辑。

This contains the essence of Eric's guitar work. 这些歌曲基本上涵盖了克莱普顿在吉他上的演奏精华。

For technique, you must appreciate the importance of finger vibrato. 从演奏技巧来说，你需要重视手指揉弦颤音。

Clapton's vibrato is very wide,steady,and seductive. 克莱普顿的揉弦颤音稳定，幅度大而且性感诱人。

It's not a jittery, off-pitch vibrato,like that of Tony Iommi or Kirk Hammett 他不是像Tony Iommi 或者 Kirk Hammett 那种极具张力，几乎离调的揉弦

or a huge , overstated vibrato like Yngwie Malmsteem's. 当然也不是像Yngwie Malmsteem 那种夸张华丽的颤音。

It's just smooth and perfectly intonated. 克莱普顿的颤音如丝般润滑，完美地诠释了布鲁斯的低吟浅唱。

The next step is to learn some classic blues licks,as Clapton himself did. 你下一步需要学习像克莱普顿那样演奏经典的布鲁斯乐句。

Beyond local teachers, there are many good instructional books and videos to consult. 除了本地吉他老师以外，你还可以把眼光放远一些，自己通过书籍和视频来学习。

Here are three basic concepts of blues guitar to get you started: 这里有三条建议如何学习布鲁斯吉他：

1. Learn all your major pentatonic, minor pentatoic, and blues scales.Consult a reputable source to learn about scales and their applications. 学习大调五声音阶和小调五声音阶，并且向高手学习如何运用这些音阶。

2. Learn how to bend the minor 3rd of a given key just a shade off pitch for that sexy "blues note" sound. For example, if you're playing a blues in A, hit a C note and bend it up just a little, but not all the way to C#. This is a great blues idea to use again and again. 学习在任何一个调式下灵活运用小三度音，并且将它轻轻地推起，得到布鲁斯特有的离调感觉。举例来说，当你演奏一个A调布鲁斯的时候，你需要灵活使用C这个音，并且把它推起来一点点，但是又不要达到C# 的程度。这一招效果出奇地好听，绝对是屡试不爽。

3. Learn how to combine major and minor blues scales within a solo. Great blues players are often slipping between the two scales when playing over dominant 7 chords. In a classic I-IV-V blues, one approach is to play a major blues scale on the I chord, minor blues on the IV, major blues on the I again, and minor on the V to finish off. This altering of tonal colors really enhances the blues vibe. 学习在同一首曲目中灵活使用大调和小调。伟大的布鲁斯乐手都知道，如何在进行到减7和弦的时候将这两种音阶混合起来演奏。在一个传统的一、四、五级布鲁斯行进里面，你可以在一级和弦的时候演奏大调音阶，在四级和弦的时候演奏小调，然后用大调回到一级和弦，最后用小调结束到五级和弦。这种随时改变色彩的做法可以大大增强演奏中的布鲁斯情绪。

For recreating Clapton's tone, you can use a Strat or a Les Paul or sinilar models. 为了得到克莱普顿的音色，你可以使用一把Strato 、Les Paul 或者其他同类型号的电吉他都行。

The key is to solo either on the neck pickup or on the bridge pickup with the tone knob rolled off. 关键是使用切单琴颈或者琴桥拾音器，并且一定要把音调旋钮完全关闭。

Either way you'll get a bassy ,warm tone as opposed to the trebly bite of the bridge pickup with the tone knob full up.与单琴桥把音调完全打开的刺耳高频音色完全相反，这个时候你得到的是低频的温暖音色。

Playing through a tube head with a 412 cabinet will only improve the sound you're after. 使用412箱体的电子管音箱有助于你得到更像克莱普顿的音色。

The bottom line, though, is to appreciate the understated elegance of Clapton's approach. 最后还要说一句，就是你要学会欣赏克莱普顿优雅的演奏方式。

He's not about playing a lot of notes or trying to blow you away with volume. 他从来不用那种巨大的音量和一大堆快速华丽的音符来吸引别人。

Like all great blues players, he wants to move the listener with the few notes he chooses. 他是一个真正的布鲁斯高手，懂得精心挑选几个音符，就足以打动听众的心。

In rock circles, he maybe the the quintessential "less is more" guitarist. 他就是典型奉行“少数才是精华”的吉他手。

Again, our advice for mastering Clapton is to listen to all the Hohn Mayall,Cream,and Derek & the Dominos music you can lay your hands on 再说一遍，为了掌握克莱普顿的演奏方法，你需要听 Hohn Mayall,Cream以及 Derek & the Dominos的录音

not to mention plenty of vintage Chicago blues. 更不要说那些老式芝加哥布鲁斯歌曲了。

After that, it should all start falling into place. 做到上述这些，你就会功到自然成。

Clapton in his own words: Guitar player magazine in 1985. 克莱普顿自己的话 —— 1985年《吉他手》杂志访谈

When I get up there onstage, I often go through a great deal of indecision, even while I'm playing. 当我站在舞台上的时候，总是感觉自己犹豫不决，即使演出已经开始了一半。

If I've got the black Stratocaster on and I'm in the middle of a blues, I'm kind of going , aw, I wish I had the Les Paul ! 当我拿着一把Strato 演奏到一半的时候，我会想，真的希望我拿着的是一把Les Paul

Then again, if I were playing the Les Paul, the sound would be great, but I'd be going, man , I wish I had the Stratocaster neck. 如果我演出用的是Les Paul，那么我又会觉得，天啊，要是现在能演奏出Strato 琴颈拾音器的音色该多好。

I'm always caught in the middle of those two guitars. 我总是在这两种吉他之间犹豫不决。

I've always liked the Freddie King / B.B.King rich tone. 我一直喜欢Freddie King 和 B.B.King那种丰满的音色

At the same time, I like the manic Buddy Guy / Otis Rush Strat tone. 同时我也喜欢Buddy Guy 和 Otis Rush 那种Strato 音色。

You can get somewhere in the middle, and that's usually what I end up doing, trying to find a happy medium. 我总希望得到一种让人满意的折衷音色，这也就是我经常在做的，想办法把两种吉他音色结合起来。

But it's a bloody anguish. 但是这种找寻让我好累好苦。