From the Mixolydian Mode to Hendrix’s “Little Wing”: A Day in the Life of a Guitar Teacher

One of the main reasons I still love teaching guitar after all these years is the sheer variety that lands on my music stand on any given day. It constantly reconnects me to exactly why I picked up the instrument in the first place: pure love for the music and the incredible noise a guitar can make.

During my teaching schedule today, I got to dive into an amazing mix of styles. We covered classic rock riffs (The Rolling Stones’ “The Last Time”), complex pop changes (No Doubt’s surprisingly chord-heavy “Don’t Speak”), intricate fingerpicking (The Paper Kites’ beautiful track, “Bloom”), and a deep-dive theory study on the Mixolydian mode.

In every single one of those sessions, there were genuine breakthrough moments of enthusiasm, excitement, and achievement. Whether it was nailing that iconic 1960s guitar twang, navigating the unusual harmonic shifts of a 90s pop anthem, getting an acoustic guitar to chime perfectly, or unlocking the creative soloing flexibility that a modal approach offers—it was an absolute blast.

The Ultimate Masterclass: “Little Wing”

To top it all off, I also got to teach my absolute favorite piece of music: Jimi Hendrix’s “Little Wing”. It is a song that never fails to bring a massive smile to my face. It is beautiful, mesmerizing, and completely timeless.

For me, “Little Wing” is the ultimate litmus test. It is my absolute go-to track whenever I pick up an unfamiliar Stratocaster, and I reckon I’ve spent more hours practicing, analyzing, and playing this single song than any other piece of music in existence. You can loop its chord progression round and round for hours and never get bored. What makes it so special is the fluid way Hendrix blurs the line between rhythm and lead, decorating standard chords with gorgeous, vocal-like embellishments.

Joe Satriani on Hendrix’s Genius

It turns out I’m in excellent company when it comes to this obsession. I recently came across a brilliant clip of virtuoso Joe Satriani talking about the genius of “Little Wing”. It is fantastic viewing.

You can see the raw excitement and passion in his delivery. It is genuinely heartwarming to see a world-class player like Satriani speak with such childlike wonder about the instrument. He breaks down how Hendrix changed the game, and it reminds you of the magic hidden inside six strings.

The guitar. I’m telling you, it’ll catch on.

Watch the video above, get inspired, and then grab your guitar and try running through a few chord embellishments of your own. If you want to dive into the Mixolydian mode or master the Hendrix style yourself, feel free to check out my private guitar lessons here in Sydney or online.

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Cheers,
Simon