As you get ready to play Cripple Creek, you need to learn how to do the special left hand movements: Sliding, Pushing-off and Hammering-on....  
Notice in the tab above that there are the letters Sl, and Po and H written within the staff lines. They are designations for how to make special left hand movements on the strings: 

click here for an MP3 of me explaining how to "slide", "push-off", and "hammer-on"

Youtube: Hammering-on, sliding and pull-offs

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"Sl"...The Slide: The letters Sl in the measure above indicates that you should fret the third string at the second fret with the second finger of the left hand, and pick it with the right hand thumb. Then, slide your left-hand second (middle) finger from the second to the third fret. You should not pick the third string again when you reach that third fret. The sliding motion alone generates the desired tone, which is indicated by the letter S below the string line. IMPORTANT: The tab also tells you that at the very moment your left hand second finger reaches the third fret, you should simultaneously pick the second string with the first finger of the right hand. Again, do this slowly at first.

The “Push-Off ”  The letters “Po” in the tablature stand for “push-off”. The tablature below indicates that you should use your left second finger to fret the third string at the second fret, pick it with your right hand thumb, and then with your left hand second finger push the string towards you and release it, thus creating a plucking sound generated by your left-hand second finger. You should not pick that third string again after the push-off motion. The push-off motion alone generates the desired tone, which is indicated by the letter P below the string line. IMPORTANT: The tablature also indicates that as you do this “push off”, you should simultaneously strike the second string with the right hand first finger. Again, try this slowly at first.

(Exception: When the notation “po” is used on the first string, you are to “pull” the string away from your face, rather than to push it towards you face. There is one tune in my repertoire book where “po” indicates a “pull-off” (not push off) on the string, which would mean that the left hand finger motion is pulling the string in a direction away from your face and then releasing it, creating a snapping sound. Look at Clinch Mountain Backstep in the manual. You are instructed to pull off the first string at the third fret. The direction of motion of your left hand fourth(ring) finger is away from your face.)

"H"...The Hammer-on:  The notation "H" in the second measure above indicates that you should first pick the  open fourth sting with your right hand thumb, then “hammer” your left second finger down onto the second fret of the fourth string (indicated by the letter H). Keep you left second finger down as you do this! You should not pick the fourth string again in addition to hammering it. The hammering alone generates the desired tone, which is indicated by the letter H below the string line. IMPORTANT: The tab also says you should simultaneously pick the third string with your right hand first finger. This is sometimes hard for beginners to do, so try it very, very slowly at first.

Now let's learn to play Cripple Creek!!

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