Video lesson
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Editorβs notes
In this lesson, Iβll teach you how to play the first part of the intro riff to Stairway to Heaven. Iβll show you tabs, but also give a tutorial on the chord positions needed, finger picking patterns, how to practice the difficult parts, given an introduction to barre chords, and everything else youβll need to play the the openin bars of this classic Led Zeppelin song.
Video timestamps:
- 0:00 Playthrough
- 0:26 Lesson overview
- 1:46 1st chord (barring basics)
- 3:50 2nd & 3rd chords (walking bass notes)
- 5:30 4th chord (big jump to D/F#)
- 7:25 Final 3 chords & turnaround
- 9:21 Add the fingerpicking
- 10:42 Closing thoughts
Intro, part 1
Play this twice:
E |ββββββββ5βββ7βββββ7ββ|ββ8βββββ8βββ2βββββ2ββ|ββ0βββββββββ0ββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|
B |ββββββ5βββββββ5ββββββ|ββββ5βββββββββ3ββββββ|ββββ1βββ1βββββ1ββββ|ββ0β1β1ββββββββββββ|
G |ββββ5βββββββββββ5ββββ|ββββββ5βββββββββ2ββββ|ββββββ2βββββββββ2ββ|ββ0β2β2ββββββββββββ|
D |ββ7βββββββββ6ββββββββ|ββ5βββββββββ4ββββββββ|ββ3ββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|
A |βββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|ββ2β0β0βββ0ββ/8β7ββ|
E |βββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|
Am Am/G# Am/G D/F# Fadd9 G/B Am
The key to learning this, if yourβe just getting started with it, is to learn the chord shapes first. Get them down pat before you even worry about the finger picking pattern. Here are the chord shapes with the fingerpicking pattern removed:
E |ββ5βββββββββ7ββββββββ|ββ8βββββββββ2ββββββββ|ββ0ββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|
B |ββ5βββββββββ5ββββββββ|ββ5βββββββββ3ββββββββ|ββ1ββββββββββββββββ|ββ0βββ1ββββββββββββ|
G |ββ5βββββββββ5ββββββββ|ββ5βββββββββ2ββββββββ|ββ2ββββββββββββββββ|ββ0βββ2ββββββββββββ|
D |ββ7βββββββββ6ββββββββ|ββ5βββββββββ4ββββββββ|ββ3ββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|
A |βββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|ββ2βββ0βββ0ββ/8β7ββ|
E |βββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββ|
Am Am/G# Am/G D/F# Fadd9 G/B Am
Once you get these worked out, adding the fingerpicking is much easier an ordeal.
Learn to play the interlude
This second lesson teaches you the βOh, it makes me wonderβ part heard between 2:14-2:38 of the song.
This second video explores some more of the acoustic nooks & crannies of Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin. In this video Iβm going to break down the interlude section heard between 2:14 and 2:38 of the official recording (which has the vocal βOh, it makes me wonderβ). Iβll teach you how to play this section on guitar: playing the chord shapes, approaching strumming, and how to get over the hump with the triads & difficult transitions.
Get the PDF for this interlude section on my Patreon page.
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