Final Music Lesson: Mastering "Back in Black"

Hi, guys!

So, it's the last lesson in the course now. I hope you've enjoyed all the techniques we've covered so far. What I want to look at today is a bit of a challenge for you, which will hopefully encompass all the techniques that we've reviewed.

Techniques to Review

• 16th rhythms
• Open chords
• Pull-offs
• Hammer-ons
• String bending
• Slides
• Muting

The song we're going to take a look at is "Back in Black." We're going to cover pretty much all the parts from the song. Let's start by playing the first section. Hopefully you all know what this riff should sound like, and then we'll break it down and learn it.

Main Riff

Here's the main riff of "Back in Black."

I'm sure you recognize that! Now, let's look at how to play this.

Understanding the Riff

First, we'll begin with three open chords. You should be very familiar with E major. Here's how we proceed:

1. Play E major and immediately mute it off using your right hand or the little finger on your left hand.
2. Transition to the D major chord, executing a down, up, down strum. This counts as 1, 2, and a 3.
3. Repeat the same pattern on the A major chord.

This covers some material we looked at earlier in the course.

16th Note Run

Next, we have a 16th note run based on the E blues scale, which we have previously covered. Here's how it goes:

• Start with a pair of pull-offs:
  • Fret the third fret on the E string and pull off to open E.
  • Do the same on the B string: third fret to open B.

Next, we have a little mini bend on the G string:

• Fret the second fret on the G string.
• Remember, with bending, support the bend by lining up behind it with your first finger for strength, especially close to the nut.

Complete the lick by:

• Bending up and down by half a tone (equivalent to going up to the third fret and back).
• Finishing with a pull-off to open G.

Placement of the Lick

Take your time with that lick! Attack it slowly:

• Pull off first, bend on its own, and then bring them together.

Placement is crucial! It's on quite an unusual point in the bar. If we count: 1, 2 and A, 3, 4 and A 1, 2, 3, E

It falls on the second 16th of beat three:

• 1 E and A, 2 E and A, 3 E and A, 4 E and A

Chord Adaptation

You might have noticed that when I played the chords, I lazily played the A major chord with one finger. This keeps my third finger free and ready for the pull-off lick! You can totally do that!

Moving to the Second Part

Now onto the second part of the lick:

• We repeat those chords and introduce a simple lick.

1. Fret the second fret on the A string with your first finger.
2. Move to the fourth fret on the E string.
3. Back to the second fret on the A string and to open A.
4. Return to the second fret on the A string, then go down to the first fret.
5. Finish by picking the second fret twice.

Let me play you through that section slowly.

Chorus Section

Now, moving on to the chorus! Let me play it in full.

Here's the chorus section.

It's very heavily chord-based. The opening riff transitions between open chords and syngonic licks, while this section mostly uses power chords.

What's a Power Chord? A power chord consists of two notes: the root and the fifth of the chord. Earlier in the lesson, we dealt with open chords that are triads (three notes).

Chords in the Chorus

We'll start with:

• A power chord, using one finger barring across the middle two strings.
• Move to E power chord by shifting the shape.
• Transition to the B power chord, which is the second fret on the A string and fourth fret on the D string.

For the next bit:

• Remove the first finger and strum the same two strings for an open A and fourth fret on the D string, then go off and on again.

Fret G Chord

Next, we'll fret a G chord:

• Omit the second fret on the A string for a more aggressive sound, creating a G power chord.

Strumming the Chords

Now, strum the G power chord and then move to the D power chord, which is the bottom half of a D major shape.

• Return to the A power chord and add a mini bluesy bend on the bottom string using the second finger on the third fret of the E string.
• Loop it back to the original power chords A, E, and D, finishing with the D major chord.

Rhythm Guitar Part Behind the Solo

We're transitioning to the rhythm guitar part behind the solo:

• We play the first three chords of the song in power chord voicings.

1. Start with an E power chord (first finger across the A and D strings) and pick the low E.
2. Move to the D power chord and then to the A power chord.

You can choose between all downstrokes or a mix of down and upstrokes.

Palm Muting

Introduce palm muting:

• Bring your palm forward slightly to mute the chord.

Bridge Section

Now, we'll explore the bridge, possibly the coolest riff of the song.

1. Start with an open E, then slide from the fifth fret to the fourth fret on the A string.
2. Pull off to the second fret on the A string.
3. Go back up to the fourth fret on the A string, and then to the third fret on the E string.

Final Repetition

This section is repeated:

• Starting with open A, using the same sliding pattern.
• Loop it round, playing twice on the riff for both E and A before repeating.

Conclusion

So, that covers the end of the track. I hope you've enjoyed this lesson course.

Remember:

• Stay relaxed!
• Break down practice into small chunks.
• Start slow, then speed it up.

I look forward to seeing you again soon. Thank you!