AC DC - Back in Black - Guitar Cover

Back In Black

1980 4:16

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About Back in Black

Few rock riffs are as immediately recognizable as the opening of "Back in Black," and for a guitarist working it out, the first discovery is how much attitude lives in a handful of power chords. The riff sits in E minor and leans heavily on the interplay between open strings and fretted notes, giving it that characteristic ring and weight. Getting the timing right matters more than speed here: each chord needs space to breathe, and the palm muting has to be deliberate without killing the sustain on the accented hits. The chord changes feel straightforward at first, but nailing the rhythmic feel that AC DC built their name on takes real attention. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the main riff slowed down and focus on keeping your pick attack consistent through the whole phrase. Once the groove is locked in at a slower tempo, bringing it back up to full speed feels natural rather than forced.

• The main riff relies on power chords rooted on the low strings, with open-string resonance being a key part of its heavy sound.
• Palm muting technique is essential here: too much kills the sustain, too little loses the rhythmic punch the riff depends on.
• The rhythm guitar part is a great exercise in consistent pick attack, since any unevenness in your strokes shows up immediately in the groove.