AC/DC - Girls Got Rhythm - Guitar Lesson

Highway to Hell

1979 3:24

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About Girls Got Rhythm

Few riffs in hard rock are as satisfying to lock into as the one driving "Girls Got Rhythm." AC/DC built the track around a relentless, syncopated A major groove that sits right in the pocket, and getting that feel right is the real challenge. The rhythm guitar part looks simple on the page but demands tight right-hand control: every chunk has to land with the same weight, and the spaces between the hits matter just as much as the hits themselves. Pay close attention to the palm muting and where it lifts, because that contrast is what gives the riff its swagger. If the syncopation keeps throwing you off, use the Practice Toolbar to loop the opening bars slowed down until your strumming hand internalizes the pattern without you having to think about it. Once the rhythm is automatic, focus on keeping your tone consistent across every chord hit as the tempo builds.

• The main riff sits in A major and uses open-position power chords with a syncopated strum pattern that rewards slow, deliberate practice before playing up to speed.
• Palm muting contrast is central to the riff's feel: knowing exactly when to lift the mute is as important as fretting the chords cleanly.
• Released on the 1979 album Highway to Hell, the track is a strong introduction to AC/DC's straight-ahead, groove-first approach to rhythm guitar.