Creator Area
Sign in Creator Area

Practice Studio

AC/DC - Back In Black Pt.1 - All Riffs - Guitar Lesson

Sections · Loop · Speed · Metronome

Not in tune?

Select a Loop

Start of your loop
End of your loop

Speed Control

Speed
100%

Tools

BPM
Key E minor
AC/DC - Back In Black Pt.1 - All Riffs guitar lesson video
Guitar 365
Guitar 365 Top Contributor
YouTube: 1.6Msubs 1.4Mviews
Creator Page →
PLAY WITH BACKING TRACK
·
–50¢ 0 +50¢
· Tap to start

Your browser will ask for microphone permission.

Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
AI tone preset

AI-selected preset based on genre and era — adjust the knobs to taste.

Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
Listen on Spotify
AC/DC Hard Rock E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Back In Black Pt.1 - All Riffs

"Back in Black" by AC/DC is one of the most recognizable rock songs ever recorded, released in 1980 on the album of the same name through Atlantic Records. Written as a tribute to former vocalist Bon Scott, who died in February 1980, the track introduced Brian Johnson as the new lead singer. For electric guitarists, it is an essential study piece built around one of rock's most iconic opening riffs, making it a benchmark for rhythm guitar tone and technique.

  • The opening guitar riff is one of the most studied and recognized in rock history, ideal for building rhythm guitar fundamentals.
  • Written as a tribute to Bon Scott, who died in February 1980, giving the song significant emotional and historical weight.
  • Released as the second US single from AC/DC's seventh studio album, Back in Black reached number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1981.

How to Play Back In Black Pt.1 - All Riffs

Key: E minor · Tempo: 94 BPM

The main riff in E minor is built on a signature E power chord followed by a syncopated melodic figure on the lower strings, and nailing the timing of that rhythmic pause before the riff kicks back in is where most beginners stumble. Angus Young plays the riff with a palm-muted, percussive attack, so focus on keeping your picking hand relaxed while maintaining consistent muting pressure. At 94 bpm, the groove is moderate enough to isolate each section of the riff individually before chaining them together. Use the loop tool on the turnaround figure, as that transition is the trickiest spot to execute cleanly at tempo.

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 94 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Gibson SG Standard
Guitar

Gibson SG Standard

Angus Young's 1968 Gibson SG Standard is the foundation of AC/DC's signature tone, its lightweight mahogany body and full upper-fret access enabling his aggressive, fluid lead work. Stock Gibson humbuckers push Marshall Plexi amps into natural tube saturation, giving him the perfect balance of dynamics and crunch without relying on effects.

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)
Amp

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)

The Marshall 1959 Super Lead cranked to full volume is where Angus Young's power comes from, with no master volume control forcing the power tubes to compress and break up naturally. This thick, harmonically rich overdrive defines AC/DC's raw, unprocessed rock tone straight from guitar to amp.

Marshall JTM45
Amp

Marshall JTM45

Angus Young uses the Marshall JTM45 as his primary amp for achieving natural tube saturation at high volumes, where the amp's power tubes generate organic overdrive without any pedal assistance. This minimalist, direct approach captures AC/DC's core sound: pure, uncolored guitar and amp interaction.

Recommended for You

Play with Backing Track

Play with Backing Track

Solo (Backing Track)

Solo (Backing Track)