Practice Studio

AC/DC - You Shook Me Night Long - Guitar Solo Tab

Sections · Loop · Speed · Metronome

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Speed Control

Speed
100%

Tools

BPM
Key G major
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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.

Back In Black album cover
Back In Black
1980 3:30
AC/DC Hard Rock 1980 G major
Capo Advisor 0 G major · Original key

About You Shook Me Night Long


Few riffs in Hard Rock are as immediately recognisable as the opening of "You Shook Me All Night Long": a syncopated, double-tracked figure in G major that sits right in the pocket at 112 BPM. The whole song is tuned down to Eb Standard, so before you even play a note, make sure your guitar matches that tuning or everything will sound a semitone off against the record. Malcolm's rhythm work is the real engine here, a tight, percussive chug that demands clean left-hand muting to keep the low end punchy rather than muddy. Angus's lead work across the song is more about feel and phrasing than technical fireworks, but nailing that lazy, behind-the-beat attitude takes real discipline. The chord transitions in the verse move faster than they sound, so use the Practice Toolbar to loop that section slowed down until your changes are automatic. AC/DC built the groove on restraint, and that is exactly what this song will teach you.

  • The song is tuned to Eb Standard, so drop every string one semitone before playing along with the record.
  • Malcolm Young's rhythm guitar part relies heavily on palm muting and tight chord stabs, making right-hand muting control the key skill to practise.
  • The main riff sits in G major and uses open-position power chords combined with a syncopated picking pattern that rewards slow, deliberate practice.

How to Play You Shook Me Night Long

Tuning: Eb Standard · Key: G major · Tempo: 112 BPM

It is played in Eb standard, a half step down, so tune down before you start or every position and bend will sit a half step sharp against the recording.

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 112 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.

Play with Backing Track

Play with Backing Track

Solo (Backing Track)

Solo (Backing Track)