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Gabriel Leopardi10th October 2009QUOTE:
Hi Kevin! You are right! We are talking about the root, the fourth and the seventh of A Mixolydian. The Mixolydian mode is: 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7. This means that it's like a Major scale (Ionian) with the 7th minor. The Major Pentatonic fits perfect because is a reduction of the Major scale and we don't have the 7th so it also works as a reduction of the Mixolydian Mode.
Check this:
Ionian mode: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Mixolydian mode: 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7
Pentatonic Major: 1 2 3 5 6
Here it is easy to recognize the Mixolydian Mode because we are in A major tonality and the third chord is G Major instead of G# minor or G#mi7 (b5).
Thanks Gabriel!
I understand that now!
Just one last question - If the song only uses A,D,E and G, could the song just as easily have been said to be in A minor pentatonic (with the second half of the solo in A major pentatonic to add a bit of colour)? Is there a definite A mixolydian-ish 'feel' to the riff, rather than an A pentatonic-ish 'feel'? (I'm trying desperately to get my head around this modal stuff!!)
Thanks!!
Kevin
The song uses A, D, E and G as chords. If you analize the notes of each chord you'll find notes that belong to mixolydian more.I don't always have time to express my appreciation to all you great musicians at GMC - too busy learning when I have time. I mean, I take on 50 lessons every few months here - I am learning so much and I improvise a-lot on my own as well! I just want to say, all of your stuff really is static to my ears. ha! Know what I mean? Every one says AC/DC is easy, but Angus has a special touch and their tone is epic. You nailed it completely, as usual. Thanks, again...
Hey! Thanks for this post! I'm glad that you are enjoying GMC stuff and specially my lessons!
intemperateControl10th October 2009I don't always have time to express my appreciation to all you great musicians at GMC - too busy learning when I have time. I mean, I take on 50 lessons every few months here - I am learning so much and I improvise a-lot on my own as well! I just want to say, all of your stuff really is static to my ears. ha! Know what I mean? Every one says AC/DC is easy, but Angus has a special touch and their tone is epic. You nailed it completely, as usual. Thanks, again...
Zsolt Galambos7th October 2009You rock, man
kevvyg7th October 2009
QUOTE:
Hi Kevin! You are right! We are talking about the root, the fourth and the seventh of A Mixolydian. The Mixolydian mode is: 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7. This means that it's like a Major scale (Ionian) with the 7th minor. The Major Pentatonic fits perfect because is a reduction of the Major scale and we don't have the 7th so it also works as a reduction of the Mixolydian Mode.
Check this:
Ionian mode: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Mixolydian mode: 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7
Pentatonic Major: 1 2 3 5 6
Here it is easy to recognize the Mixolydian Mode because we are in A major tonality and the third chord is G Major instead of G# minor or G#mi7 (b5).
Thanks Gabriel!
I understand that now!
Just one last question - If the song only uses A,D,E and G, could the song just as easily have been said to be in A minor pentatonic (with the second half of the solo in A major pentatonic to add a bit of colour)? Is there a definite A mixolydian-ish 'feel' to the riff, rather than an A pentatonic-ish 'feel'? (I'm trying desperately to get my head around this modal stuff!!)
Thanks!!
Kevin
Jenbu3rd October 2009so easy and so awesome
must learn when my injury gets healed
Sinisa Cekic1st October 2009Classic , 'must do' lesson !
- Gabriel Leopardi29th September 2009
Thank you guys!
Fran29th September 2009Nice classic Gabriel
Stephane Lucarelli29th September 2009Great cover Gabriel!
Gerardo Siere29th September 2009Great classic song, thanks Gabriel!
- Gabriel Leopardi29th September 2009hi, great lesson! I learned to play this a while back from an ACDC tab book - just wondered if you could expand a bit on the mixolydian nature of the first riff? I believe this song is basically A minor pentatonic (with a bit of A major pentatonic in the solo), so I guess the chords are from A,C,D,E, and G, which seems to fit. Are we taking the root, fourth and seventh from A Mixolydian, or am I on the wrong track?!
Kevin
Hi Kevin! You are right! We are talking about the root, the fourth and the seventh of A Mixolydian. The Mixolydian mode is: 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7. This means that it's like a Major scale (Ionian) with the 7th minor. The Major Pentatonic fits perfect because is a reduction of the Major scale and we don't have the 7th so it also works as a reduction of the Mixolydian Mode.
Check this:
Ionian mode: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Mixolydian mode: 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7
Pentatonic Major: 1 2 3 5 6
Here it is easy to recognize the Mixolydian Mode because we are in A major tonality and the third chord is G Major instead of G# minor or G#mi7 (b5).Also, in these full song lessons, the tab is missing, obviuosly because of copyright laws. could you do the tab, but with all the notes raised a semitone for example to get around the copyright restrictions? Just an idea!!!
Thanks,
Kevin
I don't think that this could work because we would only transpose the song. If you do a re-version of a song transposed you still have to pay the copyrights. However Kris is who knows more about this. - kevvyg29th September 2009
hi, great lesson! I learned to play this a while back from an ACDC tab book - just wondered if you could expand a bit on the mixolydian nature of the first riff? I believe this song is basically A minor pentatonic (with a bit of A major pentatonic in the solo), so I guess the chords are from A,C,D,E, and G, which seems to fit. Are we taking the root, fourth and seventh from A Mixolydian, or am I on the wrong track?!
Also, in these full song lessons, the tab is missing, obviuosly because of copyright laws. could you do the tab, but with all the notes raised a semitone for example to get around the copyright restrictions? Just an idea!!!
Thanks,
Kevin 
Jonathan Burgos28th September 2009Maestro total!
The other world my personal friend!! awesome sound! 
- Gabriel Leopardi27th September 2009
Thanks Rok and Pedja!
rokchik27th September 2009Awesome lesson Gabriel
This is just one of those songs that when you hear it you just want to be able to play it. I know it was one of the first songs I learned on the guitar. Great job!!!!
Pedja Simovic27th September 2009Awesome Gabriel, you nailed it man !
- Gabriel Leopardi27th September 2009
Thanks! I glad that you like it!
Marcus Siepen27th September 2009Awesome, killer lesson on a killer song. I also think your sound is perfect for that tune, great job.
Eat-Sleep-andJam27th September 2009Always loved this song, never tried to learn it.
Cant wait !
Alexiaden9327th September 2009HELL YEAH !
- Gabriel Leopardi27th September 2009
Thanks a lot guys!
Andi F27th September 2009Great lesson and tone! Awesome choice to teach this song!
Bogdan Radovic27th September 2009Amazing job Gabriel! Sounds like original!
Sensible Jones27th September 2009Excellent job Gabe!!!
Nazgul27th September 2009Great lesson and tone!
Ivan Milenkovic27th September 2009Great Song, great cover Gab, sounds very realistic and similar to the real thing.
Emir Hot27th September 2009Great stuff man. I love this tune
Kristofer Dahl27th September 2009Awesome topic Gabriel - and your sound is amazing!
- Lesson
- My notes
Hi GMC! Welcome to my new lesson based on this great rock song called “Highway to hell” by AC/DC. This hit has been realized in 1979 for the album that also is called “Highway to hell” and is the last album recorded with lead vocalist Bon Scott.
This song shows the essence of AD/DC which is based catchy guitar riffs, memorable choruses, classic rock/blues solos and simple but forceful drums + bass base.
This is a lesson appropriated for beginner/intermediate players because the rhythm guitar is very easy to play. We’ll only use major chords, inverted chords and sus4 chords in open positions.
The solo is a bit trickier but it can be played by a beginner with a bit of hard work. It contains some classic rock/blues licks which are “must know” for every rock player. The scale used in the solo is A pentatonic major and minor. We will work techniques aspects like rhythm, bending and vibrato.The sound for this lesson is based in a classic rock overdrive/distortion with this approximated settings: gain: 6, bass: 7, mid: 7 & treble: 5. I added a plate reverb (Waves Rverb: Guitar plate preset) to the rhythm guitar in the Intro & Verse.
Tuning: 6th: Eb // 5th: Ab // 4th: Db // 3rd: Gb // 2nd: Bb // 1st: Eb //
I used the same tuning than the orignal version of this song to have a similar sound.
This is the song structure:
INTRO: 8 bars
VERSE: 16 bars (E5 bridge: 2 bars)
CHORUS: 8 bars
VERSE 2: 16 bars (E5 bridge: 2 bars)
CHORUS 2: 8 bars
BRIDGE: 4 bars
SOLO: 8 bars
CHORUS 3: 16 bars
Ok guys, I hope that you enjoy the lesson!
See you!Chords used:
A major:
D/F# major:
G major:
E5:
D major:
D sus4:
Scales used:
A pentatonic major:
A pentatonic minor:
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