How to play "ACDC-Thunderstruck" Guitar Lesson

[laudiWT]

How do you play without moving your right Hand?

[tziras]

@laudiWT

small movement from the wrist is the key

[RaphiH188]

er hat vergessen seine finger zu bewegen

[angus0germany]

the thunderstruck itntro is picked, because angus doesn`t use much gain, and you can hear hammer ons and pull ofs better with much gain.

And the picking-noise you can hear at every sixteenth note is the little difference between the two ways of playing it, but that matters.... If you want to get a real AC/DC sound you should pick it

[HeavyMetaIAger]

WREOS PSILE ME HELP POLLY TY!!

[pafa92]

@guitarspectre the truth is: everybody plays it with no pick, but angus young..

[lgwillie]

hes kinda cute ;)

[fpan66]

bravo thodore!!

[TheZombified316]

@tziras hy i subed and liked i wanted to know if you need a feed back pedal or whatever it is to make that echo type noise thanks

[tziras]

@TheZombified316

just a little delay

[TheZombified316]

@tziras thanks so much will it sound ok even if i got no delay?

[tziras]

@TheZombified316

yes..it will sound great

[appacana]

very cool video thanks

[hackaim]

Συγχαριτήρια !!!! 

[Minds15able]

Very nice at all ... ur a great teatch

[indeab]

good man !! nice one!

[IAMNOTAGOODCHILD]

ORAIOS RE!!

[MrZantas]

to all those who wonder if in the original is picked or not. If you listen carefully the fretted notes are picked and the B is legato. But play it as you can, it doesn't matter as master tziras said it's a great riff and easy to play.

[syko1800]

im gunna turn on the metrodome and play for you...3...go....lol awesome

[volensevov]

You truly are a Godsgift!!! ;)

[eduxius]

4 people like Justin Bieber...

[LoganLive09]

you play it by taping and no picking like me very cool

[DavidOrtiz36]

nah he picks the notes in real life, but i think it sounds great either way

[MrDestroyer3000]

Cant believe there are still dumbass people in thunderstruck comments who cant believe the riff isnt picked only tapped....

[laumaelinful]

@MrDestroyer3000 have you ever been to acdc gig? you can clearly see angus picks every note

[lolipo44]

I think you need more views :D

[tziras]

@lolipo44

it is not matter of quantity but quality views...

[SteveDogg92]

the turorial is awesome and you can learn to play it like this, but to play in Angus Young style, you have to pick every single note, that's what he does

[8GVirus]

anybody with a little bit of a guitar experiance can figure this tune out by himself, at least i think so!

[CKS5000]

great lesson Ziras, keep up the good work

[chainy10]

You can also use both hands for this.

[XxBENO21xX]

Angus actually taped the other 5 strings down when recording this, so there was no noise from them, only the B-string riff which he picked. But when playing this without the taped down strings it can be hard to get away without having some noise come through. Hence tapping the riff and using your pick hand to mute the strings. Angus can do what he wants live because it is his riff. I'm sure at some point in his career he would have tapped instead of picked this song.

[vincett1]

kalos daskalos to ema8a se 4 lepta thanks :)

[DamnedArtm3mis]

Hi Theodore! As always, very nice instructional video, nice exercise to practice the legato thing indeed :)

I was just wondering about the beginning part where you talk about the scale you're about to use, B Mixolydian. You say you're using G# [9th fret] (as it really is in the scale), but in the first riff you use G instead [8th fret]. I'm new in scaling terms, so I want to ask if the first part of this riff's still in B Mixolydian or it would be another scale like E melodic minor?

Thanks!

[tziras]

@DamnedArtm3mis

it is B Minolydian all the way

[pabcq]

@tziras

no its not

[adumbbrunch]

I don't know if anyone agrees but even when you listen to the record you can hear that he picks it...you can hear the picking noise. When you play it legato it just doesn't sound right...plus it's cheating!

[tziras]

@adumbbrunch

it doenst matter if it is picking or legato...

it matters that this is a gret riff

[LordSauceness]

@tziras It matters only if someone wants to play like the record. It's a great exercise no matter which way it's done. To me, it sounds MUCH better picked.  Anyway, great lesson and very well explained! Obviously you are great guitarist, but I think it should be noted that Angus picks it. If people can't hear that, then they need to work on listening more, for ear training, wouldn't you agree?

[tziras]

@LordSauceness

you can play it the way you like....playing it legato is my point of view

[monolithic1hehe]

@tziras if you watch any live performance by acdc you will notice that he plays the intro riff legato, he never picks it, its ionly on the album version that he picks the intro

[tziras]

@monolithic1hehe

yrs...i have seen that....

but it really doesn't matter...you can play it the way you like

[chrispwns123456789]

@monolithic1hehe watch ACDC's performance in 2003 at Toronto Rocks, he picks it then.

[monolithic1hehe]

@tziras if you watch any live performance by acdc you will notice that he plays the intro riff legato, he never picks it, its only on the album version that he picks the intro

[yoyoninjaman]

@adumbbrunch really? I've seen him play it live and he did this whole part of the song one handed... how was he picking that?

also much more impressive than picking as he wasn't using the pick hands to mute the other strings :)

[DiegoDellaV]

@adumbbrunch look at the live video...

[gabiruman]

@adumbbrunch it's not cheating, plus it's a cool way to train your hammer ons and pull offs, and btw what you hear on the album it's like angus played it in the beggining, now he plays like Theodore, just watch the Thunderstruck video he doesn't even mute the G and e string with the right hand, he plays it while he raises his right hand.

[LordSauceness]

@gabiruman *he doesn't even mute the G and e string with the right hand, he plays it while he raises his right hand*

A music video is doctored up to make it look cool. Angus has stated he had the strings taped to keep them from ringing out. I've watched a good many live videos and he always picks them. There's a really great HD live Thunderstruck video on youtube. The HD is really good, the sound is fantastic, and you can clearly see Angus picking it. It sound's different hammered.

[gabiruman]

@LordSauceness he gave a video lesson where he said where he showed the 2 ways of playing thunderstruck, hammered and picked he reffered the hammered has the recent way it sounds more natural than picking, so i don't know about the video but he sure plays it hammered as well.

[LordSauceness]

@gabiruman I don't have to watch him play it. I can clearly hear the pick-clicks. You can too if you slow it down. I've done so & uploaded a video on it. People don't like it tho. IF he's ever played it hammered, I've not heard it & most likely has done so for a pharse or 2 only. The intro he always picks. The music video is for looks. If you have a video where he plays it hammered, send me the link please! :)

[MaggaraMarine]

@LordSauceness You are right. If you are a guitarist, you can hear that in the album version he picks it. It sounds more muted. And here are the pick clicks. He just raises the hand when playing live because it looks cooler. But it sounds different. The picked thing is by far more difficult but it's a great practice to get your picking and fretting in sync.

[MrArgamonte]

ya lo sabia pero igual me gusto el video

[planetofzeus]

piges gia mpanaki ?

[tziras]

@planetofzeus

oxi...apla pira me nea super HD camera

kai ola fenontai me leptomeria...

i palia camera me edeixne pio leuko..

[Sageh44]

Hes also muting e and g stings with his right hand.

[mcsaltens]

simply search for madrid 96 concet thundersturck you see he picks as in the record

[tziras]

@mcsaltens

thank you...

[damightyzug]

@mcsaltens Holy Cow, your right, always thought this was as tziras shows, but I just pulled up a half dozen vids of this song live and every one of them Angus is picking it.... Thanks.....

[tziras]

@damightyzug

on the original video clip he is doing legato....

anyway..it doesn't matter...the lick is the same ..same notes

[damightyzug]

@tziras completely agree, I was just blown away to find out after all these years he actually uses a pick on that riff....  lol

[VNtinos]

Geia soy Thodori !! Mia mera afoy anevases to video ayto eixa genethlia !! Kata ti gnwmi soy gia AC/DC (genika Hard Rock) ti kithara moy proteineis ?? timi mexri 1000 evrw !!

Epeisis ti kithara thewreis kali gia Power Metal (Helloween, Gamma Ray, Hammerfall) ?? episis mexri 1000 evrw !!

[tziras]

@VNtinos

xronia polla, an se boleuei to bratso kai to baros tis gibson tote i les paul eine poly kali

gia kati pio elafri se thema varous kai pio lepto bratso tote ESP i LTD i Ibanez

[miochesix]

Please can you write the tablature disappointed because I'm French I do not understand is all please please please

[tziras]

@miochesix

read the video info....the link with the tab is there

[spykp]

@tziras eilikrina auto pou mou aresei perissotero re Teo einai oti apantas se osous exoun erotiseis/apories/kena. Entaksi diladi respect re gamoto! :D

[tziras]

@spykp

apla kanw tin douleia mou

kai to youtube eine ena meros autis

[r3inhout]

@miochesix try to learn English, it's the world language now..

[JaoquinQ]

@r3inhout Actually Mandarin is now... just an interesting tidbit.

[spykp]

gamise! kane k ena ma8ima gia tap/hammer techniques tora :P:P

[tziras]

@spykp

exw anevasei idi...

[FRsleepwalker]

Hey Theodore :)

Will you record "What can I play over Major chords ?" videos ?

The video for the minor chrods helped me so much. Thank you you're si awesome.

[tziras]

@FRsleepwalker

i will do it soon...

[FRsleepwalker]

@tziras Yeah thank you :D

[BruisedEyeSockets]

What language are you speaking?

[tziras]

@BruisedEyeSockets

i am greek

[BruisedEyeSockets]

@tziras I never would have guessed.. Awesome.

[dauntSilver]

thanks man, I didnt know what song I should learn next, then I saw this video.. now that I know the intro, im gonna tackle the rest of the song :]

[deadfordays]

how long did it take you to learn sweep picking?

[tziras]

@deadfordays

5 years...

[deadfordays]

@tziras thats good. thank you. its taking me awhile, been almost a year and its still not good enough to really show off to anyone. thanks and your probably the best ive herd in a very long time. great job man.

[BonFire110]

Cunning man. Yo're damping the G and E strings with your other hand -- as I used to. ;) But pretty much good lesson.

[mcsaltens]

angus picks every note, no hammer on or pull off

[FruitOfHavoc]

@mcsaltens here he does it with hammer ons and pull offs only watch?v=5pfCfCd3r8U and here he does it picking every note watch?v=IlejfA5NCbQ so I'd say you're 50% wrong. he probably avoids the hammer ons and pull offs when he's drunk or tired, as it requires quite some concentration to do it on a stage in front of 50000+ fans.

[tziras]

@mcsaltens

then do it with picking....i prefer legato

[Incisionator]

@tziras Pretty sure Angus does it legato aswell in live situations... I actually taught this to one of my students.

[hammer25tn]

@mcsaltens no he doesn't

[mcsaltens]

@hammer25tn yes he do on the record maybe live he does not to act a bit

[mcsaltens]

@hammer25tn /watch?v=VaCqtj6WYK4

[mcsaltens]

@mcsaltens yes he do in the record

[mcsaltens]

@mcsaltens watch?v=VaCqtj6WYK4 watch hear but even with no video listen to the record you hear the pick strike the string

[TheSyuFan]

@blackghostofmetal just look at his hands !

[tizioincognito95]

Is there anything you can't play???? Or is there something you find hard to play?

[tziras]

@tizioincognito95

of course there are a lot of things i cannot play...

[mhtsos12]

@tziras Yeah right...

[Night1989]

@tziras Can you play things like Chris Storeys Stuff?

[tziras]

@Night1989

Chris is great...

[Fan2guitaare]

@tziras

Such as ? :O

[DennChooch]

@tizioincognito95 he can't play old mcdonald on guitar.

[Swuppo]

Superb lesson Ziras!

[billyofspades]

καθαρα απο περιεργεια εισαι δεξιοχειρας ή αριστεροχειρας ; μου κανει εντυπωση οτι σε εχω να παζεις με εξισου καλα και μετα 2 χερια, ισως να ειναι χαζη η απορια επειδη δεν παιζω κιθαρα , αλλα πολλοι φιλοι και γνωστοι μου δε μπορουν να το κανουν για κανενα λογω, ολοι χρησιμοποιουν το "κακο" χερι στα ταστα...

[tziras]

@billyofspades

eimai aristeroxeiras...ola ta instructional videos eine mirrored

to anaferw kai sto intro tou video

[chriszoiras]

@billyofspades

to leei sthn arxh:)

[rdicko86]

i was like.."what??? thats not in 5/8... and what in the world is 4/7 measures???" hahah...

[tziras]

@blackghostofmetal

no...sorry!!

i think that you can do it on your own...

[sallimann345]

then teach the actual solo, please

[tziras]

@sallimann345

it will be a boring video....it will take to long...

the solo is great but it is difficult to teach it via video

[arturmet]

who cares if Angus Young use legatto or not. You play it the way you want it!!

[matyasd88]

another good lesson

[Ashykins07]

Has Angus ever used legato? ...Nah didn't think so..

[ManosRK]

nice intro theme! what is it ?

[tziras]

@ManosRK

just an intro i did for the videos

this is not a song

[ManosRK]

@tziras i thought so too that it's not a part of a song but it's still cool, where does it "belong" theoritically if you can tell ?

[tziras]

@ManosRK

minor apreggios and Aeolian scale



[Aashish343]

@tziras man you know where i can get your guitar shipped to panama an how much costs your signature guitar .... ??

[tziras]

@Aashish343

in few days a video and website will be up with info

[LightRoll]

@tziras i want to buy your signature guitar left-handed. is that available?

[tziras]

@LightRoll

yes it is...in few days a video and website will be up with info

[thomizzskate]

is that an edge zero tremmolo?

[tziras]

@thomizzskate

no...it is original floyd rose

[andreisidro]

WROONG! Angus picks!!! I hate how everybody thinks he does legato! It doesn't even sound like he doesn't pick! aaw I can't even watch the rest of the video!

[topavelka]

Angus picking this lick, no legato. 

[stelisklados]

Ayto einai apo ta prwta tragoudia poy evgala xwris na ta akouw. :P

[lordmichael95]

Awesome.

[Morethanl1f3]

Agreed Its no longer legato never has been before he started to play with picking for the record and live shows

[lvcreed]

can you show what you can`t play? i`m serious because i have seen your videos and your freaking awsome

[tziras]

@lvcreed

thank you but there are MANY MANY things i cannot play

[bullsfan93]

@tziras don't lie to us

[darkj3am]

@lvcreed i think he cant play the triangle :P LOL

[abdakka0]

forget to shave?



[tziras]

@abdakka0

yes...

[Stevoukos]

Me exeis empneusei para pl..Se euxaristw Thodori..sinexise etsi..Katapliktika video!!

[AcadianFragz]

you can also put your finger on the other strings where you pick so it dosent make any noise :)

[sportsportsport]

I thought this was picked! obviously not.. sounds better legato! THANKS!

[tziras]

@sportsportsport

it is only legato...

[sportsportsport]

@tziras I just watched angus play it live.. and he picks it all!

[DerEchteBold]

@sportsportsport

haha so obviously i was wrong with the live thing - but i read it like that

[Diosukekun]

@sportsportsport originally he played it in legato, but then he added the picking to make it sound more aggressive. he said so in an interview i believe

[sportsportsport]

@Diosukekun Ah okay! thanks for the info. :)

[DerEchteBold]

@sportsportsport

i once read that in the recording it's all picked but live angus plays legato

[tokojojiji]

Telio lesson opws panta

[mouloudo]

cool dude thanks!