Jimmy Page - Style
- Volodymyr Shalayko
- Mar 7, 2022
- 2 min read
For just over ten years, Led Zeppelin shook the earth with their monumental four-man line-up. Live, they were known for their seemingly endless improvisations. In this intoxication Jimmy Page dared to let go of all brakes and he didn't attach any value to a neat technique or the exact right note, rock & roll!
In the studio, however, he was much more critical and thoughtful about which notes, parts and sounds he would place where. Stairway to Heaven' is an unlikely result of that. On this song from their album 'Led Zeppelin IV' Jimmy Page probably plays one of the most legendary solos ever.
Exercise
The first lick of the solo of 'Stairway to Heaven' is started in the first position of A minor pentatonic.
Lick
Our favourite solos often start with a monstrous bend, and it's no different here. On the tablature you can see that Jimmy Page starts on the G-string, jumps to the thin E-string and then makes his way down the scale. In between, he uses a recurring pattern to make his lick longer. Pay attention! His lick ends on an Fmaj7 chord. He wisely chooses to end on a chord note to provide a nice solution. To do this, he steps out of the first position of A minor pentatonic and adds the eighth fret on the A string to emphasize the F.
What should I pay attention to when playing this lick?
The bend with which the lick starts is crucial! Practice it well so that you get it at the right pitch;
Pay attention to the correct execution of legato techniques such as hammer-ons and pull-offs. Try to push your string in well at the hammer-ons and make sure you relaunch your string by pulling it in slightly before releasing it at the pull-offs;
At some point your ring finger will land on the seventh fret on the D string and you will have to use the same finger to get to the seventh fret on the G string. Make use of a finger roll here: after you have played the D string, lay your finger flat on the G string and shift the pressure and focus to that string (in order to then perform the pull-off);
Study the tab at a steady pace and learn the lick note by note;
Dissolving to the chord, or 'chord tone targeting', always ensures a beautiful sound!
If you have any questions or comments, ask them at the bottom of this blog or in our forum!
Good luck!
Jeroen for Gitaartabs
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