Led Zeppelin For Beginner Guitar Players

This month’s post will focus on songs by Led Zeppelin guitar riff  songs, like Whole Lotta Love or Misty Mountain Hop.  I’m actually going to do a few posts about Led Zeppelin since they’re my favorite band, and there’s a lot of great songs to do by them in a few different playing styles like fingerpicking or arpeggiation.  When I say these songs are easy, I don’t mean you can play them in your first month of playing guitar.  These are among the first ones I show to people who are taking private guitar lessons with me or taking my group guitar class if this band is requested.

For each song, I list the tempo, what kinds of chords are used in the song, and the fastest rhythm present in the riff or chords – either 8th notes or 16th notes.

Dazed and Confused: 52 bpm, power chords, 16th notes.  This song is probably the slowest and easiest to play.

The Girl I Love (She Got Long Black Wavy Hair): 92 bpm, power chords, 16th notes

How Many More Times: 144bpm, barre chords, 8th notes.  The barre chords in this song could be played as open chords instead.

Living Loving Maid: 150 bpm, 8th notes, power chords and barre chords.  Again, the barre chords in this song could be played as open chords instead.

The Ocean: 89 bpm, 16th notes, barre chords.  The chords could be played in the open position, as they’re just D7, A, C, and G.  Also, the riff could also be moved to open position if that makes it easier.

Bring It On Home: 1st section – 114 bpm, power chords, 8th notes.  2nd section –  100 bpm, triads, 16th notes.

Whole Lotta Love: 90 bpm, power chords, 16th notes.  The open notes in the main riff are played with all downstrokes, so this is actually pretty fast even though it’s only 90 bpm.

Misty Mountain Hop: 136 bpm, barre chords and open chords, 8th notes.  The solo in this consists of two guitars playing in thirds, but you can easily combine the two and play them both your self.  The end of the solo is not too difficult as well, and overall this would be a good first solo to attempt to learn.
Hey Hey What Can I Do: 76 bpm, barre chords and open chords, 16th notes.  This song is tuned down 3/4 step from standard tuning, and the chords are supposed to be A, E, G, D, and F# minor.

In The Light: 128 bpm, 8th notes, unusual chord forms in bridge.  Once you get past the long keyboard intro, the guitar riffs in this song are really cool.

Houses of the Holy: 120 bpm, 8th notes, open chords.  There are some really fast 16th note pentatonic riffs in between verses that you can ignore; just keep playing chords until you’re ready to give them a try.
Walter’s Walk:  172 bpm,  8th notes.  There really aren’t any chords to be played in this one, you basically just play the riffs until you get to the solo.