Style of AC/DC

Brendan Burns breaks down the style of this iconic rock band.

 View Brendan's Bio

Brendan Burns breaks down the style of this iconic rock band.

Lessons in this Series:

Lesson 1

Style of AC/DC: Series Introduction

It's time for another look at a legendary rock band! In this new lesson series from Brendan Burns, he'll be laying out how AC/DC makes their magic! Brendan will be guiding you step by step on how this iconic band creates it's famous sound!

Length: 2:41 Difficulty: 0.0 Member Only
Lesson 2

Style of AC/DC #2: Harmony

To get started with the teaching portion of this lesson series, Brendan discusses and demonstrates the basic harmonic principles used by AC/DC. He plays over a track to demonstrate the sounds created.

Length: 9:23 Difficulty: 2.0 Member Only
Lesson 3

Style of AC/DC #3: Rhythm

In lesson three of his Style of AC/DC series, Brendan discusses and demonstrates the basic tenants of rhythm utilized by Malcom and Angus of AC/DC. To get you started you'll be working on clapping the rhythm before applying it to your guitar.

Length: 10:34 Difficulty: 2.0 Member Only
Lesson 4

Style of AC/DC #4: Rhythm Part 2

In part two of the rhythm section for AC/DC, Brendan is discussing the sue of anticipations on all beats in a measure. He discusses how AC/DC used this mechanism and contrasts against how a straight rhythm sounds.

Length: 4:27 Difficulty: 2.0 Member Only
Lesson 5

Style of AC/DC #5: Rhythm Part 3

In the third part of his look at AC/DC's rhythm playing, Brendan discusses more uses of anticipations. Specifically you'll be looking at rhythmic variations that have no correlation to the strong beats.

Length: 6:09 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Lesson 6

Style of AC/DC #6: Rhythm Part 4

Now moving on to a new aspect of AC/DC's rhythm tendencies, Brendan discusses basic 3-3-2 groupings and provides an exercise to get familiar with this concept.

Length: 10:09 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Lesson 7

Style of AC/DC #7: Rhythm Part 5

In the last lesson, Brendan opened up the idea of a 3-3-2 rhythm and talked about doubling it. This lesson seven, Brendan is going to go further into this topic which includes rhythm formations that cross the barre.

Length: 4:40 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Lesson 8

Style of AC/DC #8: Rhythm Part 6

Brendan Burns is back with an expanding look on the use of 3-3-2 rhythmic divisions from within AC/DC's playing. In this lesson you're expanding the pattern further and taking a look at a famous style based lick.

Length: 7:25 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Lesson 9

Style of AC/DC #9: Rhythm Part 7

In the last several lessons Brendan has been discussing anticipations as part of AC/DC rhythmic tendencies. Starting with lesson nine, Brendan begins to discuss emphasis on the back beat as well.

Length: 9:43 Difficulty: 2.0 Member Only
Lesson 10

Style of AC/DC #10: Rhythm Part 8

In lesson 10 of the Style of AC/DC series, Brendan talks about putting all the rhythmic elements you've learned together.

Length: 7:13 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Lesson 11

Style of AC/DC #11: Rhythm Part 9

Brendan is back and he's still delving in to the immense beast that is the rhythm tendencies of the AC/DC sound. Lesson 11 is all about the back-beat and playing along with it's groove.

Length: 9:41 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Lesson 12

Style of AC/DC #12: Rhythm Part 10

In lesson 12 of his look at AC/DC Brendan is covering the last aspect of rhythm playing for the series. He titles this "Knowing the One."

Length: 9:39 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Lesson 13

Style of AC/DC #13: Rhythm Part 11

Still working out exercises that involve no playing on the one, Brendan is now taking a look at multi-barre patterns that take advantage of this concept.

Length: 6:56 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Lesson 14

Style of AC/DC #14: Rhythm Part 12

Lesson 14 culminates the rhythm section of the AC/DC workshop. In this lesson Brendan provides one final example to work on knowing where the one is in it's absence of playing.

Length: 6:56 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Lesson 15

Style of AC/DC #15: Lead #1

Now that you've got a great understanding of the rhythmic foundation used in AC/DC's music, it's time to start applying that knowledge to lead aspects. In lesson 15 Brendan offers up his first exercise that is based around a pentatonic idea.

Length: 13:43 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Lesson 16

Style of AC/DC #16: Lead #2

Brendan Burns is back with another look at soloing and lead in the style of AC/DC. In lesson 16 you're going to take the concepts and techniques discussed in the previous lesson and build a solo of your own. Brendan discusses ways to get these ideas in to your own playing.

Length: 18:38 Difficulty: 3.0 Member Only
Lesson 17

Style of AC/DC #17: Lead #3

Brendan returns with another style of solo based off an iconic AC/DC tune. As with the last solo, you'll start by learning this one, then move on to breaking down how you can internalize the concepts.

Length: 13:06 Difficulty: 3.0 Member Only
Lesson 18

Style of AC/DC #18: Lead #4

Moving along in the lead section of this series, Brendan uses the solo you learned in lesson 17 to discuss some concepts and provide exercises on how to get this in to your own playing.

Length: 5:47 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Lesson 19

Style of AC/DC #19: Lead #5

Once again, Brendan is back with another in the style solo inspired by Angus Young's playing. Just like the last several lessons, you'll learn this solo, then move on to putting the concepts and techniques in to your playing.

Length: 9:08 Difficulty: 3.0 Member Only
Lesson 20

Style of AC/DC #20: Lead #6

This lesson takes a look at the rhythmic concepts used in the previous lesson. You'll be using your fingers to count the rhythmic variations and start putting notes to it as well.

Length: 9:02 Difficulty: 3.0 Member Only
Lesson 21

Style of AC/DC #21: Lead #7

Over the past couple of lessons you have been looking at solo ideas that were short and concise in their phrasing. In lesson 21 you'll be looking at an in the style of solo that comprises longer, more melodic phrasing.

Length: 14:00 Difficulty: 3.0 Member Only
Lesson 22

Style of AC/DC #22: Lead #8

Lesson 22 is all about getting the ideas and concepts from lesson 21 in your head and under your fingers. Brendan provides a few exercises to get you playing in the style instead of his written solo.

Length: 13:53 Difficulty: 3.0 Member Only
Lesson 23

Style of AC/DC #23: Lead #9

Once again we are looking at a new solo in the style of Angus Young's playing. Not only are we working on longer phrasing, but Brendan introduces the sextuplet idea as well.

Length: 18:02 Difficulty: 3.5 Member Only
Lesson 24

Style of AC/DC #24: Lead #10

It's once again time to take a look at how to get the concepts and techniques demonstrated by the solo in the previous lessons, under your fingers. In this lesson, Brendan will walk you through the rhythmic variations and talk about key and note selection.

Length: 10:24 Difficulty: 2.5 Member Only
Lesson 25

Style of AC/DC #25: Lead #11

Lesson 25 marks the winding down of the Style of AC/DC lesson series. Over the past 10 previous lessons you've been learning in the style of solos and picking them apart to get the concepts in your head and on the fretboard. The final solo you'll be learning combines all of the melodic and...

Length: 11:22 Difficulty: 3.0 Member Only
Lesson 26

Style of AC/DC #26: Lead #12

Lesson 26 in Brendan's Style of AC/DC lesson series covers the second half of the AC/DC mega solo. You'll be learning barres 9-16 in this one, then you'll follow it up next lesson with a look at getting all these concepts under your fingers.

Length: 10:16 Difficulty: 3.0 Member Only
Lesson 27

Style of AC/DC #27: Lead #13

Here we are at the end. Like the previous lessons in the lead section of this series, lesson 27 is all about getting the past solo you learned in your head and under your fingers from a conceptual level.

Length: 17:49 Difficulty: 3.5 Member Only
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