LESSON: BLUES ON THE CD TRACKS 25-26

Jimmy Page
Brought to you by... years he spent as a studio guitarist, playing
involved and often highly complex
arrangements. Page is a veritable riff
machine, always serving the music and
unafraid to play whatever the song requires,
often simple and equally often highly
John Wheatcroft takes us back to swinging intricate, but always selecting just the right
late-60s and examines the playing of the part, or combination of parts, to set the music
off perfectly. It’s the combination of extremes
legendary Jimmy Page in early Led Zeppelin. that makes Jimmy’s playing so intriguing in
my opinion; the considered and balanced
nature of his rhythm playing, against the wild
hendrix and Clapton, Jimmy’s and often reckless abandon of his soloing,
playing changed the face of mistakes and all, but always an exhilarating
rock guitar. Never mind his ride for the listener.
songwriting and production
skills - even the way he holds I believe every guitar player
the instrument has gone on to inherently has something unique
in en e g it rists rom
generation to generation. due about their playing. They just
to a recent bout of activity have to identify what makes
re-mastering chunks of his
m si l leg this in en e
them different and develop it.
shows no sign of diminishing. Jimmy Page
this month’s article looks at there is a complete solo study for you this
Jimmy’s playing from a time month, based around two choruses of a rocky
when what was to be the New 12-bar in e. In tried and trusted blues and
Yardbirds took a turn in an classic rock style, much of the vocabulary is
altogether heavier direction, derived from the Minor Pentatonic, its
to become the might led associated Blues scale and peppered with a
Zeppelin who, arguably after strategic smattering of chord tones. For all its
the Beatles and the rolling melodic simplicity, the skill lies in delivering
Stones held title of Most the notes with the same sense of energy,
Important Band In the World. excitement, commitment and intent. Just
the band’s history is well watch any video of Page in action and you’ll
documented, forming in witness just how much he puts into it, with
london in 1968 with Jimmy every solo becoming a true performance,
bringing together the talents of putting his heart and soul into every run, lick
studio musician John Paul or note. Go on, unleash your inner rock God
Jones with the inimitable and turn your amp up just a bit too loud and
vocalist robert Plant and give this solo a go. Your neighbours might not
powerhouse drummer John be too keen, but you’ll certainly have a whole
Bonham. the band quickly lotta fun and learn some great new licks and
signed to Atlantic and world ideas in the process.
stardom was bestowed upon
Jimmy Page, here them. Fascinating though this NEXT MONTH: Wheaty takes a look at modern
playing his painted is, what we’re really interested blues guitar legend Joe Bonamassa
‘Zeppelin 1’ Tele in here is Jimmy’s guitar style,
and quite a style it is.
Jimmy’s soloing style is the perfect GET THE TONE
ABILITY RATING
amalgamation of the grit from blues
Moderate/Advanced combined with the snarl of rock’n’roll. Add a 7 5 5 7 2
little nifty jazz, à la les Paul, don’t forget to
INFO WILL IMPROVE YOUR dd some elti ol nd fin ll in h o GAIN BASS MIDDLE TREBLE REVERB
KEY: E Bends and articulation modal Indian melodicism, and what we end
Page recorded most of Led Zeppelin I with his
TEMPO: 170bpm Fast pentatonic licks up with is one of the most recognisable styles self-decorated 1959 rosewood-board Telecaster
CD: TRACKS 25-26 Classic rock vocabulary in modern guitar history. through a small Supro valve amp assisted in the
Jimmy’s playing is far from being drive and tone-shaping stakes with both fuzz and
Where Would the world of rock be one-dimensional and purely lead orientated. wah, and don’t forget the violin bow! We’re after
without the mighty Jimmy Page? Along with a Arguably, it’s his prowess as a rhythm quite a fuzz and treble heavy sound, although
control the dynamics with a combination of
bunch of his mates knocking about london in guitarist, orchestrator and composer that set
JAN PERSSON / GETTY IMAGES

picking dynamics and volume control settings.

the mid to late 60s with names like Beck, him apart from his peers, likely a result of the

TRACK RECORD Jimmy has been re-mastering the back catalogue, including Led Zeppelin I, to keep in line with modern technology and
listening trends. There are single CDs, deluxe box-sets and even vinyl makes a comeback, proving that everything does indeed come
full circle! There is an excellent live concert from Denmark in 1969 featuring material from this album on YouTube. Check it out.

54 GuitarTechniques February 2015

 JIMMY PAGE LEARNING ZONE

EXAMPLE COMPLETE SOLO CD TRACK 25

[Bars 0-4] We launch straight into a cavalcade of unison bends sounding Pentatonic is the order of the day here (E G A B D), along with much of the
not unlike another Jimmy (Jimi). Bend the lower note up to the pitch of melodic material to follow.
the higher and add vibrato, creating a pulsing oscillation as the notes and [Bars 9-12] Page’s BB King influences are clear for all to see and hear with
overtones move in and out of tuning. The effect is suitably psychedelic and this collection of two and three-fret bends based around E Blues scale (E
goes hand in hand with the popular fuzz-laden sounds of the period. G A Bb B D) with the root on the second string. As with all bending ideas,
[Bars 5-8] Rapid pentatonic sequences have gone on to form such a ensure you are suitably warmed up and make sure you allocate the majority
significant and highly exploited sound in the world of rock that occasionally of the lifting working to a revolution of the forearm and not with the fingers.
licks such as these have become almost ‘clichés’ of the genre and are Jimmy used quite light string gauges, so this might help, but Stevie Ray
considered to be ‘public domain’. Way back in the late ‘60s however, Page’s Vaughan was capable of coaxing similar sounds from his Herculean set-up
playingTECHNIQUES
GUITAR was at the cutting edge of contemporary
MAGAZINE 239 John
guitar Wheatcroft's
technique. E Minor Strat, so good technique is the order of the day and anything is possible.
GUITAR TECHNIQUES MAGAZINE 2 3 9
BLUES
John DUES - JIMMY PAGE LED ZEP 1 SOLO
Wheatcroft's
BLUES DUES - JIMMY PAGE LED ZEP 1 SOLO
GUITAR TECHNIQUES MAGAZINE 2 3 9 John Wheatcroft's

©»¡¶º n œj n œœ n œœ~~ .. œ~~

œ .. ~~ œœ~~ .. n œj n œœ
BLUES DUES - JIMMY PAGE LED ZEP 1 SOLO
j
œœ œœ œœ .. œœ j
John
E 5 Wheatcroft's
j - JIMMY PAGEj LED ZEP 1 SOLO j
~~
GUITAR TECHNIQUES MAGAZINE 2 3 9

#### 4
©»¡¶º n œ n œœJ
BLUES
~~
n œEœ5 ..
DUES
œj
œœJ œ ..
œ~~ œj ~~ œj
œœJ ~~
œœ~~.. n œ n œœJ
Œ. œJœ œœ ..
E5

# # # # 44
&©»¡¶º Ó n œEœ5~~
œ œ ~~ œ
Œ. n œ n œœJ .. œJœ œ ..
œ~~ œJœ œJœ œœ~~.. n œ n œœJ
j j
Ó j j œœ .. j
# # # # 44
&©»¡¶º n œœ~~.. ~~
œ œ
n œ n œœJ œœ .. œœ .. n œ n œœJ
œ
& # # # # 44 Ó Œ.
j
œ
j œœJ œ
j œœJ œœ .. œ
j œœJ j

Ó Œ. J ~~ J ~~ J ~~ J ~~ J
& 4 ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~
BU BU BU BU BU
E

~~
BU 15 BU14 BU12 BU14 BU 15

~~ ~~ ~~
B
E
G 17 (19 ) 16 (18 ) 14 (16 ) 16 (18 ) 17 (19 )

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~
B
D BU 15 BU14 BU12 BU14 BU 15
G
A
E 17 (19 ) 16 (18 ) 14 (16 ) 16 (18 ) 17 (19 )
D
E
B BU 15 BU14 BU12 BU14 BU 15
A 1 (19 )
16 (18 ) 16 (18 )

'
G
E 17 (19 ) 14 (16 ) 17
E
D
B 15 14 12 14 15

n œœ~~ œ~~
1

j ~~ j
œ /' œ
(19 )

~~ j
A
G 17 (19 ) 16 (18 ) 14 (16 ) 16 (18 ) 17

œj œœ~~ n œj œœ œ œj 1# œœ n ˙˙~~
j
œ~~
E
D

~~ œ
1/4 A5

#### ~~n œj n œœ œ œ nn œœ œ
1

œ /' œ
A

n œœJ~~ œ œœ n œ œœJ œJ~~ œ # œœ œ nn œœ œ œ œ œ

n ˙˙~~
E

~~n œj n œœJJ œ œ œ
14 A5 3

& #### n œœJ~~ œj œœ~~ n œjj œœJ œ œ3 œ

œ /' œ
œœJ~~ œ # œœ œ œ œ œ œ
n ˙˙~~ œ œ œ
A5 3
j
œ œ
14

& #### n œJœ œj œœ~~ n œ œœJ œœJ ~~n œj n œœJ œ œ œ nœ œ33 œ

œ # œœ n ˙˙~~ œ nœ œ œ33
j
œ œ œ33
14 A5

& #### n œ n œœ œ œ œ œ3 œ œ nœ œ œ
&
J~~ BU ~~ BU J
~~ BU(1418~~) BU(1519 )
J~~
~~
BU ~~
~~)
BU J ~~
~~ ''
1/4 œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ 3

''
E
3
BU 14 BU 8
3

~~ BU(1418~~) BU(1519 ) ~~ ~~) ~~

B 1/4
3 3
E
G 16 17 16 (18 10 (12 ) 12 14 12 3 12 12

~~ BU(1418~~) BU(1519 ) ~~ ~~) ~~

B
D BU 14 BU 8 1/414 12 12 14 12 14 14
G
A
E 16 17 16 (18 10 (12 ) 12 14 12 14 12 14 14 12 12
D
E
B BU 14 BU 8 1/414 12 12 14 12 14 14
A 3 (18 (12 ) 12 14 12 14 12 14 14
G
E 16 17 16 10 12 12
E

'
D
B
3 14 15 14 8 14 12 12 14 12 14 14

√ j EE 55
(18 ) (18 )

œ
A
G 16 17 (19 ) 16 10 (12 ) 12 14 12 14 12 14 14 12 12

œ nn œœ œ œ
n œ '/ œ
œ œ œ
E
D 14 12 12 14 12 14 14

#### œ nœ œ œ œ √n œj œ œ
A 3 14 12 14 14

œ œ œ œj œ
j œ œ œ n œj œ
j œ œ œ
1/4

œ œ œ œ
E

n œ '/ œ
& #### œ nœ œ œ √n œj EEœ55 œ œ
3

œ nœ œ œ œ3 œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ
14

œ œ3 œ
n œ '/ œ
& #### œ n œ3 œ œ3 œ √n œj œ œ œ œ
œ nœ œ œ3 œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ
j j
14

œ n œ3 œ œ œ3 œ3 œ nœ œ œ
& #### œ œ n œ /' œ œBUœ
j œ œ œ n œ BUœ
j œ œ œ
14

œ
&
'
14
BU BD

''
3 3 3 3
E 12 (17 ) BD (15 )
15 BU 12 1/4 12 12 12 12 12 BU
12 BU
15 (17 ) 15 (17 )
B 3 3 12 15 12
3 15 15
3 12 15 15 12
12 15 ( 17 ) ( )
BU BD 15 12 12 12 12 12 12
E
G 14 12 14 14 1/4
B
D 12 12 15 12 15 15 12 15 15BU
(17 ) BU
15 (17 ) 15 12
G
A
E 14 12 14 14 12 (17 ) BD (15 )
15 BU 12 1/4 12 12 12 12 12
BU
D
E
B 12 12 15 12 15 15 12 15 15BU
(17 ) 15 (17 ) 15 12
A 6
E
G 14 12 14 14 12 15 ( 17 ) (15 ) 12 12 12 12 12 12
E
D
B 12 12 15 12 15 15 12 15 15 (17 ) 15 (17 ) 15 12

(√j) B5
6
A
G 14 12 14 14

œ œj nEœ5
B5 E5 B5

œ~~
j
~~ j
œ bœ
E
D

# # # # (√
n œj) œ œ nœ nœ
A 6
œj
œ œ œ ‰ œ œ~~ œ œ œ nEœ5 œ œ. œ nœ
B5

œ~~ œ œ bœ œ
E

nœ ) œ
& # # # # (√ ‰ œ nœ nœ Œ œj œ œ œ
j
6

Jœ œ œ
œ
œ ‰ JœJ œ~~ œ œ œ nEœ5
œ œ œ. œ nœ
B5 B5

nœ ) œ
& # # # # (√ j B5 ‰ Jœ ~~ œ
j j
œ bœ œ nœ nœ Œ œ œ œ œ
œ~~ œ œ œ ‰ œJ œ~~ œ œ œ nœ œ œ. œ n 3œ
B5

& #### nœ œ
j ‰
j j
œ bœ œ nœ œ nœ Œ œ œ
j œ œ
‰ œJ œ~~ œ œ œ
‰ œ œ~~ œ œ œ œ œ. Œ œ n 3œ
œBUœ œ œ
j
& J J
~~ 18 17
BU BU

~~ 18
BU
E 19 ( 21 )
BU (22 ) 19
19 BU 18 17 12 3

~~ 18 17
BU BU

~~ 18
B 20 ( 22) 17 17 17 20 17 20 17 12 15 12
( ) ( ) 14 (16 )
BU21 BU22 19 18 17 12 3
E
G 19 19 18

~~ 18 ~~ 18 17
B
D 20 BU
( 22) 17 17 17 20 17 20 17 BU 12 15 12
G
A
E 19 ( 21 ) (22 ) 19
19 BU 18 17 18 14 (16 ) 12
BU
D
E
B 20 BU
( 22) 17 17 17 20 17 20 17 BU 12 15 12
G9
A
E 19 ( 21 ) 19 (22 ) 19 18 17 18 14 (16 ) 12
E
D
B 20 ( 22) 17 17 17 17 20 17 20 17 12 15 12

(√ )
9
A
G 18 18 18 14 (16 )
E
D

# √
# # # Eœ5 )n œ
( nœ œ j ~~
A 9

œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ œj ˙ ~~ j œ œœJ ‰3 n œjj # œ œ3 œ
E E5 3 3

œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ Œ œ
3

& # # # # (√ œ)
9 3

E5 n œ
œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ ˙ n œj # œ œ J ‰3 n œ # œ œ3 œ
3

√
& # # # # ( Eœ5 )n œ3 œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ œ j ~~ Œ œ3
3
3n œ # œ
œ œ œ3 œ nœ œ3 œ œ œ3 œ œ n 3œ œ œ œ3 œ œ ˙ ~~ Œ j œ3 œ ‰3 2015
œ February j GuitarTechniques
œ3 œ
& # # # # œ n œ3 œ œ3 œ3 œ3 œ n 3œ œ œ3 œ BU˙
j 3n œ # œ
j œ J ‰ n œj ## œœ œ œ
J
œ n œ 55

& œ œ œ œ œ œ ~~ Œ nœ #œ œ
E 12 3 12 3 15 12
3 15 12
3 12 3 12 3 12