3 Angus Young Licks From 1981

Here's the next episode of Three-For-All with 3 Angus Young Licks From 1981. I did put together an AC/DC Chordplay episode last year that looked at some of their chord and rhythm-based ideas, while this lesson focuses on Angus' fiery blues-rock lead guitar style with a number of scorching bending/vibrato licks using his signature heavy-handed picking technique.
This lesson offers a brief explanation and demonstration of using accented picked phrasing in your playing, along with getting a handle on staccato-picked licks and phrases. These technical terms and the sound it produces deliver that aggressive and distinct flavor heard in AC/DC's music and the majority of Angus' playing style.
Along with the bending/vibrato phrases and a look at using accents and staccato picking approaches, this lesson also takes a look at a few of Angus' signature open string pull-off phrases, which he's been performing live in concert since the 1970s. These legato-based ideas eventually led to the creation of the main riff to the classic anthem ''Thunderstruck.'
While that famous song/lick isn't featured in this lesson, the benefit and technique boost from working on some of Angus' early pull-off licks will strengthen your hand and sharpen your ability using your frethand pinkie finger.
Needless to say, there's a lot to learn and tackle in this lesson, so if you're searching for some ideas to add to your bag of tricks that will make your playing sound more dynamic, aggressive, and interesting - this is the lesson for you!
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[@IrishStewGuitar]

Angus Young has run more miles across the stage than most guitars players have run up and down a guitar neck :)

[@h0tsex0r]

Nice video. The album Powerage is a masterpiece.

[@kamoverturf6192]

Angus in my humble opinion has the best vibrato of all time. It’s such a big part of his sound, you just know it’s him when you hear it.

[@jeffdubuque5622]

Angus and BB king.

[@zeke7142003]

It's the reason no one can get his solos correct. I see guys who are mega talented that can't get them 100% correct.

[@JimmySlacksack]

was about to say the exact same thing

[@timwestcott361]

Paul Kossoff really wailed ..

[@uncleremus5046]

As much as technique has been drilled into me nobody & I mean nobody builds a solo like Angus. Brilliant Tone & Vibrato. He’s just an ass kicker! 🍺’ski another great one.

[@j17wmk2]

I once read somewhere that 'AC/DC define their genre' and I couldn’t agree more.

[@Johnnysmithy24]

When I think of Hard Rock, AC/DC sounds in my mind

[@stephencrane391]

Thank you so much David for another insightful lesson. Angus is of course unique but he does remind me of Paul Kossoff, especially his vibrato.

[@jomilkman]

Angus's playing seems deceptively basic on paper, but the way he can muscle a note is so masterful, and it's not at all easy to cop. It's awesome that you put the spotlight on this aspect of his playing in this lesson - it really is Angus's superpower.

[@GooseGumlizzard]

agreed, its hard to play AC/DC and make it sound like the real thing

[@barryhaynes103]

All those song and all those chords and all those licks and not single ballad or acoustic song … love this band and this lesson !!!

[@flemdisch8690]

Any and all AC/DC content is appreciated! Thanks for the content, man!

[@gobodega5226]

Another great lesson. Intense bending and vibrato bring the guitar to life. The sound comes from your Fingers. Many thanks David 👍👌🎸

[@leaharrington4472]

The Young Brothers were primary reasons i picked up guitar. 😍

[@seagullpoet]

And those tunes are easy to exactly copy either.

[@The_Macaroon]

I struggle to get these good sitting down. No idea how Angus does it going mental on stage. Guess that's why he is a rock God lol. Great lesson as always David.

[@markdakel9253]

Great review and breakdown of Angus and his style, fantastic !!

[@TheRiverRiseII]

Such a great video..thanks LNL!

[@frankiedonofrio5438]

Been Waiting for this one!

[@eliasjoe]

Nice job. Your videos always very clear and concise with plenty of related music history thrown in. Enjoyed this one a lot.

[@Chris66JTM45]

Nicely interpretted given the quality of the recordings and great execution man . You have a good ear for the nuances of Angus Youngs style.

[@ravensmead1558]

Angus gives all of us with small fingers hope !!!!

[@markbois1713]

Had the good fortune to see AC/DC 5 times in the 70s luckily I don't remember seeing Angus"s butt. I remember seeing them for the first time thinking to myself AC/DC who the heck are these guys I'd never heard of them before. After one of the concerts I met Bon Scott hanging out by their bus talked to him for 5 or 10 minutes but I left pretty quickly because I didn't want to bother him too much.

[@tonepoet]

Angus is in the same class as guys like Mark Knopfler and David Gilmour. No wasted BS and highly identifiable with minimal notes. Players like that get it better than the rest of us.

[@voronOsphere]

Thanks, David!!!! Good stuff!!!!!

[@cooper1415]

Love that "highway to hell t & the killer one on the wall"!!

[@crookedfingers9613]

That was awesome man! Thank you, love what u do. I'm learning a f*^king lot! lol

[@image30p]

I had a tape with live Van Halen on one side and If You Want Blood on the other. Angus has a very fluid way of playing these ideas, which I think you captured here. They do sort of simple ideas, but there's always a little twist. Some kind of hook. And they play with incredible conviction. Angus tosses in some major note in his pentatonics and it's just crazy tasty. I have also seen them live a few times haha.

[@markdakel9253]

If you really want to hear just how bluesy Angus can be check out the 80s movie Maximum Overdrive, The soundtrack was done by AC/DC, and it’s a bit different than what you would expect, it’s very very good

[@stringbender11672]

I agree😎👍

[@daviclar867]

That movie was filmed here where I live, Wilmington NC, and my first year of college was at Southeastern Community college and every early Monday morning I would drive to Whiteville, NC to go to school and had an apartment in Chadburn, but just over the Cape Fear bridge (there's a scene in Trick or Treat with that bridge!) a few miles was that gas station they filmed at. I noticed one morning it was gone, it had been blown up in that scene over the weekend. Circa 1985.

[@moto238]

Great Lesson Dave!, Saw them in 77 1st US tour Bon and Angus flung sweat all over me when they played horsey in the audience. I sure miss Bon though.

[@samivellamo3995]

One of the first store bought tapes was" If you wan't blood, You've got it"-live. Very familiar stuff.

[@brandonlinhart6925]

I just discovered Pete Lesperance and am curious as to how he didn’t get big n famous. Dude is like a mix of Nuno & Vito. That’s my request, some harem scarem!

[@stratman9449]

love this video/"lesson".....so "classic" means nothing else but "the REAL thing".....or "Mccoy"....:-) we all love AC/DC because you know what you're gonna get.....or as Joe Cocker sang...."the best things in life are the simple things"....:-)

[@Scottocaster6668]

B🐓, you have new strings on your LP don't you?? For all us non shredders, this lesson is awesome! Thanks B🐓.

[@johnc.mitchelljr.2716]

good stuff !

[@ericsedei4884]

Great demonstration of his style of playing, but you forgot to raise your picking hand towards the sky while performing the bonus pull off licks.

[@cooper1415]

Lovem to death dave , camped out for 3 nights at dallas conv. cntr. Front row , hells bells tour , killer!!! But yea i always come back to the young brother's . Gone Shootin , just down right rock. Thanks Dave !!!🎸😎

[@marcjordan29]

The 1st and 3rd licks must have inspired "crushing day" on surfing with the alien... Its oddly all i could hear during the first 3 notes... 😛

[@PISSEDOFF-MADABOUTIT60]

Hay Brewster did you ever see the video of them from pre- Bon Scott, It is like nite and day. I love the band . Don't get me WRONG, But the change is scary.. watch the video. Also ears of GOLD.

[@Scottocaster6668]

I'll have to check it out, thanks!

[@PISSEDOFF-MADABOUTIT60]

@@Scottocaster6668 when you see it you are going to say the same thing I said THEY DOLD THERE SOULS. JUST LOOK AT MALCOLM WHEN YOU FIND THE VIDEO. IF I FIND IT I'LL SEND IT TO YOU.

[@williamsimmons4678]

dude i like your shows and youre a good player !!!!

[@greg77hot]

Thanks Dave ...lol

[@StealthParrot]

As always, terrific lesson David. Can you perhaps do some Cheap Trick licks in your upcoming lessons? Cheers.

[@JimmySlacksack]

nice vibrato !

[@bubblerings]

Would imagine that most live shows that were tuned down... were to give Brian Johnson some vocal relief! Like... AC/DC - Whole Lotta Rosie (Live At River Plate, December 2009) -Not sure how any other audio would seem tuned up, though.

[@jasonpitts8395]

Angus Young made simple brilliant. It may look simple on paper but it isn't. I saw them once and when they played Hells Bells the lights went out. Brian was swinging from this huge rope under a giant bell. When the lights came up the crowd went crazy. I woke up at about 0400 in the morning standing up in bed with my fist raised up....in the ceiling fan. Guess I was still at the concern in my sleep.

[@MikeCindyWhite]

Awesome Dave! Another great lesson, Jimmy Page may be my favorite song writer but Angus is probably my favorite at writing guitar solos... So much feeling and conviction, he's a madman! As far as his use of open string licks I always think of the tune Who made Who I love that riff! Thank you much for the lesson bro 🎸🎸👍

[@voronOsphere]

I always thought Angus Young's and Randy Rhoads' styles overlapped when it came to evil Blues/Minor Pentatonic licks!

[@jakeo1209]

Is that Love, Death and Robots tiles on the laptop screen? Big fan of the show.

[@pdp7653]

Respectfully...I'd like to hear lessons like this on Marty Friedman and Jason Becker

[@LateNightLessons]

Hey - there's some Marty-related videos on the channel, just search around. Jason Becker is coming. Thanks! : )

[@angelinajolie3921]

Hi,Dave! at 7:48,when you played Eb(13th fret,4th string)and Gb(11th fret,3rd string),I heard the song ""Crushing Day" by Joe Satriani.

[@waynegram8907]

Vinnie Vincent arpeggio lesson and Jason Becker Arpeggio lesson

[@rajivthatal]

Hi David, Namaste 🙏 from Darjeeling, India, I am a regular follower of your channel and we do have a common list of taste for music.In the midst 90 we came across Paul Gilbert Jimi Hendrix Tribute Tape, and that changed lot of guitarist from our era to Blues, so it would be great if you could do the licks of that tape,would be very grateful🙏

[@kendrix76]

👍

[@daviclar867]

What, no SG? That one on the thumbnail was purty!

[@seagullpoet]

He sure made the Les Paul sound SG though 😛🎶

[@directassault1662]

"You've also probably seen his ass" - 7x as a matter of fact, but listening to this in the background while I work and hearing you say that made me spit out my coffee

[@rockhardrockmetalpop]

Very cool technique... Would you mind posting a lesson on Robin Trower when you have time? Thanks very much.

[@uncleremus5046]

There is a Trower lesson.

[@LateNightLessons]

Hey! Dig around on the channel and you'll find Robin Trower Chordplay and Three-For-All lessons on the channel! Have fun and rock on!

[@cooper1415]

🌴🎸😎Dave!!!!

[@greg77hot]

Dave are you going to post the tabs (patron)for this awesome lesson ??

[@Ety95]

Great lesson David !! As usual. Whats your amp? INSANE tone !!!

[@seagullpoet]

Angus said he loved Chuck Berry, of all people.

[@bustercrack788]

Bernie Torme 😉

[@rocker8692]

What year les Paul is that,pretty sweet.

[@louski331]

Can you listen to fair warning sinners swing and try to find out how Eddie is getting that unique fat sustain tone with some type of warble during the solo🤔 pedal harmonizer ?

[@jeffdubuque5622]

i`s called a eventide harmonizer ed used on many vh records.

[@Captain-Nostromo]

I love this channel but I'm new to It, have you done any Frank Zappa Magic Chords 😎

[@LateNightLessons]

Hey there and welcome! Dig around and you'll find some Zappa with more on the way! Rock on and have some fun!

[@greg77hot]

Dave .. I know you had a chord play for R.H.C.P , but could you please do a 3 for all on John Frusciante ? How about chord play rhcp .. part 2 on John ?

[@stringbender11672]

🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁

[@biglog6402]

Nice tutorial and a great tone but Angus doesn’t use any pedals least of all a fuzz pedal. He uses that Vega Wireless transmitter for a bit of a clean boost. You’ve lost the treble overtones wIth the fuzz pedal.

[@KH-mn3si]

Clickbait... Wanna see an SG😜

[@blackdotpatrick]

Don't go 2 1/2 minutes without letting us hear some guitar. Let us hear Angus play the lick before you talk about it and play it yourself.