The Secret to Jimmy Page's Tone

Jimmy Page is one of the greatest masters of guitar tone in the history of the electric guitar. He has set the standard for a variety of unique tones throughout his career. In this episode, I reveal the secret to Jimmy Page's guitar tone...and it's not what you think! You will hear me demonstrate Page's tone by playing the opening riffs for one song off of each Led Zeppelin album using the same gear and guitar. For the episode, I primarily use my '72-'73 Gibson Les Paul, a Fender Deluxe Reverb tube amp (not a Marshall!) and a drive pedal (Bogner La Grange - set to only 25% gain). I supplement that occasionally with a Spark boost pedal, a Ventris reverb pedal and a Nemesis delay pedal. Spoiler Alert...the only other steps in my signal chain that I rely on are the 3 H's! (Head, Heart & Hands)...
Apart from being a composer, educator, and guitarist, Carl Baldassarre is also a respected Led Zeppelin and Jimmy Page aficionado.
www.carlbaldassarremusic.com
#LedZeppelin
#JimmyPage
#CarlBaldassarre

[@eddie11426]

my favorite Jimmy Page tone is his solo in the live No Quarter version from the Song Remains the Same album. Pure genius

[@michaelheller8841]

Epic song and live version, the best live version IMO.

[@gabmar6554]

yes!! one of the best solo of rock guitar! Hendrix or Mc Laughlin are at this level

[@SpicyElaichi]

same, still my favorite guitar solo to this day. those opening few notes are just magical

[@Mang213]

@@SpicyElaichi those opening notes to the tsrts live solo are absolutely devastating

[@Dcat75thunder]

I love Since I've been loving you!

[@milesaway3699]

If I would’ve had this guy as a guitar teacher when I was 14 my life would be completely different.

[@everybodylovesscout]

This dude is cringey af. I wouldn't be bringing my 14 year old to this dudes house...sorry. That douchey earring and the weird cringey smile is off putting

[@kristoffersmith8289]

@@everybodylovesscout Pony tail and waste coat did it for me

[@georgegriffith7263]

Don’t feel bad im 64 just getting started

[@dwightjones2537]

No f****** doubt right Mite bloody up right on that one ah mate

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

That’s very kind! Thank you. It’s never too late! I just feel like I’m only getting started myself!

[@JackDaniels10101]

Nice work. One of Page's masterclasses in 'tone' is Since I've Been Loving You. The touch, the feel and then aggression of his playing takes you through the full gamut. It's also a great lesson in what you called using all the guitar. Two pickups, a switch and 4 knobs make the guitar everything you need.. when you've learned how to use them all.

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

Amen to all of that!!

[@drakefallentine8351]

Yep, gotta agree with "Ol' No.7"

[@robertshirley3422]

My favorite Zeppelin song!! That song has everything!! 🎼🎶🎵🎸🎸🎸🎸

[@Cincinnatus1869]

Jimmy Page has lots of tones. The Telecaster , the 59LP , the EDS1275, the Danelectro , the B bender etc. His versatility is what sets him apart

[@mobydick3895]

When you are trying to copy someone else, it ruins *your* tone.

[@TomStrahle]

Exactly. So much bone tone and hand confidence.

[@RafaelMesBal]

Not to mention amp changes

[@michaelheller8841]

To me JP was the most versitile Rock guitarist there ever was.

[@RuminatingWizard]

@@michaelheller8841 Glad you said rock guitarist because he wasn't the most versatile. That would be Glen Campbell.

[@ElrohirGuitar]

I love playing Led Zeppelin, even on acoustic, but when I really want to hear the song, I put on the record. None of us can play as well as Jimmy Page, and if we could, we wouldn't have Bonham playing on drums. You are so right that his sound is from himself. That is what makes him great.

[@danabiondo9243]

Yes !!! And Why is it We would want to COPY Any One? Then we're just That a Carbon Copy Cat, Rat ! J.P.P. is The ONE !!! We Are The One!!! So Be You!!!

[@johnklein4558]

My favorite acoustic song is probably “That’s The Way”

[@brucesankey3409]

The secret is he is Jimmy Page ,and only he is he. Only James page has page's hands,attack, and technique. Also the recording process effects the actual original organic guitar tone in the studio.

[@Colstonewall]

Well said. To me, it was the emotion he played with that made him Magic.

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

Right on!!

[@normanconnor]

100% agree on that.

[@grapejuice2589]

That doesn't rlly need to be said it's not very insightful. Any musician who doesn't suck understands this.

[@jamesward4191]

When all is said and done Jimmy's sound is magic, (black magic allegedly!😊)

[@MWL4466]

One of my all time favorite JP solos is the one from Ten Years Gone. Holy shit, that solo almost brings me to tears even 45 years later !! Just fantastic !

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

I totally agree! The entrance is one of the best of all times!

[@sinjinadams2862]

I'm with you brother. It touches the soul doesn't it. My favorite Zep song and there are so many!

[@johnklein4558]

YES! My favorite LZ song! Ten Years Gone has (IMHO) the PERFECT guitar solo. Evokes a LOT of emotion and just fits the backing music perfect. Although “The Rain Song” is up there also. Very emotional and follows a “story” builds and the outro is probably one of the best outros in music.

[@nverga]

Greatest solo ever written.

[@markhill9275]

Ten Years Gone is my fav, it's just so lush and ethereal, typical Jimmy plenty of light and shade, and the solo is not so typical of God, it's more spaced, not a million notes, but the passion, emotion that comes through just brings you to your knees!

[@TKDunn-qq7kd]

Carl, you raise such an important point about halfway through this video - you really have to HEAR the part to really play it accurately. I will often put my guitar down, put on some decent headphones and just loop a part over and over to really understand the nuances of what's going on - this is so valuable. Even a song I've heard a thousand times, it's amazing how your brain can trick you and fill in things that aren't really there (like a lot of gain!) or vice versa... Another great video!❤

[@VangeliRock]

When contemplating the amount of classic riffs Jimmy wrote, well it's absolutely mind blowing. A guitar player can spend a life time just learning and playing all of Jimmy's stuff from Zep and be completely satisfied.

[@traviswyatt1113]

Best Jimmy Page tone/style analysis I’ve ever seen. I’ve always gotten wrapped up in just trying to learn the licks but as you demonstrate…the music comes more from channeling that Jimmy Page attitude and musical frame of mind. Very insightful!

[@chrisjones8592]

A really big part of the Jimmy Page live tone on the song remains the same is the bridge pickup on his #1 Les Paul. The original paf was replaced for a late 60’s T top Gibson pickup that had an output of just a little over 8k resistance. I have tried over 20 pickups and this nails that sound dead on.

[@JokersWild70]

Love T-Tops. They sound better than Tim Shaw pickups IMO

[@richieg8432]

Great Vid as always.. every time I see Jimmy`s riffs torn apart and played correctly,it makes me say my god what a genius he is. All I can say is MORE PLEASE !

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

I know. Even though I think I know him well, the next thing I tear into bursts open like a piñata of surprises!!

[@GallantDesignz]

I think the same way he has all the complexity ...we're sitting trying to figure out so many years after...to be a fly on the wall while jimmy is coming up with all this

[@arthurmee]

Jimmy Page: the King riffmeister!

[@mikegreco4122]

I never really thought of Page's tone as secret. He was just a super skilled and talented player and producer.

[@Joe-mz6dc]

He's definitely a tone wizard.

[@joefox9765]

@@Joe-mz6dc 🤪

[@MrWilky73]

I would agree that he was a talented player and producer. Super skilled in the studio but live? Not a great live solo guitarist. His solos during live shows, in my opinion which doesn’t matter, doesn’t knock me on my ass. I respect and live Page but not impressed with his live performances. Just my “less than” two cents worth

[@mikegreco4122]

@@MrWilky73 I can understand why you'd think that. He was a sloppy live player on a lot of occasions, probably due to inebriation.

[@douglasalexander4348]

@@MrWilky73 You didn’t see him live then.

[@jaykelley103]

Using a moderate amount of reverb to add depth to a little bit of distortion is an EXCELLENT strategy. Combined with boosting the mids and treble a bit, along with cutting the bass a bit, I was able to nail Pagey's tone. Awesome video, thanks for the tips!

[@vdubs_3216]

I respect the pfp

[@LeeYuha]

No matter what kind of guitar or amp he plays, he sounds just like him and it's marvelous. Nice video!!

[@neilbrewer]

Hi Carl, Just found your channel here.... great stuff! I'm a huge Jimmy fan. I love how you've approached this stuff, makes me happy. Thanks Neil (Australia)

[@emac1652]

Brilliant as usual. The idea of "micro-muting" is really inspiring...something you can't get from sheet music or tab, but purely from feel. Thanks once again Carl.

[@kcd2120]

Indeed - controlling strong noise is a big challenge for me but such an important one.

[@tomgonzales3105]

Fascinating as always Carl, thanks for the insights to Jimmy’s sound, keep the vids coming! I watch them all.

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

Thank you so much. Please spread the word!

[@TokyoYugen]

I'm a huge fan of Jimmy Page and this is one of the greatest videos I've ever seen in my entire life. I hope it teaches and inspires many guitarists like me, who have spent years buying items that they don't really need, ending up making their sound worse and then feeling frustrated about it. As you correctly explain, everything comes from the head, the hands and the heart. The more you start to remove, the more everything starts to make sense and be unexpectedly beautiful, but you understand this over the years. Thank you for this lesson and thank you for explaining it so well. Less is more, long live music played with the heart.

[@FenderTeleDeluxe]

Carl, I am new to your channel (but not new to guitar, having played the last 40+ years), and I must say…your passion for Jimmy’s style of playing, sound, and attention to detail is astounding. And the way you teach and deliver your content (all with a friendly smile on your face throughout) is to be commended. You actually have helped this subscriber believe that emulating Jimmy’s sound, and style of playing, is well within reach. Thank you!

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

So grateful for this!

[@deesee2008]

Page always sounds fresh, even if you’ve heard that particular song thousands of times.The Song Remains The Same and The Rain Song that start off Houses Of The Holy can astound me every time.What a pairing.

[@markstone2153]

The energy he starts off TSRTS with is just phenomenal

[@JasonGlisson]

It's fun to see you smiling while playing these riffs. Out of all of the rock music I've learned over the years, Jimmy Page's guitar solos and riffs are some of the most fun to play. Some of them aren't overly technical, but they have these fun patterns in them.

[@brutallyremastered4255]

Second that. Visceral playing with taste. Zappa was the same.

[@toddallen6659]

Carl, Amazing series, I wish I had another 50 years just to study Jimmy Page. Love your videos, I always leave them so inspired. Thank you.

[@seeker7334]

I love what you’re doing brother. It’s nice to see somebody as obsessed with Jimmy as I am. He does upstroke the D chord on communication breakdown as you can see in the Denmark footage. Keep up the good work

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

Great point!!!

[@OutOnTheTiles]

Great episode as always! Thank you for educating us on Jimmy. Cheers ✌️❤️

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

A labor of life and love!

[@a-nus]

And disregard what others are saying, seeing someone passionate about playing and talking about it is awesome to see. Your joy bleeds through the screen

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

Thank you!

[@Martos59]

I know most of those riffs but I think you definitely brought to my attention some really important tips on nailing the vibe, and how much that influences how good they sound. Excellent video, thanks

[@shaynemelvin1]

This was incredibly eye opening! I just added a deluxe reverb to my arsenal, and was searching for ways to use it beyond the obvious amazing bluesy and clean tones, and to learn it's possible to get so close to the tone of one my all-time favorite players from it is absolutely mind blowing! I'm subscribing to your channel for sure!

[@HoraceMash]

OMG! The double stopped D on Whole Lotta Love! You genius! You have an amazing ear for guitar… so accurate. Thank you so much for sharing this… can’t wait for more!

[@NytronX]

See this, Joe Walsh gives a great example of this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iYXIeZqOodObZ8Um7s Joe Walsh is the previous owner of Jimmy's number one Les Paul.

[@Richardjn]

He didn’t figure that out himself. That information has been around for 20 years given by many guitarists!

[@HoraceMash]

Incredible! He has an amazing ear for guitar and he is in touch with information from many other guitarists!

[@buzzedalldrink9131]

@@NytronX I’m sure every day Joe wakes up he kicks himself in the ass for selling that guitar and the plexi he had with James Gang. I bet he’s really much happier playing a Carvin guitar and amp yeah right. Thats the best example what drugs and alcohol do to you

[@NytronX]

@@buzzedalldrink9131 I bet he has no regrets there. He was literally "instrumental" in helping Jimmy Page and Led Zeppelin. That guitar became Page's No. 1.

[@mattcartwright8272]

Carl - I came across your channel a few months ago. The reason I subbed was because I could tell from the tone you had playing LZ songs and playing style that you had deep knowledge of JP's genius. I always thought of Page's guitar tone as the perfect balance between crunch and clean.

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

Thank you! I can get close but he’s still the elusive GOAT!

[@gdevelek]

It's such a blessing to have you as a wise, all-knowing guitar wizard who will tell us the "secret" which is not what we "think" it is, because you somehow know what we think it is, and who will explain to us that JP played way more clean than "we think" he did...we must have some hearing disability and can't really tell when someone plays clean or not.... Because we, the viewers of this video, are just clueless puppies with all kinds of misconceptions that you, with your infinite wisdom and motivated by your selfless kindness, will dispel, and give us a helping hand... How touching...Double "wow" and three OMGs....

[@b.wiggins714]

Carl, you've inspired and motivated me to bust out my Bourbon Burst LP and learn every one of the songs you've demo'd here. Thanks so much!

[@stevenjones6780]

So true that "feel" comes down to that often unquantifiable aspect of "signal chain" in an artists sound. Page (in his prime), or Santana (for example) sound like themselves within about 5 notes no matter what they're playing thru. Is this meditative mindfulness the secret projection of the soul in artistic expression? (a mouthful, yes 😁). Page most definitely knew it. Anyhow, great tones here- Lovely rich overtones dripping off the power chords and such, translate beautifully thru a decent sound system. Very inspiring to keep things simple and get back to essentials of the art form...

[@pageluvva]

Love how playing those riffs can still make us all smile. Magic.

[@thomasberinati3380]

Hi Carl. Totally enjoy how immersed you are in the sound of Jimmy Page , as am I. My favorite band of all time I have to say along with the Beatles and The Who. It’s great to see you playing the riffs correctly and delineating the path to how those tones were achieved . I am inspired to keep traveling the journey in learning jimmy’s magic in composition and expression for all of the greatness I think his music achieved . Musicians appreciate more the complexity behind each song as they learn it. His songs by and large are not simple although may be perceived as such. Thank you for all of your effort in disseminating the work of one of the greatest rock composers of all time .

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

My pleasure indeed!

[@StayHomeEatGreat]

Great tone man! Seeing the smile on your face I can tell you're having a great time jamming to your childhood jams.

[@TheXaskrew]

My hats off to you, sir! You're one of the few people I've seen that plays Whole Lotta Love Jimmy's way. So many videos where it's all bridge pickup (Jimmy plays it in the middle), downpicking and a slightly faster tempo. It's not a punk/metal riff, it's a groove is what I always say.

[@michaelheller8841]

So right, everytime ive seen page play live, his Les Paul is in the middle position. He was a Tele Player and that gave him the Tele on steroids sound. You look at a lot f Les Paul players and they hit the front or back pickup, usually not both.

[@sunlightpictures8367]

Great tutorial. I'm curious about the LP you're using, it looks like a Standard yet the block inlays are like a Custom.

[@OGSontar]

ROFL! Was about to type that exact same comment. I was about to de-case my Les Paul to double-check, but, hell, I've looked at it so many times I would hope I know the trapezoidal inlays by now. So...yeah, what's up with that neck? Custom with a new headstock overlay? Standard with a customized inlay pattern? From the wear pattern on the body it would seem to have been played extensively, perhaps it needed a new neck? Maybe a (shudder) headstock break, and WTH, just put a new neck on? But, then the headstock overlay is wrong again. Ah, this is making my head hurt. But, good headphones cranking some Houses of the Holy will fix that. Or maybe make it worse, but at least the rest of me will feel better.

[@VonuhABlack]

I was gonna say it must be a Marc Bolan signature, since he used a LP Standard that had a LP Custom neck replacement, but since the LP in the video doesn't have the LP Custom diamond on the head it can't be a Marc Bolan signature.

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

I’m working on an episode about its history. It’s an odd one!

[@velvetbees]

In the middle of whole lotta love when Bonzo hits the drums and Jimmy sails in with his incredible riff, that is like painting. He paints that sound into the air. It's as astounding now as it was back in the day.

[@NytronX]

Page's tone from his birthday bash in 1970 at Royal Albert Hall is one of the most unique and nuanced Les Paul tones in history. Never heard anyone come even remotely CLOSE to that tone.

[@drock55551]

That's also my favorite. I actually found his amp settings for that show. He had his treble and mids on 10 and his bass at 8.

[@wreck-loose]

In my humble opinion, this night was Jimmy's best performance EVER. He was just in the zone and he played perfectly

[@krishmah586]

Definitivamente Carl, la emoción y el corazón, a la hora de interpretar, causan un mayor impacto en quien escucha. Una técnica muy depurada no necesariamente afecta de manera especial, ni emociona a quien escucha. Jimmy es un maestro de la emoción. Gracias por compartir. 👍🏿 🇲🇽

[@lamppostwillie]

When talking about Pagie's tone, you can't forget the volume (and tone) knobs.

[@NickNicometi]

Thanks for the well-done, informative tutorial, Carl! 🤘😀🎸

[@Chris-lu1hu]

Thanks very much for creating this video. It is excellent and the tone is spot on. Can you share the settings you used on the amp and three pedals?

[@craiglizt8074]

Great tone and playing. Jimmy is such a ruff master, plus the songs are SO fun to play.

[@SopranoPizzaJMFNJ]

Love your videos Carl! Most people don't realize how Pagey used the Echoplex to fatten up his tone, especially in '73! I much prefer it to the dry, revealing tone of '75 especially considering that he wasn't playing as well for most of that year!

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

Exactly. That had a very warm tone effect and volume control! Thanks for watching and commenting. I really appreciate the connection!

[@OutOnTheTiles]

Ya his tone was really different live in 1975. Never really warmed up to it….. plus his playing isn’t as tight as pre 73.

[@PageandPlant4Life]

His tone changed a lot over the years.. from his telecaster use in 1969... Les Paul and Orange/Hiwatt? amps at the Royal albert Hall (1971) which sounds more dirty and fuzzy to me. then a big but cleaner Les Paul/Marshall sound in the Song remains the same

[@peterlorenzo615]

You sound like you really know

[@Mang213]

His 75 tone is the driest tone I've ever heard. The man was always walking a fine line between soaring to the stars or crashing into the sands of the Sahara. The Rock God

[@danc3746]

Huge Page and Zep fan here and I just discovered your channel. Excellent stuff!!!

[@lindsaydouglas381]

Excellent video and tips Carl. I thoroughly enjoyed learning and correcting my own understanding of some great rock riffs.

[@jamiemorgan4146]

Many moons ago at Berklee, we were told, “ you have to be able to sing it to play it” Which means: if you can’t sing it you can’t play it. PS.. a huge part that you’re missing is his Wah... I can’t agree with you on his sound only being from humbuckers. The first album was played on a Tele as you know and it sounded like humbuckers. Also, I take my hat off to the master of mastery of Paige.... Mr. Jimmy..

[@frishdaw]

Did NOT expect these tones comping out of that Deluxe! Interesting Les Paul - sunburst but with the block inlays of a custom and looks like an ebony board. Is this a conversion possibly?

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

I bought it used as a kid. So I don’t know!!!

[@argonwheatbelly637]

As soon as you started playing "The Ocean", I started hammering out that drum beat. I enjoy playing that on my kit.

[@kasimirokaz3775]

Such a great video Carl! I'm trying to catch up on the older content.

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

Welcome my friend! Please like and subscribe. Thank you so much for reaching out to me!!

[@stratman9449]

i "discovered" Calrl recently, and watched them all within a couple of days.....:-) he's great.....

[@ChristopherGwinn]

Good video! I have one minor nitpick, as a fellow Page Freak: you're still using more gain here than Page did. Compare, for example, your Whole Lotta Love tone at 9:12 with Page's original isolated rhythm track (which are double tracked guitars) kzbin.info/www/bejne/faecap6GidaqiKc ...it's more edge of breakup overdrive or just a hint of fuzz (he was using a very loud, solid state Vox Super Beatle head and Rickenbacker Transonic cabinet on this track) and it's relatively dry and in your face, with just a hint of room ambience.

[@Angus_Macgregor]

Agree with that. I think everyone tends to use too much gain. Also, it has always struck me that Jimmy tended to cut quite a lot of top end of of his sound. The same can be said for anyone who tries to play AC/DC (especially early stuff); always too much gain and treble/presence. I find that using the volume and tone controls on the guitar makes a huge difference as well. I very rarely run at full volume or tone, except for lead breaks, perhaps.

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

I actually agree with you!! Thank you for sending the linking and commenting!

[@ChristopherGwinn]

@@Angus_Macgregor Absolutely. Whenever I have experimented with matching his tone on the first two LZ albums, I have always found myself rolling my guitar's tone knob down a good bit. I also tend to keep my volume knobs around 7-8 and dial in my amp's rhythm tone from there.

[@Chris-MusicTheoryAndFretboard]

I've always joked that Brian Setzer has a better Page tone than most Zeppelin cover bands.

[@ChristopherGwinn]

@@Chris-MusicTheoryAndFretboard Pretty accurate joke - check out this tone from a Stray Cats live gig in 1981: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppnFi4qmZZJomqM - definitely in the early Zep wheelhouse.

[@flashy5150]

Jimmy Page’s tone, is about a 100 different tones mixed into one song and the engineer and producer. On “Led Zeppelin II”, Led Zeppelin recored at about 5-10 different studios and buildings, from England to Los Angelas and a pile of different effects, overdubs, speaker and microphone variations. It would be impossible to say that any player could emulate Jimmy Page’s “tone”, because there isn’t just “one tone”, there are too many to replicate when playing LIVE, even Jimmy couldn’t do it - take “Blackdog” for example, he could never make that song sound like the album when playing LIVE. I like Jimmy Page, but a lot of his tones are “studio created”, in other words, they’re “smoke & mirrors” created by the producer and engineers.

[@prajwal545454]

Jimmy wrote and produced most of the songs during Led Zeppelin's early albums. Check credits in their albums. And his live performances could never emulate the sounds because neither did he intended to nor it was possible with only one guitar. Slash, David Gilmour and many of other players have guitars that back them up live but Led Zeppelin were unit that needed nothing else. I agree to your point that there are a lot of tones in the albums but they are all Jimmy's tones.

[@heftosprod]

That's right. Studio creations. This is why live he sounded somewhat different. There is no smoke and mirrors in that.

[@GeorgeF.106]

Idk how You don’t have more subscribers. You really understand Jimmy’s music.

[@IanBillen]

Love it. As a guitar/musicologist that you are and an expert at 'trying' to capture another person's sound and tone .. I am glad you informed the masses. What makes someone sound the way they do is the .. PERSON (the 'player'). You can get the same canvas and brushes .. and that forms a base ... which is part of it .. but the part that truly makes a player sound the way they do is the whole other half .. in that being the person themselves. Their touch, the nuances .. their strengths and 'feel' .. and knowledge of what to play and when and when not and how to approach it is where their trademark sound comes from. I can have Keith Richards guitar, Amp and use his Open G Tuning etc. and there is a 1/3 down .. BUT the crucial other two thirds comes from and out of the 'PLAYER' not a piece of gear. Their soul and handprint is all through it. In a sense it is like each persons handwriting. You can have the same exact pen and paper .. and practice it all the time and you can come fairly close and at times darn close (such as you in the vid ... great job btw) but one cannot replicate it 100%. Ya can't buy that .. nor fake it entirely. It is art and it is 'an' art .. and one cannot totally replicate another great artist. You can simply try to get a nice portion of it and sound 'a lot like' em.

[@Wasteoftime10]

Great tone, and great playing and passion!!! I have a few Les Pauls, and am looking to change out some pickups. What pickups are you using here? BTW --interesting looking Les Paul. Never seen that exact model before.

[@robertacolarette1594]

I think he said humbucks.

[@keithbriscoe99]

@@robertacolarette1594 at least twice...

[@snfrd]

Is it a standard with an added ebony board?

[@pablodevera3278]

Don't forget the .9 gauge strings that Jimmy page uses to do the bends He does, that adds a lot to the sound.

[@royharper9472]

I just found this channel. You are just the GOAT of breaking down and playing Jimi/Zeppelin

[@tassobear]

I could watch your videos for days! It's so interesting it just takes you for the ride.

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

Wow!! Thank you! I hope I earned your subscription!

[@chriscampbell9191]

"Distance equals depth". Page used this principle in Zeppelin recordings, I think he learned it from the producers he worked for when a studio musician. The producer of Robin Trower's album Bridge of Sighs also used the same principle in distance miking the guitar. You can really hear it in the opening to the title track of that record.

[@michaelheller8841]

He also learned a lot of his studio tricks from Les Paul himself.

[@tvs3497]

The first songs of LZ I learned back in 1971 were the acoustic tunes like "Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You, Black Mountain Side, much of the 3rd album, etc.", mainly because I didn't own an electric guitar until about 1974. And then I had to train my ear to hear the notes or chords being played underneath the numerous overdubs and studio wizardry. Back then, your ear was about all you had to learn songs off of vinyl discs spinning at 33⅓ RPM (it's a unique experience if you've never done it). No CDs, no MP3s, and certainly not countless videos of often highly accomplished guitarists like Carl stepping you through each riff. I don't know if it's just me or is there some kind of resurgence of Led Zeppelin music going about these days? Anyway, you're right on with the tone. Amazing what a little imagination can do.

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

Thank you! You’re right about trying to learn things from vinyl. It wasn’t easy! Babe and Black mountain side are still two of the most technically challenging pieces given the heaving reliance on finger style picking! And that was the First album!!

[@carolmares8215]

I think there’s a resurgence.😊

[@markhamilton8765]

Fantastic Carl. Thank you for your love of these great songs and for the sharing of Jimmy’s technique…so inspiring and helpful!

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

My pleasure!

[@danielakerman8241]

What I love about this video is that it emphasizes technique and hearing over equipment. Everyone associates Page with a Les Paul and dimed Marshall, but he played Vox, HiWatt, Marshall, Fender and Orange amps (plus others) live and on record, and he played Telecasters, Stratocasters, Les Pauls, Danelectros, Martins, and so many other kinds of guitars. He played much cleaner than many think, and SO SO SO important is how he used his pickup combinations and picking technique.

[@chrisb3362]

Exactly! I was shocked to see him rolling on Orange Amps, not that they are bad or anything, just thought he'd do "old school" but he uses so many different kinds but still stayed true to his techniques/tones!

[@danielakerman8241]

@@chrisb3362 he was one of the first to use an Orange! There are pictures from the mid-1970s where you can see one on his back line! I personally was more shocked to find out he used HiWatts when I first saw the Royal Albert Hall video.

[@blackysalamanka]

70% is Page, the rest is the Page´s gear.

[@douglasalexander4348]

His tone was quite thin with modest gain to cut through the bass and thumping Bonham drums. It’s all the ingredients together that make the Zep sound. Very early days he used a more distorted tone on his tele, I guess Hendrix had a part to play in that.

[@casadomundo8474]

The gain tip is excellent. I even listened to it again with a more attentive ear and that's it: little gain, delay, Reverb, depth, heart, creative mind and blessed hands.

[@Starriddin]

Your theory is spot on! Great guitarists use their head and their hands to do the heavy lifting in their tone. Yes, they do use specific effects for an added tone, but, most often they use their idea of what they want the tone to sound like before adding an effect. I agree with you, the break up of a tube amp adds to the control of distortion in the attack of the string. Rolling off the volume aids the effect even more. Therefore, less need for pedals. I also agree, reverb and delay plays a crucial role in certain tones. Jimmy seems to have loved experimenting with both and having great success with them!

[@beaud4474]

I have declared jpp a god over 40 years ago. I’ve been playing his music my entire life. I have his pricey reissued guitar . His amplifiers , his pedals , The secret is to be jpp. He could play anything and sound like himself.

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

Yep!

[@wilhelmtheconquerer6214]

The real secret is that he didn't use a LP and a Marshall in the studio, he used a Tele and a small Supro combo. He also were an incredible innovator in the role of producer. The rule of low gain is true for most bands, even Metallica. Lower gain = more dynamics

[@SuperWonderwall1]

O sea usa poca ganancia Page?

[@brutallyremastered4255]

This is the most lucid and humble guitar tutoring I've seen.

[@mkraulis]

I always appreciate your insights into the tonality of P.age. Nice video . 👍

[@jaredcooper8158]

Jimmy Page is the secret. He sounds like Jimmy Page regardless of what gear he's using. That goes for all guitar players.

[@billybob5337]

No one else got so many KINDS of tone over, the way Page did. People talk about who the greatest guitarist is. Hendrix, Van Halen, Clapton, Page, etc............but Page's versatility, to me, is what really sets him apart. With Eddie, if you've heard Eruption.....lets be honest, you've heard about all you need to hear to understand him as a guitarist. Page is like this chameleon. Changing from album to album. Very different tones and kinds of solos. You can't just pick any song, or two or three, and have him pegged.

[@butterflywing61]

50 years and you got it ! Well done sir!

[@jeffrogers8404]

Great insight for how Jimmy created his tone and his technique. These videos are awesome!

[@thomasz4981]

Sorry but I didn't hear Page, especially the way you strummed Whole Lotta Love.

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

I appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment and I hope you come back!

[@thomasz4981]

@@CarlBaldassarreMusic I guess my comment sounds harsher than it was meant to be. I hear a little too much reverb & we always played Whole Lotta Love with mostly downstrokes. We use to have a weekly Hospice jam & no 2 people played a song the same. Heck I was even wrong once when I thought I made a mistake.

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

I love all feedback. No worries on my end! I appreciate the time you take to comment. Btw…Check out his picking at Royal Albert Hall.

[@ivanhecimovic8397]

Love this. Custard Pie is such a cool under-rated riff! I have only been a subscriber for a couple weeks Carl but I now have a new insight into my favourite all time band that I have been listening to for 35 years.

[@lawrencegress9831]

Great video Carl. It’s a no BS video presented with care and detail.

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

I really appreciate your impression of it!

[@jltrem]

So surfing on KZbin I come across this and realize, "Hey,..that's the watch kid's dad". Two of my favorite things, guitars and watches. Now that's a great family.

[@mitchpalmer5116]

You hit the nail on the head. Keith Richards once said 'Give me any guitar and any amp and I can make it sound like me." My go to Page tone is amp with very little gain, very little reverb, a Boss Blues Driver with very little gain, a very cheap analog delay set REALLY slight and a Boss EQ pedal for a solo boost. The guitar? A Squier Tele with P90s. Works for me.

[@martin_lane]

This was a great video! In addition to everything you said, his string gauges were very important, too. They enabled the ease with which he was able to bend and to play with quick, wide vibrato.

[@keithagnew5934]

Thanks Carl. That was a big help to me. You're an asset to us.

[@Buc27blount]

Great video. Good playing. I appreciate you sharing your musical knowledge. Do you have your guitar setup for out of phase? Thanks 😊

[@michaelk2420]

Thanks Carl, you just answered a question that I asked on one of your other videos (the 7 other amazing riffs).

[@alanosterman7130]

Hi. Thanks much. Lots of time and expense went into learning about all this. Read that Jimmy, from mid 60s had a very special distortion device that was custom made for him from a friend in the British Navy. I think he calls it "The Growler". Love the sound of the solo in "Tangerine". Wish he used it more. Harkins back to "Beck's Bolero". Also love the intro to "The Rover", more than "Custard Pie". Wish they played it live. On "The Evening", on those high frets notes, it's been pointed out that that's a little tribute to the notes that Eric played in "Outside Woman Blues" in Cream. Also, hope you know that the BBC 71 "In Concert" show was not recorded in Paris France, but in the old London theatre named the Paris Theatre. Wish there was a close up if your fingers, maybe slow mo too. Thanks. The song remains the same ?

[@pskemster]

Wow! I do believe that is the very first Les Paul Custom in a Sunburst color. I have ever seen. Thank you ! I can only imagine just how rare and valuable it must be. And the info about Jimmy Page too was very valuable. But to me that guitar of yours,, was the special treat for me thanks!

[@AnthonyBurrito1313]

You know what I love about this, Watching the sheer joy on your face when you hit those licks and get that tone! Brilliant!! Thanks for sharing

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@rlboyles1]

Really nice job of describing how to get Jimmy Page sound! I absolutely agree it's all about really listening carefully to the sounds he was making and playing the riffs over and over until you own the riff. As an example --- I bet I've played that one basic Whole Lotta Love riff for maybe 15 hours+ in the last couple years to keep finding ways to get that sound. Same for a lot of his other riffs.

[@vegashdrider]

That was nice of Jimmy to pose in the thumbnail with you

[@johnking9942]

Thanks Carl... Great job on the Zeppelin tunes. Enjoyed the entire video.

[@Cobra-ky9bt]

Absolutely NAILED it on Nobody's Fault But Mine. Great video!

[@PanteraGs1]

Thank you soooo much for this information! I think I got it! I need to buy a Les Paul, a Bogner La Grange, and a Fender Deluxe Reverb! XD

[@matthewjones8865]

Hi Carl I really enjoyed watching your video. It’s always interesting knowing how the master Jimmy Page came up with his unique sound. And awesome playing Carl super cool stuff. Thank You 🎸🎵👏

[@sinjinadams2862]

Recently discovered your channel and subscribed. I could watch you all day. You're a fantastic guitar 🎸 player.

[@julianomanzoli3300]

Hey Carl, I just watched your Video and I was thoroughly impressed! Your attention to detail and the depth of your analysis were truly commendable. I have a question for you. How do you usually adjust the volume of your guitar and amplifier? I’ve noticed that when I turn up the volume on my guitar, the sound tends to get overly saturated. When you’re playing, do you usually keep the volume on your guitar high or low? I’m curious to know your preference and the reasoning behind it. Looking forward to your insights! I’m wondering if you have any tips or tricks to share on this matter. Looking forward to your response! Best

[@montygore]

Wow I asked you what amp gear you used and all I needed to do was watch one more video. Thanks for the great videos

[@rogerdodger6997]

Thanks! I had ask for some of this info on another post.

[@keithmartin1067]

Excellent seminar!

[@marktiller1383]

Thanks Carl, you make really good videos. I've enjoyed every one you've made. Brilliant thank you.

[@CarlBaldassarreMusic]

Thank you!