How To Play Crazy Train Guitar Lesson - Randy Rhoads Techniques

In this video I demonstrate how to play Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne and the legendary guitarist Randy Rhoads. In this lesson I provide you with some theory and insight on some of the concepts behind what makes this song so fun to play on guitar as well as how to play the piece including the solo. Hopefully these riffs and techniques will inspire you write your own cool riffs and songs as well as learn some new things!

[@luisvillarreal5262]

I was fortunate to have seen Randy Rhoads live on the Diary tour, a month before he died. It tore me up when I heard about his death. He’s the reason I took up Classical guitar lessons to compliment my heavy metal guitar style. He, Eddie Van Halen, Michael Schenker and Wolf Hoffman have been my inspirations.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Very cool man. I understand the passion you feel toward his playing and what he brought us.

[@expletivedeleted]

Sat in a small apartment with Randy while he demo'd a speaker I bought from a friend of his...before he joined OZZY. Most amazing playing I ever saw...ever. He handed me that white LP...I was so blown away I never tried it...I just bought the cab...still have it :O)

[@eddiejr540]

That last ripping lick in the solo has mystified countless guitarists for years…Randy’s guitar work is insane…nice job my brother 😎

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks man! It really has! I honestly think he just did the two position pentatonic run and doubled it. It makes sense. 😎🤟🏻

[@RKDriver]

@@Ranch5150SkinWalker Like you said, he doubled up his tracks and some say even altered his tunings on each track just a bit to add some separation between them. Billy Gibbons said they did this on their recordings.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

@@RKDriver it does at a cool element to the recordings. Really fattens it up. You have to play that stuff exact for it to sound right. 🎵🎵👍

[@HeROsiNhEaVeN]

Thank you for your motivation….🙏🏻👍🏻💪🏻🎸

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

You’re welcome! Thanks for watching 🙏

[@Yttikymmug]

Randy was my guitar hero.... I never would have wanted to pick up the guitar if I had not picked up Blizzard back when I was 9. Crazy Train was the first song I tried to learn all those years ago. I remember learning it one way and somebody who was listening would criticize my playing with the "nah it goes like this" and show me another form of the same notes. At the time I couldn't figure out why so many would hear it all differently but after learning of doubling, I started calling it the "doubling effect". Everyone was hearing the same song but picking out notes differently. I think it's the real reason when you try to play his songs it's so hard to nail it perfectly. Take for instance you play at the end of the opening riff A 02'0 E 2 0. where I have been shown A 020 E 3 0, A 020 E 3 2'0 why are so many people hearing it differently, I can only assume it's the doubling effect. Since you decided to do one of his songs! I think next you should talk about his tone and how no matter how hard you try you can't quite make it sound as perfect Lol!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

His tone sounds like he was playing through a combo amp and a mid range heavy distortion pedal. That setup really works good for recording. I’ve never researched the recording process they did for those albums. I’m sure there has to be info out there in it. The reason I play the 4th fret on the low E string is because that is a G# and the song is in A Major. So G# is the leading tone and the correct note for the Key. That’s how I hear it too. Plus I just figured that’s how Randy would have played it since technically it is in “key” and he was into the classical style. 😎☮️

[@user-px9mm6vg9l]

Man the tabs really helped I have school performance I’ve been of ozzy my whole life and Randy Rhodes was person that made me want to do guitar

[@rocketpoolpki]

This is an epic lesson mate, I have been chugging away with it for a while and am really digging being able to play around the tune without actually playing it as it was written...It is really helping with improv and insight \m/

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Very cool man! So glad to hear this!

[@MustHitSlots]

Ozzy the wise man this is what the world needs learn how to love and forget how to hate

[@mrcurtis73]

The unskinny bop lick could also be the Lynyrd Skynyrd “I know a little” lick. lol

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Haha! Yeh true! I should do a series on recycled licks! Lol

[@wulf67]

The (F# - E - F#) Whitesnake thing should be the Judas Priest ‘You Got Another Thing Comin’” thing.

[@myleswillis]

Love that tone man, so crisp and raw. Thanks for the lesson.

[@kholi9441]

I have played metal riffs (no solo stuff though lol) back in high school but then switched to learning piano and stuck with it for almost a decade, only occasionally playing guitar. However, this year, I felt motivated to learn to play guitar better and I'm thinking of learning this at 33

[@mrcurtis73]

Cool video. Since you mentioned Eric Johnson, I think a video on Cliffs of Dover would be fun to see.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Cliffs Of Dover is my white whale man. I can play a lot of it. And have jammed to it over backing tracks now for at least a decade and have been working on it since it came out. I could do a structure and overview but Eric is so special I don’t think I could do the entire thing justice. It’s so beautiful and uniquely him!

[@lasersauceretroarchives6544]

@7:18 lmfao yeah I thought of sweet dreams too lol

[@My.Guitar.Journey]

Wow just wow keep them coming really loving your lessons. And you had to do hear about it later last week it's my favorite VH song 🤘🤘

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks you Neil! I will keep ‘em rolling. Just doing something different this morning since I have had so many Randy Rhoads requests. Yeh crazy train is the cliche tune but it’s a heavy hitter plus I knew it already! Lol.

[@tony_n316]

For years I have wondered why my way of playing this sounded a bit off from Randy's, and you just showed me. On the back half of the riff, you pull off to an open A, but I've always reached to the A on the 5th fret of the E string. When it goes B-A-Ab-A that first "A" is an open A pull off from the B note... I've always reached for the A on the 5th fret of the E string and while it sounds close, there's something missing and now I know what it is... Now I just have to train my hand to play it differently after 37 years of playing it wrong... Thank you!!!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Hey man! I have had that happen before too! Lol. There’s more than one way to skin a cat. Haha. Thanks for watching! 😎🤟🏻

[@markpobanz2821]

I figured that out watching this as well. Just the intro but tonality makes a big difference just playing the same note somewhere else

[@cantstartafire]

Thanks Marty! I never knew the relative major or minor thing. Super cool and useful! Thanks bro! And thanks for the lesson, I've never played this song right.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

You’re so welcome man! Glad you got some good stuff out of it! 🙌

[@TheDeedeeFiles]

Awesome lesson

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks! 😎🥂

[@Ebutouy5180]

Great lesson and thank you for the smile at the end: "Some day I can, others I can't" - same here!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

So true! Not gonna lie! Lol 😎🎵🎵

[@kg4st]

Had fun!..Thanks

[@WickedFesterBand]

Great lesson. I play this one. (I have a little solo thing with backing tracks) I’m sure I’ll pick up a few pointers.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Best way to learn and practice!! 😎🤟🏻

[@Jackie_Rosewood]

Awesome lesson Marty🎸🎸 love your shirt! I am going to have to listen to some Faster Pussycat now lol. Can’t wait to give this a try once my RR polka dot arrives. It’s been on preorder since Feb due in August. Have a rockin weekend!!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Don’t change that song! Hahaha Dude that’s awesome. You must be chomping at the bit big time!!! Enjoy your weekend. I hope that guitar arrives early for you man. 😎🎵

[@rsvette123]

Excellent lessons huge thanks

[@stevenbense3504]

Superb!

[@patricetremblay2456]

Nice sharing in all simplicity and we can feel the pleasure you seem to have in doing it. Thank you for your generosity and your talent, really appreciated. Always a pleasure to watch your videos.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks! So glad to hear. I really enjoy doing them and trying to help others! 😎☮️

[@duaneulman9915]

Thank you

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

You’re welcome!

[@michaelkennedy2190]

It's hard to believe that it has been 40 years since Randy's untimely death. Such an amazing talent! May the late great Randy Rhodes REST IN PEACE 🙏 Thanks for the tutorial Marty! And as always Thanks for sharing the love my brother 🙏 I just noticed your Jackson with the Northern Lights QM finish. I have a EVH Wolfgang QM with the same finish. Absolutely beautiful finish!!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

I know! Time really slips past us so quickly. At least we were around to witness and experience the music! Oh yeh man. The Northern Lights paint scheme is pretty! It drew me to that Jackson. I bet the Wolfgang is stellar! 😎☮️

[@rrdee8138]

GreT lesson Marty thx have a great weekend

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks so much. Have a nice weekend as well! ☮️🎵🎵🎵

[@brianjoseph2764]

Great lesson!!!!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks Brian. I appreciate you watching! 😎🙌

[@backtoshallabal6662]

I love how Jake E Lee does the live intro on this song!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

I need to check it out man! 😎🙌

[@paulsanders1]

Always helpful and informative and I do appreciate the theory behind the notes!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

You're most welcome. Thanks for watching!!

[@federicomejia2929]

Very cool lesson Marty!!!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks man! 😎🙌

[@pradeeepgopalan]

your such a great teacher!!! love you man GURU !!!

[@GaryBook]

Great great lesson. Music theory just gives everything a framework so there is an understanding structure. I sooooo appreciate your use of music theory!!!

[@jasonkennedy1670]

very helpful 👌 👌

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Nice, glad to hear. 🙌

[@kennethhoneycutt4513]

always great content man this song is is a classic and I like the way you go about teaching them to us keep making them I will keep watching them

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks Kenneth! I very much appreciate you and your support man!

[@guitarspacejam]

Great lesson ty

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

You're welcome! Thanks for the complement and for watching! 😎🎵

[@MaxdB67]

Thanks a lot for this helpfull video Marty. Really inspiring to see how you obviously did your homework but still really have to go fully for that lick or otherwise it doesnt go well. I have that all the time lol. But your clear instructions and slow motions did help me to get to this solo and i am gonna play it next week with a drummer and have fun playing this song fully instead of only the rhytm. So, tnx again!

[@kerryfromaj9032]

I really enjoyed your lesson here. Lots of different angles covered from a learning perspective for me. Thanks.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Sigtrygg_Gale.]

Thank you very much for this lesson 🙂

[@sixstringer3783]

Thanks Marty good stuff 👍

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks man!!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thank you! 🙏

[@peterbaker3878]

Thanks for doing videos like this, I Dig the shit out of lesson videos. Also the way you learn these songs by ear is awesome, your ear training is superb. This is the closest I've seen to the original, excellent job 👊👍

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thank you so much man! It’s really nice to hear that people like them and get something out them. I appreciate the support. More lessons to come! 🙌

[@Jdhayes3011]

Loving the channel man. Keep it up!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thank you. I appreciate the support man! 😎🙌

[@Jdhayes3011]

@@Ranch5150SkinWalker you oughta do some GnR lessons. Also, if I remember last time we played together, you were using a fractal FX? Ever thought about releasing some IRs for your amps or presets? I’m a big fan of the strymon stuff. Having some presets would be cool.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

@@Jdhayes3011 I was gonna a do night train at some point soon! Still using the Fractal! I need to share some of my patches. I just have so many irons in the fire I never get to it

[@lnhislmage]

This dude showed up on my feed today. I like the way he did his tabs on notebook paper.

[@MartRockCafe]

Thanks for that mate, been struggling with that for a while, the hardest bit for me is the verse rythm part

[@jacobthorne9930]

Its 2am and you have me hooked my man. You have inspired me to learn more theroy to make my playing better. As soon as you mentiomed Eric Johnson you sold me. Subscribed. Great video

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks so much man! It always makes me happy to hear the videos help and inspire. I appreciate the kind words and support man!

[@rrdee8138]

Hey Marty hope the Friedman isn't too messed up

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks, I hope not too. I’m still waiting to hear back. They said 2 weeks so it has been about a week now. No hope they’re in schedule ! I will do a follow up. 👍☮️

[@jeffwagner2707]

Thanks Marty Eddie&Randy

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks so much. ☮️

[@sylvainderagon6744]

Woww You are a Great Theacher tanks bravo !!

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thank you! 😃

[@Nazman06]

Sick of that song

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Me too! 😂😂

[@kerryfromaj9032]

I was trying to learn it before I got sick of it. I failed. Now I’m learning it sick of it 😳😳

[@carldubcats3385]

The lick in the chorus is also used by hendrix in all along the watch tower.

[@adamr4115]

🤘

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

🤟🏻

[@randallhaney7909]

First Thanks Boss for your hard work in putting out this lesson. You are appreciated. That being said. It would be cool if you just simply showed/taught the riff. The sidetracks into theory & that Eric Jonson liked the riff too. Is distracting. Whether it be my ADHD or if I'm in a time crunch? It would be great to just get on with laying out "The Riff" Just Say'n. Thanks again.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

You're welcome man! Well, that's kinda what I do here and I get positive feedback on that too so I'm a bit torn. Just trying to make it all come together.

[@randallhaney7909]

@@Ranch5150SkinWalker Yeah Boss I get it, Totally my hitch in the giddy up not yours .. LOL

[@bmac5085]

Hi Marty!! How is your friedman doing? Is it up in amp heaven, or is there life in it yet? Really happy that you are featuring some RR stuff today. Definitely up there in my top 5 guitarists of all time. The last part of the solo on Crazy Train always gets me. Ive played that Hammer on roll at the end about 3 different ways, but I still don't think that I am hearing it right. Been going on for years.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Non word yet! I will do a follow up video as soon as we get some info or I get it back!

[@chadjones4236]

I got alot from watching this everyone else seems to make it complex I think just because they try to get every note 👊

[@i.haul.ass_]

Woww amazing lesson 🔥 what are you using for your tone??

[@tonegrail650]

On the recording the final ascending lick isn't a pentatonic minor. It's a full major key climb in A. However on some live videos Randy does play it the way you play it. He always seemed to play it different every time.

[@wackrow]

I can play the song but I wondered how the beginning sound was made ? maybe by opening up the volume on guitar while dragging the strings?

[@twowaymuir]

You've got that V sounding great. Are you playing through that Marshall with the cord plugged into it or what? Thanks.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thanks man! For KZbin I just run direct with a Friedman patch on my Fractal AX8. I put some verb and delay on it in pro tools. Just makes recording and editing easier. 😎🤟🏻

[@hanshaan4610]

💥😉🎸

[@donbabcock2062]

Ok, now do “I live for the weekend” by Triumph. There is every lick in the book in that song.

[@rossdsouza]

Nice Lesson, Is that an Orthodox Cross on your top right?

[@curtdkrueger]

If the main riff is "reversed" without the "G" turn around note, you get Swingtown by Steve Miller Band.

[@utmindfreak]

You didn't teach the pick slide in the beginning. It's not a regular pick slide and I always wondered how you play it the right way. It's like a pic slide with tapping at the same time or something I don't know how to do it and I've clicked so many videos trying to find the right way.

[@Chrislong4608]

Yet the man played crazy train on his les paul quite often

[@brutus6328]

Last two notes of the tab opening riff are incorrect, should be 4 0 (G#, E) ....not 2, 0 (F#, E.....just FYI)

[@BazookaBeanIsEpic]

theres versions of this solo that its only the guitar. the solo is a little inaccurate . look up isolated crazy train solo

[@matthewterry2291]

I'm having so much trouble with palm muting in this song..

[@craigpoole2602]

I loved Randy's playing but the tone on that first record was hard to take. It was hollow and thin. His live sound was so much better. A lesser player couldn't have gotten away with that sound on a record.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

I agree man. People really jump on me when I complain about Randy’s tone. They really did that dude a disservice by not producing those Ozzy records better.

[@craigpoole2602]

@@Ranch5150SkinWalker truly! Diary is better but the Tribute record is a lot more representative of his real tone. It was 80s bright but not the clanky hollow sound on blizzard. The funny thing is I see max norman doing interviews about that record and he seems proud of it. Oh well in the immortal words of Rick James..... cocaine is a helluva drug.

[@ToyotaCamroad]

RANDY TRIPLE TRACKED HIS SOLOS GUY.Please get your facts right.I knew him personally.

[@reneotten7376]

I still know him personally.

[@Music_Man_Is_Here]

wrong flying v

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

True! All I got. Lol

[@rsvette123]

I think your tab is a bit off at 7:13 - the last 2 notes should be 4 0 - not 2 0 I believe

[@brutus6328]

noticed that too

[@reneotten7376]

You play the verse wrong, it doesn't start with 4 chugs.

[@brynleeelodie9510]

𝓹𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓸𝓼𝓶 🎉

[@buffdaddy2032]

That's not how you Play the opening riff

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Works for me ☮️

[@buffdaddy2032]

@@Ranch5150SkinWalker I was just saying . Everybody plays things differently. Didn't mean anything by it.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

@@buffdaddy2032 very true! I agree man. 😎☮️

[@albinoviper2876]

why do it the hard way? Dont learn this you will get laffed at

[@BazookaBeanIsEpic]

the last lick is wrong you know it. most of your solo is wrong notes, why dont u do research?? u clearly know how to use the internet

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

If you know how to play it why look up how to play it other than criticize? Just curious. 😂😂

[@user-ih5vg4xk3t]

Great lesson young grasshopper.

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

Thank you kindly

[@moondog7862]

Haha love it, Marty, what was your signal chain set up for this mate?

[@Ranch5150SkinWalker]

I use a Fractal AX8 with a Freidman BE patch. I am also using Friedman cabinet impulse responses in stereo. My delay and Reverb is run in post through ProTools. I adjust my proximity settings in the IRS to try and give them a roomier sound. 🙌

[@bumcrackwatchco.]

Not even close brother