Learn To Play 80's Guitar Riffs

Step back into the decade of decadence and electrifying guitar anthems with Learn To Play 80's Guitar Riffs, an essential online guitar course from Licklibrary.com. Hosted by the highly acclaimed instructor Danny Gill, this comprehensive suite of 80s rock guitar lessons is designed to help you master the classic rock guitar riffs that defined an era. Whether you are looking to learn how to play the ominous AC/DC "Hells Bells" guitar riff, dive into Eddie Van Halen's tapping guitar techniques, or nail the syncopated rhythms of Guns N' Roses, this course delivers note-for-note guitar riffs with unparalleled accuracy. The 1980s was a golden age for guitar-driven music, blending hard rock, heavy metal, and bluesy bends into unforgettable stadium anthems. In this course, Danny Gill breaks down the intricate playing styles of legendary guitarists like Angus Young, Slash, Steve Stevens, and Brian May. By focusing on the exact techniques used in these iconic tracks—from power chords and palm muting to pinched harmonics and chromaticism—you will not only learn to play 80s guitar riffs but also significantly upgrade your overall guitar technique.
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Danny Gill Tutor, Professional Guitarist
Image of tutor: Danny Gill

Song Lessons in this Course

1 Introduction
2 AC/DC - Hells Bells - Main Riff
3 Billy Idol - White Wedding - Main Riff
4 Ozzy Osbourne - Bark At The Moon - Main Riff
5 ZZ Top - Gimme All Your Lovin' - Main Riff
6 Queen - Hammer To Fall - Main Riff
7 Dire Straits - Money For Nothing - Main Riff
8 Metallica - For Whom The Bell Tolls - Main Riff
9 Whitesnake - Still Of The Night - Main Riff
10 AC/DC - For Those About To Rock - Main Riff
11 Aerosmith - Walk This Way - Main Riff
12 ZZ Top - Sharp Dressed Man - Main Riff
13 Joe Satriani - Circles - Main Riff
14 Racer X - Into The Night - Main Riff
15 Van Halen - Hot For Teacher - Main Riff
16 David Lee Roth - Shy Boy - Main Riff
17 Motörhead - Ace Of Spades - Main Riff
18 Stevie Ray Vaughan - Scuttle Buttin' - Main Riff
19 Ozzy Osbourne - Flying High Again - Main Riff
20 Micheal Jackson - Beat It - Main Riff
21 U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday - Main Riff
22 Van Halen - Panama - Main Riff
23 Guns 'N' Roses - Welcome To The Jungle - Main Riff
24 Outro

Song-by-Song Guitar Lessons Taught by Danny Gill

This course provides a deep dive into the most memorable 80s hard rock guitar lessons, offering a detailed exploration of the techniques and tones that make these songs timeless. You will learn classic rock riffs online through step-by-step tutorials that cover every nuance of the original performances.

Featured Song Lessons Include:

  • AC/DC - Hells Bells & For Those About To Rock: Master Angus Young's signature bluesy bends, power chords, and minor pentatonic scale applications.
  • Guns N' Roses - Welcome To The Jungle: Learn the iconic delay-drenched intro and aggressive hard rock riffing that put Slash on the map.
  • Van Halen - Hot For Teacher & Panama: Uncover the secrets behind Eddie Van Halen's revolutionary two-handed tapping, syncopated rhythms, and explosive palm muting.
  • Ozzy Osbourne - Bark At The Moon & Flying High Again: Explore Jake E. Lee and Randy Rhoads' virtuosic guitar skills, featuring fast alternate picking, tapped harmonics, and arpeggiated chord progressions.
  • Queen - Hammer To Fall: Dive into Brian May's rich, melodic guitar style using the major scale and precise string bending.
  • ZZ Top - Gimme All Your Lovin' & Sharp Dressed Man: Capture Billy Gibbons' legendary Texas tone with heavy palm muting, pinched harmonics, and mixolydian mode riffs.
  • Billy Idol - White Wedding: Discover Steve Stevens' unique approach to galloping rhythms and chromaticism.
  • Metallica - For Whom The Bell Tolls: Build your heavy metal rhythm chops with driving power chords and aggressive down-picking.
  • Dire Straits - Money For Nothing: Learn Mark Knopfler's distinctive fingerstyle riffing and unique phrasing.

Additional Classics: The course also covers unforgettable riffs from Whitesnake ("Still Of The Night"), Aerosmith ("Walk This Way"), Joe Satriani ("Circles"), Racer X ("Into The Night"), David Lee Roth ("Shy Boy"), Motörhead ("Ace Of Spades"), Stevie Ray Vaughan ("Scuttle Buttin'"), Michael Jackson ("Beat It"), and U2 ("Sunday Bloody Sunday").

This Course is Ideal for Players Who...

  • Are Intermediate to Advanced Guitarists: If you have a grasp of the basics and want to challenge yourself with intermediate guitar lessons online, these note-for-note riff lessons will push your playing to the next level.
  • Love 80s Rock and Metal: Perfect for fans of classic rock, hard rock, and 80s heavy metal who want to accurately replicate the sounds of their guitar heroes.
  • Want to Improve Their Technique: Players looking to build speed, accuracy, and dynamic expression through practical, song-based guitar technique courses.
  • Seek Authentic Recreations: Guitarists who are tired of inaccurate tabs and want to learn classic rock riffs online exactly as they were played on the original records.

What will I achieve from completing this course?

Learn To Play 80's Guitar Riffs stands out because it combines Licklibrary's proven online guitar lesson methodology with Danny Gill's exceptional teaching style. Danny is renowned for his ability to demystify complex guitar parts, breaking them down into manageable, bite-sized segments that make learning intuitive and enjoyable.

Rather than just running through dry exercises, this course teaches you essential rock guitar techniques—like alternate picking, legato, and whammy bar tricks—within the context of the songs you already know and love. This contextual learning ensures that you not only memorize the riffs but also understand the underlying music theory and mechanics, allowing you to apply these concepts to your own playing and songwriting. With high-quality video production, multiple camera angles, and expert insights, Licklibrary.com provides the ultimate platform to master the guitar riffs of the 80s.

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1-ON-1 COACHING

Access to thousands of lessons is great, but without a plan you can feel like you’re practicing in circles. Book your FREE 1-on-1 video call with a Licklibrary pro to fix your technique, build a practice plan, get motivated, or overcome any challenge. It's all included in your membership!

** Disclaimer **
*This product is not endorsed by or made in association with any of the artists featured, nor do they perform or appear on this course.*

Learn Rock 80s Guitar Riffs with Licklibrary.com

Licklibrary.com is proud to present our in-depth and comprehensive product: "Learn Rock 80s Guitar Riffs". This specially designed series by Danny Gill will take you on an electrifying journey through the unforgettable world of 80s rock, where you'll master iconic riffs from classic anthems.

This product provides a detailed exploration of the mesmerising guitar riffs that formed the backbone of classic rock songs from AC/DC's "Hells Bells", Billy Idol's "White Wedding", Ozzy Osbourne's "Bark at the Moon", ZZ Top's "Gimme All Your Lovin'", and Queen's "Hammer to Fall", among many others. Here's what you can expect from each one:

"Hells Bells" by AC/DC

One of the most ominous openings in rock history, "Hells Bells" starts with the haunting resonance of a tolling bell before launching into an unforgettable D minor chord riff. This song features an extensive use of power chords, syncopated rhythms and the minor pentatonic scale. AC/DC's lead guitarist, Angus Young, delivers a distinctive bluesy solo that provides a masterclass in string bending, hammer-ons, and legato techniques.

"White Wedding" by Billy Idol

Billy Idol's rock anthem is driven by its powerful guitar riff, anchored in the key of B. Lead guitarist, Steve Stevens, showcased his unique style with the introduction of galloping rhythms and chromaticism to create the unforgettable main riff. Stevens' solo in this song employs techniques such as alternate picking and slides.

"Bark at the Moon" by Ozzy Osbourne

"Bark at the Moon" is a prime example of Jake E. Lee's virtuosic guitar skills. Using the harmonic minor scale, this song revolves around the E minor key. The song opens with arpeggiated chord progressions that set a gothic tone before breaking into the main riff. Jake's solo is a tour de force of techniques such as tapped harmonics, legato, and sweeping.

"Gimme All Your Lovin'" by ZZ Top

Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top provides a hard rock riff in this song using power chords, palm muting, and bluesy bends. The song, based around the key of C, heavily employs the mixolydian mode. Gibbons' solo in the song is famous for its use of pinched harmonics and vibrato.

"Hammer to Fall" by Queen

This song in the key of E showcases Brian May's rich guitar style. Using power chords, syncopated rhythms, and the major scale, May crafts a powerful, melodic riff. His solo utilises scales like the E mixolydian and the E minor pentatonic, employing techniques like string bending, pull-offs, and vibrato.

These in-depth lessons will help you comprehend and recreate the unique styles of each guitarist and their significant contributions to these legendary songs. In addition to song-specific techniques, you will delve deep into more universal guitar techniques that are used across multiple songs.


Here is a compilation of all the techniques you will learn throughout this course:

Whether you're an aspiring guitarist or a seasoned musician looking to revisit classic 80s rock, our "Learn Rock 80s Guitar Riffs" course offers an excellent way to expand your technical arsenal, refine your skills, and deepen your understanding of the magical era of 80s rock music. Join us and conquer these timeless guitar riffs!

Danny Gill playing the guitar.

About The Tutor

Tutor Profile

Danny Gill

Danny Gill is, without a doubt, the most loved tutor by our community. With an incredible array of DVDs and web lessons for LickLibrary covering a wide variety of topics all of which he covers with incredible detail, it's no wonder he carries as much respect as he does. As...

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