Good Times Bad Times by Led Zeppelin – Guitar Lesson Breakdown

Learn to play “Good Times Bad Times” by Led Zeppelin with our in-depth, note-for-note guitar lesson from LickLibrary. As the opening track on Led Zeppelin’s explosive 1969 debut album, “Good Times Bad Times” set the tone for a new era of rock music. It’s a compact powerhouse of riff-driven rhythm, expressive lead guitar phrasing, and tight band interplay. Jimmy Page’s guitar work is bold, dynamic, and impeccably structured, blending sharp, articulate rhythm playing with tasteful licks and clever technique. In this lesson, we focus on four essential techniques that are integral to the track: power chords, vibrato, string bending, and alternate picking.

This is a must-learn song for guitarists looking to sharpen their rhythm skills, improve control and phrasing, and capture the high-energy attack of early Zeppelin. This lesson is taught by Danny Gill.

Techniques Used

Power Chords

Power chords form the rhythmic engine of “Good Times Bad Times.” From the tight, staccato intro riff to the driving choruses, Jimmy Page makes full use of this essential rock guitar shape. These two-note chords offer a punchy, focused tone that works beautifully for both clean and distorted sounds. Mastering power chords in this context helps players build a solid foundation in rhythm guitar, develop tight fretting hand control, and learn how to articulate riffs with precision and groove. This lesson focuses on clean transitions between power chord shapes and muting techniques to keep your rhythm playing sharp and defined.

Vibrato

While Page is best known for his explosive solos, it’s his expressive use of vibrato that often gives his lead lines their emotional impact. In “Good Times Bad Times,” vibrato appears in the fills and short solo phrases, adding sustain, tension, and character to key notes. Developing controlled vibrato is crucial for taking your lead playing from mechanical to musical. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to execute vibrato in sync with tempo and feel, giving your phrases more life and depth.

String Bending

Another signature Page technique is his use of string bending to emulate vocal phrasing and add dynamic movement to solos. In “Good Times Bad Times,” you’ll find tasteful bends used within melodic licks that require both accuracy and subtlety. Our lesson walks you through how to perform bends cleanly, hit the target pitch, and control your release—all essential elements of expressive soloing. Practicing bending in this song will also strengthen your fingers and help train your ear to recognize pitch variation.

Alternate Picking

The main riff in “Good Times Bad Times” is a brilliant example of precise alternate picking. With quick, repeated notes and tight rhythmic phrasing, alternate picking is essential to maintain clarity and speed. In this lesson, we break down the picking patterns used in the riff and show you how to improve synchronization between your picking and fretting hands. Learning to alternate pick consistently improves stamina, articulation, and fluidity—critical skills for any guitarist looking to tighten up their rhythm and lead work.

Why Learn “Good Times Bad Times”?

“Good Times Bad Times” is a perfectly crafted rock song and a blueprint for effective rhythm and lead guitar playing. Its tight, punchy riffs and expressive lead fills pack an incredible amount of musicality into under three minutes. For guitarists, it presents the opportunity to master essential foundational techniques—each of which translates directly to countless other rock, blues, and metal contexts.

This LickLibrary lesson gives you every detail, from the rhythmic accuracy of the intro to the subtle expression of the bends and vibrato in the leads. It’s an ideal song for intermediate players looking to polish their rhythm precision, strengthen their technique, and bring more expression into their playing.

About the Guitarist: Jimmy Page

Jimmy Page, the mastermind behind Led Zeppelin’s revolutionary guitar sound, was already a seasoned session player by the time the band recorded their debut. His experience and imagination come together in “Good Times Bad Times,” where he delivers a riff-heavy performance that’s both disciplined and expressive. Page’s use of syncopated rhythms, clean articulation, and blues-based soloing laid the groundwork for countless rock guitarists to follow. His performance here proves that a guitar part doesn’t need to be overly complex to be iconic—it needs to be deliberate, well-executed, and full of attitude. For any guitarist studying the foundations of hard rock, this track is essential.

Guitar Techniques Featured in This Lesson

• Power Chords
• Vibrato
• String Bending
• Alternate Picking

Lock into the riff-driven magic of Led Zeppelin with our complete guitar lesson for “Good Times Bad Times.” Perfect your rhythm, sharpen your lead tone, and build a solid technical foundation while learning one of the most important opening tracks in rock history.