"Misty Mountain Hop" by Led Zeppelin
Take your guitar playing to the next level with our note-for-note guitar lesson for "Misty Mountain Hop" by Led Zeppelin. This LickLibrary exclusive breaks down every riff, chord, and lick from this classic 1971 track, teaching you the exact techniques that defined Led Zeppelin’s sound and helped shape the foundation of modern rock guitar. Danny Gill breaks down this classic track in this exclusive Lick Library video tutorial.
About the Song and Its Guitar Style
"Misty Mountain Hop" is an upbeat, groove-heavy rock track from Led Zeppelin’s fourth studio album, often referred to as Led Zeppelin IV. While much of the track is keyboard-driven, guitarist Jimmy Page lays down a complementary, blues-infused rhythm that gives the song its swagger and drive. His playing here is a study in subtlety—using dynamics, rhythm, and phrasing to enhance the track without overpowering it. This lesson focuses on capturing that balance, providing insight into Page’s stylistic approach and equipping players with foundational rock guitar skills.
About the Guitarist – Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page, the legendary guitarist behind Led Zeppelin, is widely regarded as one of the most influential guitarists in rock history. Known for his inventive riffs, raw tone, and studio wizardry, Page had a unique ability to blend blues, rock, folk, and psychedelic influences into something wholly original. His work on Misty Mountain Hop showcases his rhythmic precision and minimalist approach, serving as a prime example of how great guitar playing doesn’t always mean flashy solos—it can be about feel, texture, and musicality. Learning to emulate Page's style gives students valuable insight into how to support a song dynamically while still injecting personality.
Key Techniques Taught in This Lesson
Our lesson breaks Misty Mountain Hop down into manageable sections, focusing on the key techniques that give the song its groove and character. Below are some of the featured techniques, along with explanations and benefits for learners.
Power Chords
A staple of rock guitar, power chords are used throughout the track to deliver a punchy, aggressive sound. You'll learn how to position your fretting hand properly and how to mute unwanted strings for clean, defined chord shapes.
Benefit: Mastering power chords is essential for playing rock, punk, and metal. They help build finger strength and improve palm-muting control while providing a strong foundation for rhythm playing.
Palm Muting
Palm muting is used to create percussive, rhythmic textures in the song’s verses. The technique involves resting the side of your picking hand lightly on the strings near the bridge while picking, giving you a tight, controlled sound.
Benefit: This technique enhances rhythmic accuracy and adds dynamics to your playing, allowing you to shift between muted and open sounds smoothly.
Slides
Guitar slides are used in transitions and riffs, adding fluidity and character to Page’s rhythm work. This lesson shows you how to incorporate both ascending and descending slides tastefully into your playing.
Benefit: Slides help with fretboard navigation and develop muscle memory for seamless transitions between notes and chords.
Hammer-Ons and Pull-Offs
While Misty Mountain Hop doesn’t feature many fast licks, the embellishments found in the riff sections make use of hammer-ons and pull-offs to add phrasing nuances.
Benefit: These techniques are essential for fluid, legato playing. They improve finger independence and are foundational to playing faster passages cleanly.
String Bending
Though not a prominent feature in this track compared to other Zeppelin songs, subtle string bending is used to add expression in certain fills and live interpretations.
Benefit: String bending builds pitch control and finger strength, allowing for expressive solos and emotional phrasing.
Chord Progressions
Page’s chord work here is more groove-oriented than harmonically complex, but understanding the chord progressions in the song will help you see how the guitar complements the vocal melodies and keyboard lines.
Benefit: Recognising progressions trains your ear and prepares you for songwriting, improvisation, and playing with other musicians.
Why You Should Learn "Misty Mountain Hop"
This lesson is ideal for intermediate players who want to improve their rhythm guitar skills, understand the nuances of groove-based rock, and explore the dynamics of ensemble playing. By learning this track, you’ll not only improve your technical proficiency but also gain a deeper appreciation for how to support a song’s structure with taste and restraint—qualities that separate good players from great ones.
Our expert instructor walks you through each section slowly, ensuring you absorb every detail. You'll also gain insight into the tone, gear, and setup used to replicate Page’s iconic sound.
Guitar Techniques Used in This Lesson
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...