Trampled Under Foot by Led Zeppelin – Guitar Lesson Breakdown

“Trampled Under Foot” is one of Led Zeppelin’s most funk-infused and groove-driven tracks, taken from their 1975 double album Physical Graffiti. Inspired by the driving rhythm of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition,” this track brings together tight funk rhythms, bluesy riffs, and energetic solos—all wrapped in a layer of vintage Zeppelin swagger. At LickLibrary.com, our note-for-note guitar lesson teaches you exactly how to replicate Jimmy Page’s distinctive playing on this track, with a focus on four key guitar techniques: double stops, pull-offs, slides, and alternate picking.

This lesson not only helps you master the nuances of the song’s guitar work, but also strengthens your rhythm chops, builds lead technique, and opens up stylistic versatility in your playing. This lesson is taught by Danny Gill.

Techniques Used

Double Stops

Double stops are used throughout the song to add punch and harmonic thickness to Page’s rhythm and lead work. By playing two notes simultaneously, he adds grit and weight to melodic phrases, often accenting rhythmic pulses or providing quick fills between vocal lines.

Benefit to the player: Double stops are essential for developing fretboard awareness and creating harmonically rich lines. They allow you to inject intensity into lead phrases and rhythmic parts, and they translate well across rock, funk, blues, and even country playing.

Pull-Offs

Pull-offs help add fluidity to Page’s fast bluesy phrases in the lead breaks and fills. These legato elements make short runs feel smoother and more connected, helping maintain momentum without relying entirely on picking.

Benefit to the player: Pull-offs enhance legato technique and finger independence. They’re crucial for developing speed and fluidity, allowing you to create expressive phrases that flow across the fretboard effortlessly.

Slides

Slides are used both as expressive transitions between notes and to embellish riffs and fills with character. Page employs slides in both subtle lead phrases and bolder shifts between fretboard positions, adding movement and style to the guitar parts.

Benefit to the player: Slides help you develop smooth transitions between notes and positions. They improve your phrasing, build expressive control, and make your playing sound more fluid and vocal-like.

Alternate Picking

To maintain the groove and precision of his fast, staccato phrases, Page relies heavily on alternate picking. Whether it’s funk-inspired stabs or bluesy fills, clean alternate picking ensures clarity and rhythmic consistency, especially at faster tempos.

Benefit to the player: Alternate picking is essential for playing efficiently and cleanly at speed. It builds right-hand control, improves rhythm accuracy, and prepares you for more complex lead and rhythm playing across genres.

About the Song and Guitar Style

“Trampled Under Foot” is a showcase of Led Zeppelin’s ability to push boundaries and fuse genres. Built on a relentless clavinet groove provided by John Paul Jones, the song’s rhythm section locks in with John Bonham’s drums to create a tight, syncopated foundation. Over the top, Jimmy Page delivers sharp, angular guitar licks, stabbing chord hits, and biting lead phrases that inject attitude and energy into the mix.

Page’s guitar tone in this track is gritty and percussive, sitting just behind the beat to reinforce the groove. His use of short phrases, blues licks, and rhythmic embellishments turns the guitar into a rhythmic instrument as much as a melodic one—perfect for guitarists who want to explore funk, blues-rock, and riff-based improvisation.

About the Guitar Player – Jimmy Page

Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin’s legendary guitarist, was known not just for his explosive riffs and soaring solos, but also for his ability to experiment with tone, rhythm, and layering. In “Trampled Under Foot,” he leans into a funkier, syncopated style that reveals his deep appreciation for R&B and blues roots.

Page’s playing on this track is sharp, expressive, and deeply rhythmic. He demonstrates how even a minimalistic approach, when delivered with precision and groove, can drive a song’s momentum. Learning this track gives players a chance to study Page’s inventive phrasing, his signature articulation, and his ability to create tension and release through feel and dynamics.

Summary

Our Trampled Under Foot guitar lesson at LickLibrary.com offers a deep dive into one of Led Zeppelin’s funkiest and most rhythmically engaging songs. Perfect for intermediate to advanced players, this lesson teaches you how to lock in with a groove, execute sharp lead runs, and develop a better sense of timing and dynamics.

By focusing on double stops, pull-offs, slides, and alternate picking, this lesson equips you with a versatile set of tools to enhance both your rhythm and lead guitar playing. These techniques are applicable far beyond this song, offering long-term value for your technique and musicality.

Jimmy Page’s performance on “Trampled Under Foot” reminds us that rock guitar isn’t just about volume or speed—it’s about feel. His playing here is a lesson in groove, control, and musical instinct, and our lesson helps you unpack every part of it in detail.

Techniques Used in This Lesson

• Double Stops
• Pull-Offs
• Slides
• Alternate Picking

Master “Trampled Under Foot” with LickLibrary.com’s note-for-note breakdown and unlock the rhythmic fire and groove that made this Led Zeppelin classic a standout moment in their legendary catalog.