Guitar Songs, Tabs & Lessons

The Tragically Hip

2 guitar songs · Tabs, Lessons & Tone Guide Rock

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New Orleans is Sinking - Guitar Tab

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Ahead by a Century - Guitar Tab

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Band Overview

The Tragically Hip emerged from Kingston, Ontario in the mid-1980s and became one of Canada's most beloved rock bands, building a legacy on raw, blues-infused Alternative Rock that resonated deeply with anyone who loves guitar-driven music. While frontman Gord Downie's poetic lyrics and magnetic stage presence drew the spotlight, the dual guitar attack of Rob Baker (lead) and Gord Sinclair's bass work (with Paul Langlois joining as rhythm guitarist in 1986) gave the band its muscular, textured sound. Rob Baker is the primary guitar voice of the Hip, blending Classic Rock sensibility with alternative grit, bluesy bends, and a knack for writing riffs that stick in your head without being overly complicated. For guitarists, The Tragically Hip are a goldmine of practical, learnable skills. Baker's playing draws from Blues Rock, classic rock, and post-punk, often combining open-string riffs with crunchy power chords and expressive lead lines built on pentatonic and blues scales. Paul Langlois fills out the sonic picture with rhythm parts that emphasize dynamics and texture, often using clean tones or crunchy overdrive to contrast Baker's heavier lead tones. Their songs teach you how two guitarists can occupy different sonic spaces without stepping on each other, which is one of the most useful lessons any band guitarist can learn. Difficulty-wise, The Tragically Hip sit in a comfortable intermediate range. Most of their riffs are accessible to players who have a solid grasp of open and barre chords, basic blues phrasing, and palm-muting technique. Tracks like "New Orleans is Sinking" showcase driving rhythm work, bluesy lead fills, and a loose, feel-based approach that rewards players who focus on groove and dynamics rather than sheer speed. If you can handle a solid pentatonic solo and know your way around some string bending with decent vibrato, you can tackle a big chunk of their catalog. Their music is proof that great guitar playing does not require flashy technique; it requires taste, tone awareness, and a commitment to serving the song.

What Makes The Tragically Hip Essential for Guitar Players

Rob Baker's lead style leans heavily on the minor pentatonic and blues scale, with expressive string bends and a wide, deliberate vibrato. His phrasing is spacious and melodic rather than shreddy, making his solos excellent studies in saying more with fewer notes.
The interplay between Baker's lead guitar and Paul Langlois's rhythm parts is a masterclass in dual-guitar arrangement. Langlois often plays cleaner, more open voicings or arpeggiated figures while Baker drives the distorted riffs, creating depth without clutter.
Palm-muting is a core technique in many Hip songs, especially on driving tracks like 'New Orleans is Sinking.' Working on your muted downpicking and learning to control how tightly you mute will get you closer to that punchy, chugging rhythm tone.
Baker frequently uses open-string drone riffs that blend open E and A strings with fretted notes higher on the neck, giving their riffs a raw, resonant quality that is easy to learn but sounds huge through a cranked amp.
Dynamic control is a big part of the Hip's guitar sound. Songs often shift between quiet, clean verses and loud, overdriven choruses. Practicing your volume knob swells and learning to ride your picking attack for dynamic shifts will help you nail their feel.

Did You Know?

Rob Baker is largely self-taught and has cited Keith Richards, Neil Young, and Jimi Hendrix as major influences, which explains the bluesy, raw quality of his playing over technical precision.

The band's live shows were legendary for extended jam sections, especially on 'New Orleans is Sinking,' which could stretch past 10 minutes with Baker improvising blues-rock solos over Langlois's droning rhythm parts.

Baker has been known to use a variety of alternate tunings in the studio, including open G and drop D, giving certain Hip tracks a heavier, more resonant low end that standard tuning cannot replicate.

Paul Langlois originally joined the band as a roadie before becoming their full-time rhythm guitarist, proving that being around great music and absorbing it firsthand can be one of the best ways to develop as a player.

Producer Bob Rock (known for Metallica's Black Album) worked with the Hip on 'Day for Night,' pushing Baker to layer more guitar textures and experiment with feedback and ambient tones in the studio.

During their final tour in 2016, Baker played a deeply emotional set of shows where his guitar work was stripped back to its most essential elements, proving that restraint and feel can be more powerful than any complex technique.

Essential Albums for Guitarists

Up to Here 1989

This is the album where Rob Baker's blues-rock riffing is front and center. 'New Orleans is Sinking' and 'Blow at High Dough' feature driving, palm-muted rhythm parts and pentatonic lead work that are perfect for intermediate players looking to sharpen their blues-rock chops and dynamic control.

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Road Apples 1991

A heavier, grittier follow-up that pushes Baker's distorted tone further. 'Little Bones' and 'Twist My Arm' are great for practicing alternate picking over rock grooves, while 'Three Pistols' offers a slower, more emotional context for working on your vibrato and sustain.

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Fully Completely 1992

Widely considered their masterpiece, this album showcases more sophisticated arrangements and a wider tonal palette. 'Courage (for Hugh MacLennan)' is a must-learn for its arpeggiated clean intro and powerful dynamic build, while 'At the Hundredth Meridian' is a driving rock track that teaches you how to lock a riff in with a tight rhythm section.

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Day for Night 1994

Produced by Bob Rock, this album is darker and more experimental. 'Nautical Disaster' and 'Grace, Too' feature layered guitar textures, feedback manipulation, and some of Baker's most creative lead work. It is the best Hip album for learning about studio guitar layering and how to use effects tastefully.

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Tone & Gear

Guitar

Rob Baker is most closely associated with Fender Telecasters, particularly vintage-style models that deliver that bright, cutting tone with a twangy edge. He has also been seen with Gibson Les Pauls and various semi-hollow guitars for warmer, thicker tones on certain tracks. Paul Langlois tends to favor Fender Stratocasters and Telecasters for rhythm duties, using the single-coil clarity to sit underneath Baker's lead parts without muddying the mix.

Amp

Baker has relied heavily on Fender tube amps, including Fender Twin Reverbs and Deluxe Reverbs, driven to the edge of breakup for that chimey, dynamic clean-to-crunch tone. For heavier moments he has also used Marshall amps, pushing them harder for more saturated overdrive. The key to his sound is a tube amp with enough headroom for cleans that can be pushed into grit with picking dynamics or a boost pedal.

Pickups

Baker's Telecaster use means single-coil pickups are central to his tone, delivering that snappy attack, bright treble response, and clear note definition that cuts through the band's mix. When using Les Pauls or humbucking guitars, he gets a warmer, fatter tone suited for heavier riffs. The combination of single-coil bite for leads and humbucker warmth for crunch parts gives the Hip's guitar sound its versatile range.

Effects & Chain

Baker's pedalboard has historically been fairly modest. A good overdrive pedal (such as a Tube Screamer or similar) for pushing the amp into heavier gain territory is a staple. He uses a wah pedal on occasion for expressive lead fills, and some chorus or tremolo for atmospheric clean sections. Delay is used subtly to add space to leads without washing them out. Overall, his approach leans toward amp-driven tone with pedals used to color rather than define the sound.

Recommended Gear

Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Paul Langlois uses the Stratocaster's single-coil clarity for rhythm parts that sit cleanly underneath Rob Baker's leads without muddying The Tragically Hip's signature two-guitar mix.

Guitar

Fender Telecaster

Rob Baker's primary instrument, the Telecaster's bright, cutting single-coil tone and twangy edge define The Hip's distinctive lead guitar voice and cutting presence in their arrangements.

Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Baker deploys the Les Paul's warmer, fatter humbucker tone for heavier riffs and crunch parts, adding tonal versatility to The Tragically Hip's guitar sound alongside his Telecaster work.

Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

The Les Paul Custom's thick, saturated tone suits The Hip's heavier moments, offering Baker a warmer alternative to single-coil brightness for riff-driven sections.

Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

Baker's primary amp choice, the Twin Reverb's tube warmth and headroom allow dynamic clean tones that break into natural grit, essential to The Hip's amp-driven approach.

Amp

Fender Deluxe Reverb

This smaller tube amp gives Baker touch-sensitive crunch and built-in reverb space, perfect for The Tragically Hip's studio and live tones that blend chime with subtle saturation.

How to Practice The Tragically Hip on GuitarZone

Every The Tragically Hip song page on GuitarZone includes a built-in Practice Toolbar. No app to download, no account needed. Open any song, then use the toolbar to slow the video to 0.5× speed, set an A/B loop around the exact riff you're working on, and jump between song sections instantly.

The toolbar appears automatically on every guitar tab, lesson, and cover page. Pick a song below, hit play, and start practicing at your own pace.

Practice New Orleans is Sinking - Guitar Tab Practice Ahead by a Century - Guitar Tab