Hard Rock Guitar
Hard rock is built on loud guitars, heavy riffs and big choruses. It took shape in the late 1960s and became one of the most popular guitar-driven genres in history. If you play electric guitar, this is probably where you started.
On GuitarZone you'll find tabs and lessons from the biggest hard rock bands: Guns N' Roses, Van Halen, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin and Bon Jovi. Whether you're working on power chords, palm muting or your first solo, hard rock has songs at every level.
A
AC/DC 22
- 1 Back in Black TAB 1980
- 2 Demon Fire LESSON 2020
- 3 Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap TAB 1976
- 4 For Those About To Rock (We Salute You) TAB 1981
- 5 Girls Got Rhythm LESSON 1979
- 6 Hells Bells TAB 1980
- 7 Highway to Hell TAB 1979
- 8 It's a Long Way to The Top TAB 1975
- 9 It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll) TAB 1975
- 10 Moneytalks TAB 1990
- 11 Play Ball LESSON 2014
- 12 Rock 'n' Roll Train TAB 2008
- 13 Shoot to Thrill TAB 1980
- 14 Shot in the Dark TAB 2020
- 15 T.N.T. TAB 1975
- 16 Through The Mists of Time LESSON 2020
- 17 Thunderstruck TAB 1990
- 18 Who Made Who TAB 1986
- 19 Whole Lotta Rosie TAB 1977
- 20 You Shook Me All Night Long TAB 1980
- 21 You Shook Me All Night Long Solo Lesson - Famous Solos LESSON 1980
- 22 You Shook Me Night Long TAB 1980
Aerosmith 14
- 1 Amazing TAB 1993
- 2 Angel TAB 1987
- 3 Child TAB 1997
- 4 Crazy TAB 1993
- 5 Dream On TAB 1973
- 6 I Don't Want to Miss a Thing COVER 1998
- 7 Kings And Queens TAB 1997
- 8 Love In An Elevator TAB 1989
- 9 Mama Kin LESSON 1973
- 10 One Way Street Brad Whitford TAB 1974
- 11 One Way Street Joe Perry TAB 1974
- 12 Sweet Emotion TAB 1975
- 13 Train Kept A-Rollin' TAB 1974
- 14 Walk This Way TAB 1975
Alice Cooper 4
B
Billy Squier 2
Blue Oyster Cult 4
Blue Öyster Cult 5
Bon Jovi 18
- 1 -Living On A Prayer- TAB 1986
- 2 Always TAB 1994
- 3 Bad Medicine LESSON 1988
- 4 Bed of Roses TAB 1992
- 5 Born To Be My Baby TAB 1988
- 6 Dry County TAB 1992
- 7 Have A Nice Day TAB 2005
- 8 I'd Die For You TAB 1984
- 9 I'll Be There For You TAB 1988
- 10 In These Arms TAB 1989
- 11 It's My Life COVER 2000
- 12 Keep The Faith TAB 1992
- 13 Livin' on a Prayer TAB 1986
- 14 Raise Your Hands LESSON 1986
- 15 Runaway TAB 1984
- 16 This Ain't A Love Song TAB 2005
- 17 Wanted Dead or Alive TAB 1986
- 18 You Give Love a Bad Name TAB 1986
Bruce Dickinson 2
C
Coffin Dance 1
D
Damn Yankees 1
Deep Purple 7
Def Leppard 13
- 1 Animal LESSON 1987
- 2 Bringin' On the Heartbreak TAB 1981
- 3 Bringin' On The Heartbreak & solos TAB 1981
- 4 Foolin' TAB 1983
- 5 Gods Of War LESSON 1987
- 6 Hysteria TAB 1987
- 7 Love Bites TAB 1987
- 8 Photograph TAB 1983
- 9 Pour Some Sugar On Me TAB 1987
- 10 Rock of Ages TAB 1983
- 11 Take What You Want TAB 1987
- 12 Too Late For Love LESSON 1983
- 13 Two Steps Behind TAB 1993
Dragon Ball GT Theme 1
E
Europe 13
- 1 Bring It Home TAB 1986
- 2 Cherokee TAB 1979
- 3 Coast To Coast TAB 1988
- 4 Danger On The Track TAB 1982
- 5 Heart of Stone TAB 1986
- 6 Hero TAB 1986
- 7 Hold Your Head Up TAB 1989
- 8 Ninja TAB 1986
- 9 Open Your Heart TAB 1985
- 10 Prisoners In Paradise TAB 1990
- 11 Superstitious TAB 1991
- 12 Superstitious Kee Marcello's solo TAB 1990
- 13 The Final Countdown Guitar Solo Lesson LESSON 1986
Extreme 6
F
Film Soundtracks 1
G
Ghost 9
Great White 1
Greta Van Fleet 4
Guns N' Roses 48
- 1 14 Years TAB 1991
- 2 Anything Goes TAB 1987
- 3 Appetite For Destruction TAB 1987
- 4 Appetite For Destruction (Nightrain-style medley) TAB 1987
- 5 Back Off Bitch TAB 1991
- 6 Bad Apples TAB 1991
- 7 Breakdown TAB 1991
- 8 Civil War TAB 1991
- 9 Coma TAB 1991
- 10 Dead Horse TAB 1991
- 11 Don't Cry TAB 1991
- 12 Don’t Cry TAB 1991
- 13 Don't Cry - Rhythm Guitar Parts LESSON 1991
- 14 Double Talkin' Jive TAB 1991
- 15 Dust N' Bones TAB 1991
- 16 Estranged TAB 1991
- 17 Get in the Ring TAB 1991
- 18 Hard Skool TAB 2021
- 19 How to play Knockin' On Heaven's Door TAB 1991
- 20 How to play Knockin' On Heaven's Door - All the riffs LESSON
- 21 How to play Knockin' On Heaven's Door - The Solos LESSON 1991
- 22 Knockin' on Heaven's Door TAB 1991
- 23 Locomotive TAB 1991
- 24 Mr. Brownstone TAB 1987
- 25 My Michelle TAB 1987
- 26 Nightrain TAB 1987
- 27 Nightrain Guitar Solo Lesson - Outro Solo LESSON 1988
- 28 November Rain TAB 1991
- 29 November Rain Guitar Solo Lesson - 1st and 2nd Solos - Slash LESSON 1991
- 30 November Rain Outro TAB 1991
- 31 November Rain Outro Guitar Solo Lesson - Slash LESSON 1991
- 32 One in a Million TAB 1988
- 33 Ordinary Man TAB 1992
- 34 Out ta Get Me TAB 1987
- 35 Paradise City TAB 1987
- 36 Patience TAB 1988
- 37 Pretty Tied Up TAB 1991
- 38 Rocket Queen TAB 1987
- 39 Sweet Child o' Mine TAB 1987
- 40 Sweet Child O' Mine Instrumental LESSON 1987
- 41 The Garden TAB 1991
- 42 The General TAB 2023
- 43 Think About You TAB 1987
- 44 This I Love LESSON 2008
- 45 Welcome to the Jungle TAB 1987
- 46 Yesterdays TAB 1991
- 47 You Could Be Mine TAB 1991
- 48 You're Crazy TAB 1987
Guns N’ Roses 3
H
Halestorm 2
Heart 3
J
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts 1
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts 1
K
Kiss 8
KISS 5
L
Led Zeppelin 17
- 1 Babe I'm Gonna Leave You TAB 1969
- 2 Black Dog TAB 1971
- 3 Communication Breakdown LESSON 1969
- 4 Custard Pie LESSON 1975
- 5 D'yer Mak'er TAB 1973
- 6 Dazed and Confused LESSON 1969
- 7 Good Times Bad Times TAB 1969
- 8 Heartbreaker TAB 1969
- 9 Hey What Can I Do TAB 1970
- 10 Immigrant Song TAB 1970
- 11 Living Loving Maid TAB 1969
- 12 Rock and Roll TAB 1971
- 13 Rock N Roll TAB 1971
- 14 The Ocean LESSON 1973
- 15 The Rover TAB 1975
- 16 Whole Lotta Love TAB 1969
- 17 Whole Lotta...METAL COVER
M
Mary On A Cross 1
Michael Schenker Group 1
Mission Impossible Theme 1
Mountain 2
N
Naruto Shippuden 1
Night Ranger 1
P
Praying Mantis 1
Purple Rain 1
Q
Quiet Riot 3
R
RIP Dick Dale 1
S
Saigon Kick 1
Sails Of Charon 1
Scorpions 22
- 1 Always Somewhere TAB 1979
- 2 Bad Boys Running Wild TAB 1988
- 3 Big City Nights TAB 1984
- 4 Blackout TAB 1982
- 5 Can't Live Without You TAB 1980
- 6 Coast To Coast TAB 1982
- 7 He`s A Woman She`s A Man TAB 1984
- 8 In Trance TAB 1975
- 9 Lady Starlight TAB 1984
- 10 Life Like A River TAB 1978
- 11 Life's Like A River TAB 1978
- 12 No One Like You TAB 1982
- 13 Peacemaker TAB 1988
- 14 Rock You Like a Hurricane TAB 1984
- 15 Sails Of Charon TAB 1977
- 16 Send Me An Angel COVER 1990
- 17 Still Loving You TAB 1984
- 18 Tease Me Please Me TAB 1984
- 19 The Sails Of Charon TAB 1977
- 20 We'll Burn The Sky second to (with tablatures and backing tracks TAB
- 21 When The Smoke Is Going Down TAB 1974
- 22 Wind of Change TAB 1990
SKID ROW 1
Slam Dunk Op1 Theme 1
Slash 7
Still Loving You 1
Super Mario Theme 1
T
The Cult 3
The Phantom of the Opera 1
Top Gun Anthem 1
Twisted Sister 3
U
V
Van Halen 49
- 1 316 TAB 1991
- 2 5150 LESSON 1986
- 3 Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love TAB 1978
- 4 Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love TAB 1978
- 5 Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love - Famous Riffs LESSON 1978
- 6 Amsterdam LESSON 1995
- 7 Atomic Punk LESSON 1978
- 8 Beautiful Girls LESSON 1979
- 9 Best of Both Worlds LESSON 1986
- 10 Bottoms Up! LESSON 1979
- 11 Can't Stop Lovin' You TAB 1995
- 12 Cathedral LESSON 1982
- 13 D.O.A. LESSON 1979
- 14 Dance the Night Away LESSON 1979
- 15 Dreams LESSON 1986
- 16 Drop Dead Legs LESSON 1984
- 17 Eruption TAB 1978
- 18 Everybody Wants Some!! LESSON 1980
- 19 Feel Your Love Tonight LESSON 1978
- 20 Girl Gone Bad LESSON 1984
- 21 Hear About It Later LESSON 1981
- 22 Hot for Teacher TAB 1984
- 23 House of Pain LESSON 1984
- 24 I'll Wait TAB 1984
- 25 I'm The One TAB 1978
- 26 Jamie's Cryin' TAB 1978
- 27 Judgement Day LESSON 1991
- 28 Jump TAB 1984
- 29 Light Up the Sky LESSON 1979
- 30 Little Dreamer LESSON 1978
- 31 Little Guitars LESSON 1982
- 32 Mean Street LESSON 1981
- 33 On Fire LESSON 1978
- 34 Panama TAB 1984
- 35 Poundcake LESSON 1991
- 36 Pretty Woman LESSON 1982
- 37 Right Now LESSON 1991
- 38 Romeo Delight LESSON 1980
- 39 Runaround LESSON 1991
- 40 Runnin' with the Devil TAB 1978
- 41 Somebody Get Me a Doctor LESSON 1979
- 42 Spanish Fly LESSON 1979
- 43 Take Your Whiskey Home LESSON 1980
- 44 The Seventh Seal LESSON 1995
- 45 Top Jimmy LESSON 1984
- 46 Top Of The World LESSON 1991
- 47 Unchained TAB 1981
- 48 Women in Love... LESSON 1979
- 49 You Really Got Me TAB 1978
Velvet Revolver 2
Vinnie Moore 1
W
Whitesnake 4
Y
You Really Got Me 1
What Defines Hard Rock Guitar?
Hard rock guitar revolves around distorted power chords, pentatonic-based solos and driving rhythms. Most hard rock sits in E Standard tuning, though many bands (especially from the 70s) tune down a half step to Eb Standard for a slightly heavier, looser feel. The typical signal chain is a humbucker-loaded guitar into a cranked Marshall or similar high-gain amp.
The genre spans decades. Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple laid the foundation in the early 70s. Van Halen reinvented lead guitar with tapping in the late 70s. Guns N' Roses and Def Leppard dominated the 80s. And bands like Foo Fighters kept the sound alive into the 2000s and beyond.
If you're looking to build a practice routine around hard rock, start with open power chord riffs like Back in Black, then move to faster rhythm work like Sweet Child O' Mine. When you're ready for lead, the Eruption solo is the ultimate benchmark.
Explore hard rock songs from the 70s, from the 80s, or browse by tuning to find songs that match your setup.