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Greta Van Fleet - Black Smoke Rising - Guitar Lesson

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Key E minor
Greta Van Fleet - Black Smoke Rising guitar lesson video
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Classic Rock

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Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
From the Fires album cover
From the Fires
2017 4:20
Listen on Spotify
Greta Van Fleet Hard Rock 2017 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Black Smoke Rising

Few songs announce a band's arrival quite like this one does. "Black Smoke Rising" is built on a raw, pentatonic-driven riff in E minor that sits right in the pocket of E Standard tuning, so every open string resonates and rings with real weight. Greta Van Fleet lean hard into a Hard Rock feel here, and the guitar work rewards players who can blend aggressive picking attack with loose, bluesy bends. At 120 BPM the tempo is approachable, but keeping the riff tight while still sounding spontaneous is the real challenge. The solo section demands controlled pentatonic phrasing and confident vibrato rather than sheer speed, so focus on making each note speak rather than rushing through. If the transitions between the riff and the chord hits feel choppy, use the Practice Toolbar to loop that passage slowed down until your fretting hand locks in cleanly. Getting the tone right matters here too: a bit of overdrive with some midrange presence goes a long way.

  • The main riff sits in E minor pentatonic in E Standard tuning, making open-string resonance a key part of the tone.
  • Vibrato control and bending accuracy matter more in the solo than speed, so practise each phrase in isolation before linking them.
  • A medium-gain overdrive with boosted mids will get you close to the thick, raw guitar tone heard on the recording.

How to Play Black Smoke Rising

Tuning: E Standard · Key: E minor · Tempo: 120 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 120 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Jake Kiszka uses the Stratocaster's stock single-coils for crystalline, glassy tones in cleaner passages and arpeggiated sections, providing chimey contrast to his Les Paul's thicker voice. The single-coil bite cuts through the mix when he needs sparkling texture without the humbuckers' natural compression.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Jake's primary instrument, the Les Paul's PAF-style humbuckers and mahogany body deliver warm, dynamic tones that clean up beautifully when he rolls back the volume and break into rich harmonics when he digs in. Running through cranked Fender and Marshall tube amps, this setup defines Greta Van Fleet's signature vintage-rock sustain and power.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

The Les Paul Custom's thicker body and refined pickups extend Jake's warm, compressed-but-dynamic tone palette, offering subtle variations in harmonic response compared to his Standard model. This guitar maintains the same 50s-style wiring philosophy, ensuring smooth volume roll-off that preserves high-end clarity during lead work.

Gibson ES-335
Guitar

Gibson ES-335

Jake deploys the ES-335's warmer, jazzier voice for passages requiring mellower sustain and reduced bite, complementing the Les Paul's aggression in Greta Van Fleet's dynamic arrangements. Its semi-hollow body naturally adds resonance and subtlety, perfect for blues-influenced solos and atmospheric textures.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Jake's most prominent effect, the Cry Baby wah defines funky rhythm passages and expressive solos throughout Greta Van Fleet's catalog, adding vocal-like movement to his lead lines. Used sparingly but effectively, it's the primary seasoning in his otherwise tube-driven, minimal-effects signal chain.

MXR Phase 90
Pedal

MXR Phase 90

The Phase 90 provides psychedelic swirling textures on select Greta Van Fleet tracks, adding spacious, hypnotic motion without overwhelming the core tube-amp tone. This occasional effect reinforces Jake's vintage-rock palette, channeling 70s progressive influences while keeping the primary focus on warm, dynamic guitar fundamentals.

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