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Led Zeppelin - Hey, Hey, What Can I Do - Guitar Lesson

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Key E major
Led Zeppelin - Hey, Hey, What Can I Do guitar lesson video
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Classic Rock

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Mid7
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Coda (Deluxe Edition) album cover
Coda (Deluxe Edition)
1982 3:57
Listen on Spotify
Led Zeppelin Blues Rock 1982 E major
Capo Advisor 0 E major · Original key

About Hey, Hey, What Can I Do

One of the few Led Zeppelin tracks built almost entirely around an acoustic guitar, this Blues Rock ballad rewards close attention to right-hand technique. Jimmy Page drives the song with a fingerpicked pattern in E major that keeps a steady alternating bass note moving under melodic fills, and getting that independence between thumb and fingers is the central challenge. At 92 BPM the tempo feels relaxed, but that ease is deceptive: keeping the bass consistent while your fingers voice the upper strings cleanly takes real control. The open-E tuning of standard E Standard means you have ringing open strings available throughout, and using them tastefully rather than accidentally is worth thinking about. Work through the main fingerpicking pattern in short phrases, and use the Practice Toolbar to loop any bar that loses its rhythmic evenness when slowed down. Once the pattern feels automatic, focus on the subtle chord embellishments Page adds on the upper strings, which give the part its personality.

  • The signature part is a fingerpicked acoustic pattern in E major, demanding thumb-and-finger independence to keep the alternating bass steady.
  • At 92 BPM the song feels gentle, but maintaining clean open-string ring without muddying chord changes requires careful left-hand muting.
  • Page adds small melodic embellishments on the upper strings over the repeating chord progression, making it a useful study in acoustic ornamentation.

How to Play Hey, Hey, What Can I Do

Tuning: E Standard · Key: E major · Tempo: 92 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 92 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Fender Telecaster
Guitar

Fender Telecaster

Jimmy Page's 1958 Telecaster (gifted by Jeff Beck) delivered the bright, spanky single-coil attack that defined Led Zeppelin I's raw, bluesy edge. Its snappy treble cut through the mix on early tracks before Page switched to the warmer Les Paul for the band's heavier sound.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Page's 1959 Les Paul Standard with PAF humbuckers became the sonic backbone of Led Zeppelin from 1969 onward, its warm mahogany body and dynamic unpotted pickups creating the sustain-rich, touch-sensitive tone heard on 'Whole Lotta Love' and 'Black Dog.'

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

While Page primarily used the Les Paul Standard, a Custom's thicker body and tonal characteristics would complement his dynamic playing style, offering similar warmth with potentially enhanced bottom-end punch for Zeppelin's heavier arrangements.

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)
Amp

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)

The Marshall 1959 Super Lead Plexi was Page's primary amplifier from Led Zeppelin II onward, cranked past 7 for natural power-tube saturation and natural breakup that responded dynamically to his pick attack and volume knob control.

Vox AC30
Amp

Vox AC30

Page deployed the Vox AC30 in the studio for cleaner, chiming tones and layering textures that added dimension to Led Zeppelin's arrangements, offering a vintage British tone that complemented the Marshall's aggression.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Page's Vox Cry Baby wah became iconic on 'Dazed and Confused,' its expressive sweep adding vocal-like character to his lead work throughout Led Zeppelin's catalog, integral to the band's psychedelic and blues-rock textures.

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