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Led Zeppelin - What Is And What Should Never Be - Chords - Guitar Lesson

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Led Zeppelin - What Is And What Should Never Be - Chords - Guitar Lesson

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Led Zeppelin - What Is And What Should Never Be - Chords guitar lesson video
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What Is And What Should Never Be - Chords

"What Is And What Should Never Be" is a track by Led Zeppelin that showcases the band's dynamic range, shifting between delicate, clean guitar passages and powerful, distorted riffs. Written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, the song demonstrates contrasting tonal textures that make it a rewarding study for electric guitarists. Learning the chord work helps players develop control over clean-to-heavy transitions, a technique central to classic rock and blues-influenced playing.

  • The song features a distinctive contrast between soft, arpeggiated clean chords and aggressive, full-band distorted sections.
  • Jimmy Page's chord voicings blend open and fretted positions, offering guitarists a lesson in expressive, dynamic rhythm playing.
  • Led Zeppelin released their debut album through Atlantic Records in early 1969, launching one of rock's most influential guitar-driven careers.
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
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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
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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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