AC/DC - Highway to Hell - Guitar Tab

Highway to Hell

1979 3:28

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About Highway to Hell

Few riffs in rock are as immediately recognisable as the opening of "Highway to Hell," and learning it is one of the most rewarding things a rhythm guitarist can do. The core groove sits in A major and revolves around a handful of open-position and barre chords, but what makes it feel right is the attitude in the strumming: a locked-in, behind-the-beat swagger that takes real attention to nail. Angus Young's lead fills between verses are deceptively simple, built from the minor pentatonic scale over a major-key progression, so getting them to sit in the pocket matters more than pure speed. The chord transitions, especially moving cleanly between the A, D, and G shapes at tempo, are where beginners tend to slip. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop those transitions slowed down until the changes feel automatic before bringing them back up to full speed. AC/DC kept the arrangement stripped back, which means every sloppy note is exposed, so clean execution is the real challenge here.

• The signature riff is built on open-position A, D, and G chords, making it approachable for intermediate players but demanding in terms of rhythmic tightness.
• Angus Young's lead guitar fills use minor pentatonic phrases over the major-key progression, a classic technique worth isolating and practising slowly.
• Because the arrangement is deliberately sparse, right-hand rhythm accuracy and consistent pick attack are more important than any single left-hand technique.