AC/DC - T.N.T. - Guitar Tab

High Voltage

1976 3:35

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About T.N.T.

Few riffs in rock history are as immediately recognisable as the opening of "T.N.T." by AC/DC. Angus Young builds the whole thing from a stripped-back E-based figure that sits right in the pocket of the low strings, making it a perfect study in how much attitude you can squeeze out of very few notes. The riff lives and breathes in E major, so open strings do a lot of the work, and getting the right hand-muting tight is what separates a convincing version from a sloppy one. The rhythmic feel is the real challenge: that lurching, swaggering groove requires you to stay locked with the kick drum rather than rushing ahead. If the muted chug between chord stabs keeps slipping, use the Practice Toolbar to loop that section slowed down until the right-hand pattern feels automatic. The chord transitions themselves are not complicated, but matching the raw, punchy tone and attack is where beginners will spend the most time.

• The main riff is built around open-E and A-string power chords, making it very approachable for players who have basic chord shapes under their fingers.
• Right-hand palm muting is central to the signature groove, and keeping the muting consistent across tempo is the main technical hurdle to clear.
• A slightly overdriven tone with the guitar's volume rolled back just a touch helps nail the punchy, dry attack Angus Young uses on the original recording.