How To Make An Acdc Song

You want a song that hits like a fist of electricity and refuses to be polite about it. You want a riff that people can hum while stuck in traffic. You want vocals that sound like someone yelling brilliant advice at a bar stool. This guide gives you the toolkit to write a song in the spirit of AC/DC. That means simple ideas played with maximum conviction, an unapologetic love of guitar, and lyrics that live in the streets and in the back of the van after a gig.

Everything here is written for musicians who want to capture that classic raw rock and roll energy without impersonating a museum piece. You will find practical riff recipes, lyric prompts, tonal settings, recording choices, performance tactics, and last mile mix tips. We explain every acronym so you do not need to be an engineer to get great sound. Expect blunt advice, ridiculous examples, and exercises you can finish tonight in your garage or bedroom studio.

What Makes an AC/DC Song Feel Like AC/DC

AC/DC is not a genre. It is a vow to move forward and to not pretend you like jazz. The band built a sound from a short list of choices that you can learn and adopt with focus.

• A killer riff that is simple, repetitive, and relentlessly confident.
• Power chord and pentatonic based solos that are melodic and economical.
• Vocals with grit and personality that deliver lines like they are instructions.
• Lyrics that celebrate nightlife and defiance in everyday language.
• Steady groove that locks drum, bass, and rhythm guitar together like glue.
• Tone that is raw, direct, and amp driven with minimal digital polish.

Step One: Start With a Riff

AC/DC songs are built around riffs. The riff is the idea. It is the thing you can play in a petrol station and sound legit. Start here.

Riff ingredients

• Scale: Use the minor pentatonic scale or the blues scale. These scales are five note scales that are easy to sing and bend. The minor pentatonic is the bedrock of rock and blues guitar solos.
• Chord focus: Riffs usually outline power chords. A power chord is two notes the root and the fifth. It is sometimes written as 5 chord. They sound huge on a tube amp.
• Rhythm idea: Use short repeated motifs that lock to the snare on two and four. Repetition breeds recognition.
• Space: Leave a beat of silence or fewer notes at the end of a phrase to let the riff breathe and to create anticipation.

Quick exercise

1. Set your tempo between 110 and 140 BPM. BPM stands for beats per minute and tells you how fast the song moves.
2. Pick an open E or A string. Play root to fifth power chords with a downstroke focus. Record two bars looped.
3. Invent a three or four note motif on the lowest string that fits inside those two bars. Repeat it and then change a single note on the repeat.

Example riff idea written in words

Play an open E power chord. Hammer an octave up and then drop to the low open E single note. Palm the strings lightly for attack. Repeat the sequence twice. On the repeat add a little chromatic walk down from fret three to fret one before finishing on the open E. That tiny chromatic touch gives grit and attitude without complexity.

Riff Writing Recipes You Can Steal

Recipe A: The One Figure Riff

Pick a single rhythmic figure of three notes. Repeat it four times. Add a stop on the last bar and let the drums breathe. This is the kind of riff that becomes the title chant in the chorus.

Recipe B: The Call and Response Riff

Two bars of a simple riff. Two bars of a rhythmic open chord hit as a response. The back and forth mimics a conversation. It is perfect for verses where the vocals answer the riff and the riff answers the vocals.

Recipe C: The Marching Riff

Play steady eighth notes with a slight accent on the downbeat. Use alternating root and octave shapes. Add a tiny slide or hammer on at the end of the bar to give it swagger. This type of riff locks rhythm section and gives the song a powerful forward motion.

Chord Progressions That Actually Work

AC/DC commonly uses simple progressions. Simplicity is not laziness. It is focus.

• I IV V patterns are common. That means the tonic the fourth and the fifth chords in a key. In E major that is E A B. If you prefer minor approach the relative minor and keep the motion tight.
• Use two chord vamps for verses. Let the riff do the heavy lifting while the vocals tell the story. Two chords repeated can feel huge when played with conviction.
• Drop the bridge to a different chord to create lift. The bridge can be a single chord vamp over which the guitarist solos. Keep it short and dramatic.

Lyrics and Theme: Speak Like You Are Ordering a Beer

AC/DC lyrics are simple and vivid. They favor images that fit on a T shirt and lines that sound like bar advice.

• Common themes are party life, girls, rebellion, work life, and swagger. Pick one and lean into it.
• Use concrete imagery not abstractions. Mention trucks bars streets names times and objects. Your listener should be able to imagine a scene quickly.
• Use repetition for hooks. A short chant repeated during the chorus increases sing along value.
• Double entendre and cheeky phrasing are part of the charm. Be bold but not clever for its own sake.

Real life lyric scenario

Imagine you text your ex at 2 AM after a gig and then decide not to send it. That exact little action becomes a lyric like I write your name the drunk keys glow then I rip the note and burn it in the cup holder. Concrete. Slightly absurd. Rock and roll.

Lyric writing prompts you can use now

• Write a chorus that repeats a two word title. Example title candidates: Back Seat, Highway Queen, Whiskey Train. Keep the words punchy.
• Write two verse images. Verse one shows a bar room detail. Verse two shows a road detail. Chorus ties them together with the title phrase repeated three times.
• Write a pre chorus that says we will do this again tonight. Short direct lines work best.

Vocals: Shout It Like You Mean It

AC/DC vocals are not subtle. They are raw and often pushed into the higher register. You do not need to sing pretty. You need to sing convincingly.

• Performance tip: Imagine you are telling the audience a secret and then you decide to shout it. That push creates the unique grit and edge.
• Technique note: Grit comes from slightly pressing the vocal cords while keeping good breath support. If you are unsure practice with short pushes not long screams. If it hurts stop immediately and rest your voice.
• Delivery trick: Place vowels on open notes. Long open vowels are easier to shout and to hear through guitars. Use ah and oh shapes in the chorus.
• Ad libs: Add shout back vocals in the chorus such as whoa and hey. Group shouts make a chorus feel like a party.

Drums and Groove: Human and Relentless

The drum style in AC/DC songs is simple and purposeful. The idea is to serve the riff not to show off.

• Keep the kick drum tight and in time. The bass and kick lock together to push the riff forward.
• Snare on two and four is a backbone. Let the snare cut through the distorted guitars.
• Use cymbal accents to mark transitions. A crash at the top of the chorus and a hi hat ride during verses keep energy moving.
• Fill sparingly. One or two beat fills that lead into chorus or bridge are enough. Fills should add momentum not distraction.

Bass: Glue It Down

Bass in an AC/DC style song is almost religious about one job. That job is to support the riff. The bass often doubles the root notes of the guitar and locks to the kick drum. Keep it punchy and present.

Guitar Leads and Solos: Economy is Sexy

Guitar solos do not need to be impossible. They need to sing.

• Use the minor pentatonic scale and bend with expression. Pick a note and make it sing with bends vibrato and small slides.
• Repeat motifs inside a solo. A repeated phrase becomes memorable and feels like a melody not a technical display.
• Leave space between phrases. Silence inside a solo is as important as the notes. It gives listeners time to think and to join the chant.

Solo exercise

1. Play the bridge riff looped for eight bars.
2. Improvise using only three notes from the pentatonic. Repeat a short phrase three times then change the final note on the fourth repeat. Record and pick the best pass.

Tone and Gear: The Sonic Secret

AC/DC tone is not a secret lab experiment. It is a combo of instrument choice amplifier settings and recording mojo.

Guitars

Gibson SG and Les Paul models are classic. Single humbucker or dual humbucker pickups give thick midrange and high output. The SG is associated with Angus Young. Use a guitar that feels aggressive and cuts through a full band.

Amps and settings

• Marshall style tube amps are a staple. Set the gain so the amp sings and breaks up but does not become a smear of distortion. Think crunchy rather than mushy.
• EQ: Keep mids present. Drop a bit of low end to avoid mud. Highs should be bright enough to cut through but not brittle.
• Use the amp's natural compression. That tube sag is musical. If you need more sustain add a small amount of overdrive pedal before the amp.

Miking and recording basics

Microphone choice matters. The Shure SM57 is a go to dynamic microphone for guitar cabs. It handles high sound pressure and captures a focused midrange. A ribbon mic or a condenser mic at a distance can capture room tone and air. Blend a close mic and a room mic to taste.

DI stands for direct input. It means recording the guitar signal straight from the pickup into your audio interface. You can reamp a DI later to try different amp tones. DI plus amp mic gives flexibility in mixing.

Arrangement and Structure

AC/DC songs usually favor classic rock song shapes. Keep structure clear and let every section have a purpose.

• Common structure: Intro riff then verse chorus verse chorus bridge solo final chorus. The intro riff often functions as the chorus hook in the listener memory.
• Intro identity: A short guitar intro establishes the riff and hooks the ear immediately. Make it repeatable and recognizable.
• Bridge for contrast: Use a bridge or middle eight to change chord color and give the solo a different backdrop. Keep it short and melodic.

Production and Mixing Tips to Capture That Vintage Live Feel

Modern production is tempting. The AC/DC approach favors realism and energy over polish.

• Record as many musicians together as possible. Live takes capture bleed and interaction that create excitement. If you overdub do it with intention not fear.
• Panning: Double the rhythm guitars and pan hard left and right. Keep the lead guitar centered slightly forward. Vocals sit in the center. This creates a wide and punchy stereo image.
• Compression: Use moderate compression on drums and vocals for control. Avoid crushing dynamic range. Let accents breathe.
• Reverb: Use a plate reverb for vocals and a small room reverb for drums. Avoid huge ambient reverbs that remove grit.
• Saturation: Analog tape or tape emulation plugins add glue and pleasant distortion to the mix. Use it to taste on the master buss.

How to Finish the Song Without Overworking It

Simplicity is the friend of this style. An AC/DC style song lives by decisions made early and not reversed. Here is a finish checklist.

1. Lock the riff. If the riff is not tight and memorable the rest will wobble.
2. Make the chorus a single chantable line repeated. The chorus should be an earworm after one listen.
3. Keep the arrangement economical. Add one new layer for the final chorus at most.
4. Record a live take with all parts together if possible. Capture the energy even if it is imperfect.
5. Get three listeners who will not be polite. Ask them what line they sing after the song stops. If none of them can tell you the chorus lyric fix it.

Examples: Before and After

Before: I met her on a night out and we had fun with each other.

After: She smelled like petrol and lipstick, we wrecked the jukebox at closing time.

Before: I am tired of working every day.

After: Nine to five punched my badge, Friday night says wake up and ride.

Notice how the after lines show specific imagery and rhythm. They feel immediate and singable. That is the goal.

Exercises to Write an AC/DC Style Song in a Weekend

1. Day One Morning: Write ten two word title ideas. Pick one that feels like a chant. Examples: Rock Machine, Night Rider, Back Seat.
2. Day One Afternoon: Craft a riff and a two chord verse vamp. Keep tempo around 120 to 130 BPM. Loop it for two hours and sing over it.
3. Day Two Morning: Write a chorus of one line repeated three times. Stick to open vowel sounds.
4. Day Two Afternoon: Build a bridge that moves to a different chord. Record a simple guitar solo over the bridge using three notes only.
5. Day Two Night: Record a live take with drums bass two guitars and vocals. Keep it raw. Pick the best take. Trim nothing that removes energy.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

• Overcomplicating the riff. Fix by cutting notes until the core motif reads clearly on the first listen.
• Writing vague lyrics. Fix by replacing abstract adjectives with a concrete object or action per line.
• Too much modern polish. Fix by reducing digital effects and using amp tone and room mic for character.
• Vocals that are polite. Fix by practicing with a slight push technique and by adding group shouts in the chorus for attitude.

Practical Recording Checklist

• Guitar: Plug into a Marshall style amp. Use the amp at a moderate volume for tube breakup. Mic the cab with a Shure SM57 close to the speaker cone. Add a ribbon or condenser mic two to three feet away for room sound.
• Bass: DI recorded then optionally reamped. Compress lightly. Lock to kick drum.
• Drums: Kick, snare, overheads and room mics. Keep the snare bright and the kick punchy.
• Vocals: Warm up. Use a dynamic mic or a condenser in a treated space. Add subtle plate reverb. Record doubles of the chorus for thickness.
• Mix: Double rhythm guitars and pan wide. Keep vocals center. Use saturation on the master bus for glue. Avoid excessive stereo widening plugins that smear guitar impact.

Performance Tips for Stage Presence

AC/DC built half of their magic on stage. Live attitude sells the song.

• Move with the riff. Let the guitar be a physical object that you respond to.
• Add simple stage theatrics like call and response with the crowd. Teach them the chorus and make noise when they sing it back.
• Keep energy even across the set. A strong chorus repeated with full voice is better than a weak attempt at virtuosity.

Legal and Ethical Note on Emulation

There is a difference between taking inspiration and copying. Use the tools and the style to write an original song. Avoid lifting melodic lines or lyrics directly from AC/DC songs. Write riffs that have the same spirit not the same exact notes. You are paying tribute not running a cover shop from your living room without permission.

Example Mini Song Walkthrough

Title: Back Seat Thunder

Step 1 Riff

Open A root power chord. Palm mute the first two eighths then release for the third. Add a single string pentatonic lick that lands on the root. Repeat. The riff hooks immediately and leaves a beat of silence at the end of the four bar phrase.

Step 2 Verse

Keep only the riff and finger style rhythm guitar during the verse. Lyrics in the verse paint a scene. Example verse line: The dashboard glows like a tired sun, cigarette ash for confetti.

Step 3 Chorus

Chorus is three repeat lines of the title. Use open vowel on back and seat. Add gang vocal whoas. Guitar doubles with a higher octave part to add lift.

Step 4 Bridge and Solo

Change to a single chord vamp on G for four bars. Guitar solo uses three note motifs repeated with bends. Backing vocals shout the title at the one bar before the solo ends to kick the final chorus into a roar.

FAQ

Do I need a vintage Marshall amp to get the AC/DC tone

You do not need vintage gear to capture the spirit. A modern tube amp with the right EQ and gain settings can get close. The amp is only part of the chain. Pickup type speaker cabinet mic placement and the player attack matter as much. If you cannot access a Marshall use an amp that breaks up nicely and focus on midrange presence and tight lows.

What is the best key for AC/DC style songs

Many classic songs are in A and E. These keys work well with open strings and give the guitar a big natural sound. Choose a key that fits the vocalist range. If the singer needs more headroom transpose up by a whole step. The feel matters more than the exact key.

How do I make my riffs sound less like practicing scales and more like real riffs

Practice playing with groove not speed. Put accents on different beats. Use repetition and leave space. Add one chromatic or blues note for flavor. If a riff becomes predictable change a single note on the repeat. Small changes create interest without complexity.

Can I use digital amp simulators

Yes. Modern amp sims are very capable. Start with a high quality simulator and use IR speaker cabinet models. Add a touch of room mic or reverb to avoid a dry clinical sound. If you can, compare a mic'd amp take and a sim take to match tone and choose what serves the song best.

How do I keep my vocals gritty without damaging my voice

Warm up with gentle exercises. Use short grit pushes not sustained screaming. Hydrate and rest. If you feel strain stop. A singing coach can teach safe distortion techniques. Your throat is not expendable. Keep it safe so you can sing another night.

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