AC/DC – Back In Black

October 3, 2007

AC/dc back in black ukulele riff
Back In Black midi

AC/DC are the gods of riff. They’ve continually churned them out over their 70-year long career and this riff has to be the best of them.

The opening riff, I’ve tabbed in the key of A (it’s the same shapes as the original transposed onto the uke).

back in black ac/dc ukulele riff

Not content with one outstanding riff in a song, they decided this song deserves two. Most bands would base an entire career on a riff this could but AC/DC threw it away as a middle 8.

I’ve tabbed this riff in C (just to confuse/annoy you). The fingering gets a little tricky when the riff moves up to the fifth position. An alternative to the way I’ve tabbed it is to barre across the fifth fret throughout and play it the same as the open riff. Try out both and see which you prefer.

I heartily recommend you check out Baron Von Uke’s version of the song.

Suggested by Stewart

Buy Back in Black

EXPECTING TO FIND CHORDS/TABS? Try clicking where it says the name of the song in red under the video.
Written by Woodshed · Filed Under Tab 
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Comments

8 Responses to “AC/DC – Back In Black”

  1. West on October 3rd, 2007 10:48 pm

    “…their 70-year long career”

    Are you sure? Pedantry aside, another top choice! Keep up the good work!

  2. Woodshed on October 3rd, 2007 11:04 pm

    Thanks, West. Yes, I’m absolutely sure it’s 70 years. Angus Young is 88 years old.

  3. Stewart Greenhill on October 4th, 2007 3:22 pm

    Nice work!

    For the trivia-heads: The album “Back in Black” is said to be a tribute to lead singer Bon Scott who died in 1980 aged 33. Black is of course the colour of mourning, and the title symbolises the band’s resolve to continue their work in his honour. Bon’s final resting place is in Fremantle Cemetery, just a few blocks down the road from where I live. In 2005 the National Trust of Western Australia classified it as a place of heritage significance. Its become a bit of a pigrimage destination, not just for Australians but for people from around the world.

  4. Woodshed on October 4th, 2007 8:22 pm

    Thanks for the info, Stewart. I didn’t know that.

  5. Josh on February 15th, 2009 7:28 pm

    do you think anyone could tell me what the bracketed ‘2′ means in the second bar of the riff.

    thanks

  6. Woodshed on February 16th, 2009 5:57 pm

    Josh: The (2) is tied from the previous note – so you just hold the note rather than picking it again.

  7. FOLEY on April 2nd, 2009 8:03 am

    Angus Young was born on March 31st, 1959, which would make him 50 not 80

    the source was http://www.theguitarfiles.com/guitarfile146.html

  8. Gull Able on July 9th, 2009 6:23 pm

    original post:

    Angus Young was born on March 31st, 1959, which would make him 50 not 80.

    my remark:

    Oh, how I worry about people like you. So naive….
    I hope you don’t believe everything you read on the internet.
    There’s a great thing we call sarcasm. Get out of the house, talk to people more….get a sense of humor. Clearly Angus is not 80 and ACDC has not been around for 70 years.

    Good luck in life!

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