Agreed, and that’s genius of both Malcolm Young (R.I.P), and his brother Angus, the way they got that classic rock tone, without having to use pedals or high gain.
Yes, I think that is what gives the rhythm some of it’s punch. Too much distortion can be so compressed sounding, muddier and has less dynamics. Not saying you can’t make heavy sounds sound fantastic, but they are just different, and that’s some of what makes these guys special.
Wow! Actually, just realizing: Angus’ has more distortion on his. And that is a technique I have used myself and is pretty common in some circles: I’ll split my guitar signal and have one going to a cleaner amp and one going to a dirtier amp. I’ll balance the volumes to where you just can’t hear the clean amp clearly, BUT you can still feel the sharper attack of it AND it can give more clarity to chords and such. That is what they have been doing all along. Makes sense to use two different tones so you get more complex, organic distortion with all these juicy characteristics. Rather than two guitars with the same exact level of distortion.
Yeah well let's not forget the rest that really became ACDC as we know it and knew it. Cliff Williams. His bass lines really added in to the mix. Shoot to Thrill, Shot Down in Flames, Let Me Put My Live into You and pretty much every ACDC song. Phill Rudd made that Top Hat blast. Oh. And Angus too. Honestly Brian Johnson took the place of Bon Scott and didn't replace him but fit right in. When Phill left for a while they kind of lacked a little. When Malcolm had to leave Steve Young fit right in playing The Beast. I wonder who he learned from? Hmm. Legends should never die but fade away and if there is one rock band that is a true legend it is ACDC. And now Cliff is gone? I jate 10 thousand retirement tours. I don't know if there will ever be another 3 chord dirty, distorted rock band that don't push social issues through lyrics to come about again but maybe give some wannabe rockstars a chance playing in thier garages. Anybody remember Rhino Bucket? They got a really bad rap because they sounded so much like ACDC. They were not a tribute or coverband but sounded so much like ACDC that they never got a chance. Who doesn't play the same chords as ACDC? So maybe sometimes it comes time to step aside and just piss your neighbors off by playing on the porch. Just sayin'. I love ACDC. But honestly for the price of tickets today? Sorry Angus. I have the memories twice and the eternal pleasure of playing the songs on guitar and bass but... I won't pay the price.
@@FreeTrollCounselingForDummies i didn't notice that and looked it up. He has one pickup in the rear slot behind his hand in the thumbnail. You can see the reflection of the metal. From the internet, "Why did Malcolm Young remove pickups? Malcolm removed the third pickup and the neck pickup to leave the guitar with a single FilterTron' in the bridge position. Later, he also removed the Burns Tailpiece and installed a Schaller Bad Ass Bridge along with a custom-made tailpiece."
He only turned up his amp (a JTM 45) right to where it started to break up, so that a lot of the grit depended on how hard he hit the strings (very hard, evidently).
One of the most consistent statements by most of my rock/metal heroes is that they don't use a much distortion as you'd think. I think it is the difference between using a 100w amp at full volume over a 30w at a volume your neighbors will not complain too much about. I guess that's what an attenuator is for, but you can't get one worth its salt for less than $250.
@@gitaarmovies2003 Angus Young is a legend, but he admits that Mal is better than him. Which is true, rest in peace Malcolm Young. Greatest rhythm guitarist of any genre of music in existence
I'm a sixty-two year old who has been an AC/DC fan since the beginning. I know nothing about playing music. But after listening to all of these isolated tracks, it's clear that the AC/DC "sound" is about Malcolm! Malcolm!! Malcolm!!! Damn, this guy is amazing.
Underrated for sure. His part is great in Riff Raff also, which is one of their best songs from the early days. He was a huge part of establishing the ACDC sound, and gave Angus the freedom to go off in his own way.
I'm a sixty-nine year old and just discovered AC/DC. I know nothing about playing music, but as a listener this is damn good. Where was my head at when this was being produced?
I'm the same age as you, and also an AC/DC fan since the beginning. I completely agree that Malcolm's guitar (backing vocals too) were the stand-out sound of the band. In fact, I'd say Malcolm's playing inspired all the other great things the band did. But also I play a little bit as a backing musician, and I know it's quite a challenge for any rhythm guitarist not to get over-excited and play too fast to keep a mid-tempo groove in the pocket. But Malcom did it while stomping his feet and banging his head. Rock and roll lived in this man's body and soul. For any aspiring musicians: surrender to the groove so your music is about the music. Record companies might try to convince you it's about your name and fame, but no, it's the music.
Been a DC fan almost 50 years seen them 13 times without doubt the most exciting live band of all time and I've seen most bands their raw energy and presence in the 70's was incredible Malc was one of my guitar heroes I miss him every day - ROCK IN PEACE "Riff maker" 🙏🎶🎸🎵🤘
I have gretsch with same burns tremolo as malcoms fire jet, mines an astrojet but anyway that big length of string behind bridge creates all kinds of sympathetic overtones
Im 48yo played guitar since i was 13yo, been playing this song my whole life, its my bread and butter, but after hearing it isolated like this iv been playing it ever so slightly wrong on the pedal note, and that little difference makes a huge difference to the overall grove, very subtle but tight and clean, i got so much respect for Malcolm, he was way better than i even gave him credit for and im a die hard fan 👍
It’s the intentional spaces between the notes/chords that packs the AC/DC punch. As older brother George said …..,‘it’s the stop that rocks’ RIP Mal and George ❤
Goddamn right. My entire universe has ran on Malcolm's rhythm since I was 9 years old back in the summer of 1976. That's the year High Voltage was released. The first time I heard T. N. T. something clicked on in my brain. It's never stopped. Rock in peace fine sir.
@@nunyabizness92161980-ish. Bought all the AC/DC cassettes from Columbia House. Slapped them in my Walkman. Mowed the 3-4 acres of lawn we had. I was about ten years old. Listening to Big Balls.
Absolutely right. I'm in... 😉 In France, we also have a reference from rare connoisseurs, about a French guitarist considered by some idiots to be a "simplistic" guitarist, but who in my opinion was largely inspired by Malcom in his early days. He's the guitarist of BxN (Bérurier Noir)... Loran. Along with a few other pro musicians in France, I consider him to be a role model, following in Malcolm Young's footsteps of course, because he's extremely precise… Atomic clockworks. Like him, I NEVER play without a drum machine with me, to work on precision, NEVER ! You can discover an exemple of his concert intro here ==> ua-cam.com/video/jOTPy_6EfAk/v-deo.html
I've played guitar for 30 years. I have many pictures of guitar players that have inspired me hanging on the wall of my practice room. Malcolm Young's picture is hanging above them all.
Most people play with far too much distortion. In your bedroom, sure. But in a band scenario… keep it clean! A cranked Fender Princeton is enough miked up for most anything except crap.
Who could have taught us rhythm guitar better than Malcolm? He was among the best and so humble, the greatest. We will never forget you Malcolm. We salute you and will keep rocking down here for you. Thank you
It’s amazing,you can actually hear the Gretsch twang when he lightens up on the strumming towards the end. Such a clear yet powerful tone. He was everything I ever wanted to be in a guitarist.
I could even feel the grumptch in the gefiltefish when the 3rd tonal sombrero kicked in after the lumbar saccral dorsalis left the main body of the burrito. It's like the voice of God.
thats not how electric guitars work buddy. the sound and tone come entirely from the pickups themselves, and the string material. if you have an eq system on the guitar, that as well, but literally nothing else has any effect on the sound in any way.
@@mrcoatsworth429 I think his most gain and treble was during LTBR, and ironically the Highway To Hell tour seems to have extremely harsh tones even though the album is less aggressive than the prior two
@@Tomversal depends on how you look at it. In the LTBR days, it was cranked Marshalls with an overdriven power amp. During the TRE, it was more modern, smooth preamp distortion. In my opinion, that is "more gain", but not necessarily a more aggressive sound.
No one understands this. I see some “what’s so special, I could play that when I was a kid.” They have no idea what they are talking about. Sure anyone can play the chords he’s playing but in the pocket like he is? No chance. That takes years of playing with a band.
The heavy strings he is known for using make perfect sense now. His picking hand was like a sledge hammer. If you try to play that hard on normal strings, they go way sharp with every hit. Hearing this was a great pleasure. Amazing what we have access to in the modern age.
@@neilanderson9151A.I. just copies from thousands of existing examples. There was only one Malcolm Young, it may get close but he will never be matched by man or machine.
Interesting, there are a few extra notes in the main riff, especially where he is hitting the open A, that I’d not noticed. This is really the genius of AC/DC: how Angus and Malcom’s parts fit together and complicate each other to make something more interesting that either single part alone. Their tone, their note choices, and their rhythm, is so complimentary and adds up to their big powerful sound.
Brothers who are musicians tend to think alike musically. My brother is the easiest guy to lock in with because of that, we always seem to be on the same page without planning it that way.
How cool is it that you can strip away every instrument and all of the vocals except for Malcolm's guitar and it still sounds exactly the way that it should. Amazing. And what a great tone!!
This guy was a genius. Far more than most Ivy League graduates. A large number of people I work with and know are Ivy League grads, and they just don't have this man's intelligence.
I agree. My theory is that rhythm is actually a form of predicting the future. If you think about it, how does Malcolm know when the next beat will land? You can’t just say, “because they’re happening at regular intervals” because that doesn’t explain the mechanism by which he is able to perceive when that next beat will happen. Rhythm is a mystery, one of the most interesting things about music, and one of the most challenging to get right. And then there’s Malcolm, confidently driving a sledgehammer of rhythm directly into your ears. Simply brilliant, he was.
The power comes from him actually pounding the hell out of those thick strings and the vibration of the guitar. And volume turned to max. That's literally it. No pedals, no fancy effects. Just a guy who loved his instrument and played his balls off. RIP Malcolm. Best rhythm guitar player the world has known.
The genius is in the simplicity. Adding no more than is necessary. Suprised as well at the lack of distortion. Respect AC/DCs sound all the more listening to this. Malcom was right up there with the best. RIP my good man you did us proud 👍👍👍👍👍🤘
A Marshall Super Lead , No master Volume. Which means that the LOUDER you play, the more distorted it gets. Malcom has been quoted many times as saying that " Having it up to '3' is a rather loud night for me." That's how good he was. To coax that sort of tone and that beautiful of a sound out of " backing off".
I had a great chat with famed pickup maker Lindy Fralin once and he pointed out how clean Malcolm’s tone was. Led Zep 1 is the same way. It’s the drums, bass and arrangements that made these songs so heavy.
He was one rhythm guitarist who knew what his job was, and could do it damn well. He was happy to settle in on a groove and let his kid brother take care of the pyrotechnic widdley-widdley parts out front. He really was AC/DC's engine and signature sound - the band simply would not have become what they did without him.
Angus once said that Mal could do everything he did, meaning leads and jumping around like a madman, but Angus could never do what Malcom did, which was hold it down like a feckin’ boss.
No wonder Angus was hopping around to that rhythm guitar. I loved the way Malcolm and bassist Cliff stepped up to the mics on the chorus and then into the background, it was a well oiled, solid, rhythm section machine. Im so lucky to have witnessed them there and then.
I mean it sounds more like that than normal because thats what happens when some of the other audio tracks spill over, basically most of the other bandmates you here in this video is a bit of echo that ended up in malcolms amp microphone
Isn't that just the craziest moment... When you really dig down and realize that? I had the same moment when I started playing guitar and began learning my favorite AC/DC songs... The parts I'd always heard and wanted to play were all coming from Malcolm. Blew my mind.
Lightly clap your hands on quarter notes, and feel how his part just *grooves*. Totally awesome. And his palm mute "thunks". I don't know if this is true or not, but someone once asked Angus what it was like being one of the best rock guitarists in the world, and he answered, "Don't know - I'm not even the best guitar player in this band!"
He [Angus] was asked, 'What's it like being regarded as one of the best guitar players in the world' and he replied, "I'm not even the best guitar player in my own family!' Classic and humble reply.
Great job extracting these tracks. Priceless for learning from. Malcolm was one of a kind.. Thank you so much for this content, very skilled, yourself! This is the kind of VIDEO we came here for; what UA-cam WAS MADE FOR. Originality
So weird. He’s early and then late and yet everything comes back together. Rhythm guitar is not always technical. It’s interpretive. He defined this for the rest of us.
People always talk about Hetfield being a fantastic rhythm guitarist--and he is!--but Malcolm Young is undoubtedly among the greatest. Very happy I got to see them live ~20 years ago. They put on an incredible show!
Because no one can downstroke like he do, which is how Punk and Metal managed to bridge, which is ten times more impressive than open-chords and hard hitting, because in Thrash metal and at that speed, to be able to articulate while being accurate becomes very important. Now Malcolm and James Hetfield is just the best known, but they are not even top 10.
Just love the way he hangs back ever so slightly on the rhythm - trailing and creating a sense of anticipation.Very important to the AC/DC sound and it makes them very difficult to copy. Keith Richard does it too.
Malcolm was not the reason I began playing guitar. He is the reason I continue to play guitar! When I began, in approximately 1980, it seemed as if, you can’t shred, then you can’t play! Malcolm showed me how to play the notes and chords. Speed isn’t as necessary as rhythm, groove, and dynamics! Not to mention, that Gretsch guitar is very welcoming to his dynamics. it automatically growls, with a strong pick attack! Rest in peace, Malcolm!
One time Angus was asked what it felt like to be the best guitarist in the world. His response? "I'm not even the best guitar player in my own band!"
In my opinion, Malcolm is better than Angus
In Angus' opinion, Malcolm was better than Angus.
Which was the point.
Malcolm Young is your favorite guitar player's favorite guitar player.
@@rohnakp2396 And together they are pure brilliance
@@rohnakp2396 is that not what Angus said?
The crankshaft of the engine, the arm behind the hammer, the heart of the beast.
We miss you mate.
Mike: You nailed it! Thanks for descibing Malcolm perfectly.
Superb eloquence
AC DC rules!scottish people is best!rock n roll will live!
This comment is perfect
Malcolm is definitely missed. 😢
I would listen to an entire album of his isolated tracks and I'm not joking one bit. The dude was heavy.
His tone is cleaner than what you'd expect it to be. He was so badass. RIP Mal.
Agreed, and that’s genius of both Malcolm Young (R.I.P), and his brother Angus, the way they got that classic rock tone, without having to use pedals or high gain.
THE FKNG BOSS!
Yes, I think that is what gives the rhythm some of it’s punch. Too much distortion can be so compressed sounding, muddier and has less dynamics. Not saying you can’t make heavy sounds sound fantastic, but they are just different, and that’s some of what makes these guys special.
Wow! Actually, just realizing: Angus’ has more distortion on his. And that is a technique I have used myself and is pretty common in some circles: I’ll split my guitar signal and have one going to a cleaner amp and one going to a dirtier amp. I’ll balance the volumes to where you just can’t hear the clean amp clearly, BUT you can still feel the sharper attack of it AND it can give more clarity to chords and such. That is what they have been doing all along. Makes sense to use two different tones so you get more complex, organic distortion with all these juicy characteristics. Rather than two guitars with the same exact level of distortion.
@@SR-xk8cd They turned the gain until it just started to distort and left it there. Great sound.
Proving that ‘heavy’ tone isn’t distortion only. It’s vibe and attack
No distortion that shit is Cleeeaaannn
so sick of people giving tutorials on how to play like Malcolm with high gain. You gotta hear the nickel and the steel in the strings
and extra thick strings...strummed like crazy
@@dieterbaecher2975the picks only last like four songs lol
That’s a rockin’ tone. I’m not even a huge AC/DC fan, but you can’t deny that badass tone.
Ditto - came here after hearing Samurai Guitarist talk about Malcolm's tone
Dirty stuff. Love it
You can FEEL the power of his picking hand !
Hes really digging in alright
Yeah well let's not forget the rest that really became ACDC as we know it and knew it.
Cliff Williams. His bass lines really added in to the mix. Shoot to Thrill, Shot Down in Flames, Let Me Put My Live into You and pretty much every ACDC song. Phill Rudd made that Top Hat blast. Oh. And Angus too.
Honestly Brian Johnson took the place of Bon Scott and didn't replace him but fit right in. When Phill left for a while they kind of lacked a little. When Malcolm had to leave Steve Young fit right in playing The Beast. I wonder who he learned from? Hmm.
Legends should never die but fade away and if there is one rock band that is a true legend it is ACDC. And now Cliff is gone?
I jate 10 thousand retirement tours. I don't know if there will ever be another 3 chord dirty, distorted rock band that don't push social issues through lyrics to come about again but maybe give some wannabe rockstars a chance playing in thier garages.
Anybody remember Rhino Bucket? They got a really bad rap because they sounded so much like ACDC. They were not a tribute or coverband but sounded so much like ACDC that they never got a chance. Who doesn't play the same chords as ACDC? So maybe sometimes it comes time to step aside and just piss your neighbors off by playing on the porch.
Just sayin'. I love ACDC. But honestly for the price of tickets today? Sorry Angus. I have the memories twice and the eternal pleasure of playing the songs on guitar and bass but... I won't pay the price.
The loudest rhythm ever . First concert at 13.. My ears never recovered.. I love it .
Mine too 🤘
Oasis' rythm guitarist in the 90s was definitely louder. (Name is Bonehead). He played with Oasis from 94 to 99 - brutal wall of guitar
Is it normal to cry listening to this? Malcolm is the best
Not as overdriven as you'd expect. Raw and mildly dirty, but very clear. A truly great rhythm guitarist.
In concert the sheer volume of it was all that was probably needed. It's definitely heavier on the album.
@@FreeTrollCounselingForDummies i didn't notice that and looked it up. He has one pickup in the rear slot behind his hand in the thumbnail. You can see the reflection of the metal. From the internet, "Why did Malcolm Young remove pickups? Malcolm removed the third pickup and the neck pickup to leave the guitar with a single FilterTron' in the bridge position. Later, he also removed the Burns Tailpiece and installed a Schaller Bad Ass Bridge along with a custom-made tailpiece."
He only turned up his amp (a JTM 45) right to where it started to break up, so that a lot of the grit depended on how hard he hit the strings (very hard, evidently).
One of the most consistent statements by most of my rock/metal heroes is that they don't use a much distortion as you'd think. I think it is the difference between using a 100w amp at full volume over a 30w at a volume your neighbors will not complain too much about. I guess that's what an attenuator is for, but you can't get one worth its salt for less than $250.
@@FreeTrollCounselingForDummiesHe has a single pickup in the bridge position, under his right hand. He said it sounded better with only 1.
This is so cool.
Malcolm was the greatest rhythm guitarist ever.
You absolutely got that right bro!!
adrian smith janick gers
He definitely was the AC/DC sound
*is
He's a great guitarist. period.
This is awesome. Most people probably don't know how much Malcolm shaped the AC/DC sound. Malcolm's timing and feel are second to none.
You are right on! Hard to imagine acdc without him.
Malcolm WAS AC⚡DC
@BrianClem it wouldn't have existed without him
Dude was a human metronome.
AC/DC was always Mal's band from the very beginning.
Now i can confirm that Malcolm plays more notes in the main riff. Thank you! And RIP the best guitarrist in the history of Rock n Roll
yeah bro rip angus young :(((
@@gitaarmovies2003 ???
@@unlucky.guitars rip angus young bro he was very good, its a shame he died bro :((
@@gitaarmovies2003 WTF?? Angus is alive, but Malcolm unfortunately is dead since 2017
@@gitaarmovies2003 Angus Young is a legend, but he admits that Mal is better than him. Which is true, rest in peace Malcolm Young. Greatest rhythm guitarist of any genre of music in existence
I'm a sixty-two year old who has been an AC/DC fan since the beginning. I know nothing about playing music. But after listening to all of these isolated tracks, it's clear that the AC/DC "sound" is about Malcolm! Malcolm!! Malcolm!!! Damn, this guy is amazing.
You're damn right it was. Max respect to Angus as always, but Mal was the tone monster who put that AC/DC ballsy grunt into every song.
Underrated for sure. His part is great in Riff Raff also, which is one of their best songs from the early days. He was a huge part of establishing the ACDC sound, and gave Angus the freedom to go off in his own way.
I'm a sixty-nine year old and just discovered AC/DC. I know nothing about playing music, but as a listener this is damn good. Where was my head at when this was being produced?
I'm the same age as you, and also an AC/DC fan since the beginning. I completely agree that Malcolm's guitar (backing vocals too) were the stand-out sound of the band. In fact, I'd say Malcolm's playing inspired all the other great things the band did.
But also I play a little bit as a backing musician, and I know it's quite a challenge for any rhythm guitarist not to get over-excited and play too fast to keep a mid-tempo groove in the pocket.
But Malcom did it while stomping his feet and banging his head.
Rock and roll lived in this man's body and soul.
For any aspiring musicians: surrender to the groove so your music is about the music.
Record companies might try to convince you it's about your name and fame, but no, it's the music.
Been a DC fan almost 50 years seen them 13 times without doubt the most exciting live band of all time and I've seen most bands their raw energy and presence in the 70's was incredible Malc was one of my guitar heroes I miss him every day - ROCK IN PEACE "Riff maker" 🙏🎶🎸🎵🤘
Those ghost notes are so subtle in the mix, but so essential to the groove. 🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻
Impeccable.
I have gretsch with same burns tremolo as malcoms fire jet, mines an astrojet but anyway that big length of string behind bridge creates all kinds of sympathetic overtones
@@marcraygun6290 The Beast didn’t have the Burns when this was recorded at Donnington. It had a Badass wraptail bridge at the time.
Im 48yo played guitar since i was 13yo, been playing this song my whole life, its my bread and butter, but after hearing it isolated like this iv been playing it ever so slightly wrong on the pedal note, and that little difference makes a huge difference to the overall grove, very subtle but tight and clean, i got so much respect for Malcolm, he was way better than i even gave him credit for and im a die hard fan 👍
It’s the intentional spaces between the notes/chords that packs the AC/DC punch. As older brother George said …..,‘it’s the stop that rocks’ RIP Mal and George ❤
I heard that Malcolm didn't use any distortion pedals; just turned the amp up loud enough to distort. Is that correct?
I know a metronome company that sets their timing device to Malcolm's guitar tracks.
Just thinking the same thing. Lightly clap your hands on quarter notes, and feel how his part just *grooves*. Totally awesome.
Goddamn right. My entire universe has ran on Malcolm's rhythm since I was 9 years old back in the summer of 1976. That's the year High Voltage was released. The first time I heard T. N. T. something clicked on in my brain. It's never stopped. Rock in peace fine sir.
You can HEAR his grip
@@nunyabizness92161980-ish. Bought all the AC/DC cassettes from Columbia House. Slapped them in my Walkman. Mowed the 3-4 acres of lawn we had. I was about ten years old. Listening to Big Balls.
@@todd5857 yes, I do. It's ACME metronome devices out of New Zealand.
Hell's bells. He was so in the pocket. So tight. So clean. So relentless. What a machine.
In the pocket . Idiot
And to do in front of a crowd with an atmosphere like they had at Donington! Awesome.
What you call the pocket I call the groove kitchen.
exactly what it isn't, which is why it's so good.
Yeah I can see why he was so revered.
Malcom’s guitar tone is the definition of BALLS. Every pro guitarist I know holds Malcom in the absolute highest regard. Legend.
Absolutely right. I'm in... 😉 In France, we also have a reference from rare connoisseurs, about a French guitarist considered by some idiots to be a "simplistic" guitarist, but who in my opinion was largely inspired by Malcom in his early days. He's the guitarist of BxN (Bérurier Noir)... Loran. Along with a few other pro musicians in France, I consider him to be a role model, following in Malcolm Young's footsteps of course, because he's extremely precise… Atomic clockworks. Like him, I NEVER play without a drum machine with me, to work on precision, NEVER ! You can discover an exemple of his concert intro here ==> ua-cam.com/video/jOTPy_6EfAk/v-deo.html
I've played guitar for 30 years. I have many pictures of guitar players that have inspired me hanging on the wall of my practice room. Malcolm Young's picture is hanging above them all.
Oh joy! What a joy to hear Malcolm Young isolated! He is a genius!
Show these isolated Malcolm tracks to anyone who doesn't think rhythm guitar is important. It's the most important. Long live the king of riffs!!!
👍👍👍
i think most people realize rhythm guitar is important - but i dont think most people realize how much of the "acdc sound" is actually malcolm
The secret is its all open chords...it gives the tone a beautiful open janglyness....brilliant.
Open chords with the 3rd left out..for the most part.
@@michaelr.4878 The intro riff is just dyads, 2 notes on the D and G strings, not a chord in sight...
I can listen to a lot of powerchords too in this track. Not about open chords or whatever, it's about the perfect choice all the time.
@@michaelr.4878 Just as Pete taught us to do!
@@hubbsllcwhich Pete?
Listen through headphones, you can really hear just how hard he digs into the strings.
I think he was picked on by guitar strings as a child. He spent the rest of his life getting revenge.
That's part of what made their sound so Raw, and unforgettable.
Very similar to the way Geddy Lee digs into a bass. 👍✌️
It an honour and a privilege to hear this. 🍻
The wind beneath the wings of Angus's incredible guitar work.
Basic and simple. They've never pretended to be anything else, and I love these guys more than any other rockers.
ACDC are the best example of how simplicity can be deeply profound.
Most people play with far too much distortion. In your bedroom, sure. But in a band scenario… keep it clean!
A cranked Fender Princeton is enough miked up for most anything except crap.
If you think this is simple then try playing it
@@clundgeweep One part in particular [I think the chorus] sounds a little tricky to me.
their riffs are epic rockin
Who could have taught us rhythm guitar better than Malcolm? He was among the best and so humble, the greatest. We will never forget you Malcolm. We salute you and will keep rocking down here for you. Thank you
It’s amazing,you can actually hear the Gretsch twang when he lightens up on the strumming towards the end. Such a clear yet powerful tone. He was everything I ever wanted to be in a guitarist.
I could even feel the grumptch in the gefiltefish when the 3rd tonal sombrero kicked in after the lumbar saccral dorsalis left the main body of the burrito. It's like the voice of God.
thats not how electric guitars work buddy. the sound and tone come entirely from the pickups themselves, and the string material. if you have an eq system on the guitar, that as well, but literally nothing else has any effect on the sound in any way.
@@FingerinUrDaughter Nobody asked you, “buddy.”
I heard that Malcolm didn't use any distortion pedals; just turned the amp up loud enough to distort. Is that correct?
@@linuswang6572 That’s pretty much it.
The quiet but crucial part of the AC/DC equation. The behind the scenes mover and shaker of one of the best rock bands ever. Malcolm Young.
Not so quiet, right? 😊
@@andreaseriksson8803 His guitar? No way, that thing rocked steady at top volume! 😀
What a masterclass on how the rithm guitar should be in the context of a band
Carry on soldier, you left us way too soon. The Greatest.
See you on the other side
Proof ACDC don't have massive distortion, pisses me off when I see covers with loads of gain
Me too man. Turns out those “simple riffs” are actually an art form to pull off, done properly.
I think Malcolm's guitar is slightly more distorted than Angus' guitar. Which is ironic but it's the AC/DC sound.
Angus actually had quite a bit of gain during that time. But they went back to less gain with Ballbreaker
@@mrcoatsworth429
I think his most gain and treble was during LTBR, and ironically the Highway To Hell tour seems to have extremely harsh tones even though the album is less aggressive than the prior two
@@Tomversal depends on how you look at it. In the LTBR days, it was cranked Marshalls with an overdriven power amp. During the TRE, it was more modern, smooth preamp distortion. In my opinion, that is "more gain", but not necessarily a more aggressive sound.
RIP Malcolm young 😞🙏
rip angus young :(
@@gitaarmovies2003 Angus is not dead
@@wrestlingfan yeah bro rip angus :(
@@gitaarmovies2003 not dead
@@MarkSmith-er7fe I think he's Joking
The engine room of ACDC. Rhythm guitarists like Malcolm Young are irreplaceable. He defined their sound, drive and direction. RIP.
No one understands this. I see some “what’s so special, I could play that when I was a kid.” They have no idea what they are talking about. Sure anyone can play the chords he’s playing but in the pocket like he is? No chance. That takes years of playing with a band.
@@fancykarlmarx yeah without a doubt I believe Malcolm Young is one of the greatest rhythm guitarists of all time. RIP
But he was replaced with Stevie.
@@northernthrifter8817 yeah they put Stevie in to play guitar but he didn't replace M. Young...
Like the great midfielder in football. They win the titles.
Met him once on accident and he was the nicest guy you'd ever meet. Liked to talk about history and well versed. He is missed.
The heavy strings he is known for using make perfect sense now. His picking hand was like a sledge hammer. If you try to play that hard on normal strings, they go way sharp with every hit. Hearing this was a great pleasure. Amazing what we have access to in the modern age.
Fantastic rythm guitar player. Cool to hear in isolation. It feels so human,. No machine can do that.
Yet
@@neilanderson9151A.I. just copies from thousands of existing examples. There was only one Malcolm Young, it may get close but he will never be matched by man or machine.
One of EVH's favorite guitarists.
Interesting, there are a few extra notes in the main riff, especially where he is hitting the open A, that I’d not noticed. This is really the genius of AC/DC: how Angus and Malcom’s parts fit together and complicate each other to make something more interesting that either single part alone. Their tone, their note choices, and their rhythm, is so complimentary and adds up to their big powerful sound.
I totally agree👍, and btw, the word you meant to use is "complemented". 😉
@@perpetualbystander4516 the Curse of Auto-correct
Brothers who are musicians tend to think alike musically. My brother is the easiest guy to lock in with because of that, we always seem to be on the same page without planning it that way.
I don't care what kind of music you play.
Every guitarist should sit down and learn an AC/DC song or two.
And it's not just the sound; it's the mastership in timing.😮
God, it's so beautiful😭❤️
That is objectively a great tone and super tight rock playing. Exactly what I came here to hear.
How cool is it that you can strip away every instrument and all of the vocals except for Malcolm's guitar and it still sounds exactly the way that it should.
Amazing. And what a great tone!!
Every ACDC fan could hear Mal play alone and could still hear the song. This is Simple In your Face rock Rhythm. BEAUTIFUL
That tone. There are no words. Nobody sounds like that before or since. The best ever
Gives me goosebumps!
The clarity, the feel, the tone…it all comes together beautifully in Malcom’s playing. His playing is so solid. Bulletproof.
So good. 🔥 🎸
RIP Malcolm. 🙏🏻
The man who made AC/DC rock! 🤘
This guy was a genius. Far more than most Ivy League graduates. A large number of people I work with and know are Ivy League grads, and they just don't have this man's intelligence.
I agree. My theory is that rhythm is actually a form of predicting the future. If you think about it, how does Malcolm know when the next beat will land? You can’t just say, “because they’re happening at regular intervals” because that doesn’t explain the mechanism by which he is able to perceive when that next beat will happen. Rhythm is a mystery, one of the most interesting things about music, and one of the most challenging to get right. And then there’s Malcolm, confidently driving a sledgehammer of rhythm directly into your ears. Simply brilliant, he was.
Incredible timing always..
Thank you, yt algorithm, for the thing I didn’t know I needed but very much did.
R.I.P. Mal
The power comes from him actually pounding the hell out of those thick strings and the vibration of the guitar. And volume turned to max. That's literally it. No pedals, no fancy effects. Just a guy who loved his instrument and played his balls off. RIP Malcolm. Best rhythm guitar player the world has known.
Thanks Malcolm....
God Almighty that is Glorious! ...just the elasticity of that pocket he makes when the tubes and the speakers sag and he times it and pumps it.🔥
The genius is in the simplicity. Adding no more than is necessary. Suprised as well at the lack of distortion. Respect AC/DCs sound all the more listening to this. Malcom was right up there with the best. RIP my good man you did us proud 👍👍👍👍👍🤘
A Marshall Super Lead , No master Volume. Which means that the LOUDER you play, the more distorted it gets. Malcom has been quoted many times as saying that " Having it up to '3' is a rather loud night for me." That's how good he was. To coax that sort of tone and that beautiful of a sound out of " backing off".
I had a great chat with famed pickup maker Lindy Fralin once and he pointed out how clean Malcolm’s tone was. Led Zep 1 is the same way. It’s the drums, bass and arrangements that made these songs so heavy.
It's hardly a clean tone but a natural gritty tone, fat strings and aggression a big part of this sound. A wee beast of a man. Sadly missed.
No pedals for these guys. Just straight old school cranked Marshall tone.
He was the true force in the band. Thanks for the music Malcolm.
Your music will live on brother. RiP Malcolm
He was one rhythm guitarist who knew what his job was, and could do it damn well. He was happy to settle in on a groove and let his kid brother take care of the pyrotechnic widdley-widdley parts out front. He really was AC/DC's engine and signature sound - the band simply would not have become what they did without him.
Angus once said that Mal could do everything he did, meaning leads and jumping around like a madman, but Angus could never do what Malcom did, which was hold it down like a feckin’ boss.
@chairmankaga101 Apparently he reckoned playing leads interfered with his drinking.
Thank you for isolating malcolms part. It helps a lot with learning to play it authentic. I hope there's more to come
Gives me goosebumps listening to this!
I miss you ❤
the literal sound of ACDC was this man
Genius. The absolute greatest rhythm guitarist ever.
No wonder Angus was hopping around to that rhythm guitar. I loved the way Malcolm and bassist Cliff stepped up to the mics on the chorus and then into the background, it was a well oiled, solid, rhythm section machine. Im so lucky to have witnessed them there and then.
Amazing how simple yet still complex rock and roll is
The very best is precisely that. 👍🏼
This is amazing! Malcolm was the driving force behind ACDC. I want more!
Such a master guitar player. AC/DC's groove is so much about Malcolm's rhythm guitar.
He is the greatest LEGEND 🤘😍❤️
Surely the greatest rhythm guitarist ever.
What a fantastic guitar player. Tone is amazing and such a solid rhythm.
RIP Malcolm and thank you.
Enjoying these tones
Pure AC/DC essence. ❤
It is like he is just a little bit behind where he should be, and that makes it so much more groovy
He plays just behind the beat and you’re right, that’s just what it does. FYI/ bill ward from Black Sabbath drums that way and it has the same effect
@@melissamoorehouse2805 he was also hammered all the time at this point
I mean it sounds more like that than normal because thats what happens when some of the other audio tracks spill over, basically most of the other bandmates you here in this video is a bit of echo that ended up in malcolms amp microphone
this being an isolated track there is no point of reference to which one can point and claim it is 'just a lil bit behind'.
100% he is pulling the beat just slightly. It’s most obvious in the intro. Those that can’t hear it - you need to study it a bit harder. It’s there.
One of my favorite guitar tones - clean rhythm guitar tones with a bit of grit, by the master
Best rhythm player period🤟🏻
Pure magic
Malcom Young was a Genius
Thanks for posting, fantastic to hear him play his part. A lot more difficult then i thought..
this is one of my favorite sounds in the world
and to think that i was always trying to imitate Angus but it was Malcolm all along! amazing tone!
Isn't that just the craziest moment... When you really dig down and realize that? I had the same moment when I started playing guitar and began learning my favorite AC/DC songs... The parts I'd always heard and wanted to play were all coming from Malcolm. Blew my mind.
We Salute You Malcom 🤘🏻
Very spot on and really accurate, fluid playing! What heart and soul he has in his riffs and runs!
Malcom is always overlooked as part of AC/DC, when in fact, he IS AC/DC!
This Man is a MONSTER !!! sounds like 2 guitar players by himself !! Thanks for this !!!
um no, it sounds like a rhythm guitar. one of them.
that is the backbone of a legendary song.
Another great guitar riff by Malcolm Young 🤘🏻
yes i agree angus young is very good
@@gitaarmovies2003 rip xxxtentacion
Lightly clap your hands on quarter notes, and feel how his part just *grooves*. Totally awesome. And his palm mute "thunks". I don't know if this is true or not, but someone once asked Angus what it was like being one of the best rock guitarists in the world, and he answered, "Don't know - I'm not even the best guitar player in this band!"
Those guys had fantastic personalities loaded with humor and character, which makes their musical talents even better to vibe with ❤️
He [Angus] was asked, 'What's it like being regarded as one of the best guitar players in the world' and he replied, "I'm not even the best guitar player in my own family!' Classic and humble reply.
Malcom, o rei absoluto dos riffs... 🤴 🎸
Very cool. Thanks!
Super crisp and precise. I think only other great guitarists fully appreciated his ability and drive for excellence.
Great job extracting these tracks. Priceless for learning from. Malcolm was one of a kind.. Thank you so much for this content, very skilled, yourself! This is the kind of VIDEO we came here for; what UA-cam WAS MADE FOR. Originality
Man, he's beating heavy on those strings! I love it.
And they are not light strings IMHO.
@@tinysherpa7180 as a heavy handed Neanderthal player myself that uses 11s in standard tuning, I feel validated.
Sounds amazing. Such a clean tone and so accurate.
Ofc, since it's played in a studio and not at Donington.
I stood in front of Malcolm one night at the Entertainment Centre.
This is exactly what it was like.
My ears were ringing for a week after.😂😂😂
HE MADE IT HAPPEN.
A proper tear jerker just proves why he was the greatest rhythm guitarist ever
So weird. He’s early and then late and yet everything comes back together. Rhythm guitar is not always technical. It’s interpretive. He defined this for the rest of us.
People always talk about Hetfield being a fantastic rhythm guitarist--and he is!--but Malcolm Young is undoubtedly among the greatest. Very happy I got to see them live ~20 years ago. They put on an incredible show!
Because no one can downstroke like he do, which is how Punk and Metal managed to bridge, which is ten times more impressive than open-chords and hard hitting, because in Thrash metal and at that speed, to be able to articulate while being accurate becomes very important. Now Malcolm and James Hetfield is just the best known, but they are not even top 10.
Just love the way he hangs back ever so slightly on the rhythm - trailing and creating a sense of anticipation.Very important to the AC/DC sound and it makes them very difficult to copy. Keith Richard does it too.
best rythm guitarist ever!
Malcolm was not the reason I began playing guitar. He is the reason I continue to play guitar!
When I began, in approximately 1980, it seemed as if, you can’t shred, then you can’t play!
Malcolm showed me how to play the notes and chords. Speed isn’t as necessary as rhythm, groove, and dynamics!
Not to mention, that Gretsch guitar is very welcoming to his dynamics. it automatically growls, with a strong pick attack!
Rest in peace, Malcolm!