Strong Songs

"Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin

12 snips
Jan 8, 2020
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INSIGHT

Slow Organic Dynamic Build

  • Stairway to Heaven is a steady, long journey from very quiet to very loud rather than sudden jumps in intensity.
  • The song builds organically without backtracking, moving from pianissimo to fortissimo across its duration.
INSIGHT

Contrary Motion Fuels The Intro

  • The iconic acoustic intro uses contrary motion with the bottom note descending while the top note ascends.
  • That steady chromatic descent in the bass underpins the guitar part's distinct, classical-chamber vibe.
ANECDOTE

Wayne's World Guitar-Shop Joke

  • Kirk recalls the Wayne's World joke where the guitar shop bans playing the first notes of Stairway to Heaven.
  • He explains the theatrical cut used Stairway but the home video couldn't secure rights, so the joke lost impact.
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