Stranglehold by Ted Nugent
Stranglehold burst onto the scene in 1975 on Ted Nugent's self-titled album, where Nugent's firebrand guitar tone and ferocious groove propelled him into the mainstream. The riff-crafting groove and the swaggering, vocal-like phrasing gave the track anthem status on classic rock radio and in live sets, making it one of Nugent's signature tunes. Here at DadRock Tabs, Stranglehold is a rite of passage for players who want to capture that Nugent swagger.
Legend has it the riff was honed during late-night studio jams, captured in a straightforward arrangement that puts the guitar front and center. The studio tone—cranked overdrive with a hint of wah—plus a tight rhythm section helped this track cut through the era's crowded hard rock landscape and endure as a go-to study for groove, phrasing, and powerful blues-rock dynamics.
🎸 Want to know the techniques, practice tips, and lesson details? Scroll below the lesson!
What You'll Learn
In this lesson we’ll break down the iconic main riff and the driving E-based groove, teach you how to lock in with the kick and snare to reproduce Nugent's relentless feel, and show the essential techniques behind the track—Palm Muting, Power Chords, and responsive Hammer-ons/Pull-offs. You’ll also get a feel for the verse-to-chorus energy, the triplet-based rhythm that keeps the groove pinning forward, and the bluesy solo phrasing that sits on top of the riff. Watch for the tricky parts: staying perfectly in tempo with a relentless groove, cleanly executing fast hammer-ons, and shaping bends and vibrato to mimic Nugent’s expressive vocal-like lines.
Intermediate — useful foundations include power chords, basic blues pentatonic scales, and comfortable alternate picking, plus a sense for triplet feel in 4/4 time.
🎸 Techniques Used
Practice Tips
- 💡Start by looping the main riff at a slow tempo with a metronome, then gradually raise the tempo until you can lock the triplet feel cleanly with the groove.
- 💡Keep your picking hand relaxed and use precise palm muting to get the tight, chunky attack that drives the riff without muting the tone of the note too much.
- 💡For the solo, listen to the vocal-like phrasing—practice bending and sustaining notes with deliberate vibrato to mimic Nugent’s expressive style, then layer on a subtle wah for bite.
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