==========================================================
=Song: Stairway to Heaven (By Page, Plant)                           =
=Band: Led Zeppelin                                                  =
=Album: Led Zeppelin IV or something like that!                      =
=Drummer: John "Bonzo" Bonham                                        =
=Tabbed By: Fernando Mayer Soares (fmayers@yahoo.com)                =
======================================================================

KEY:

C - Crash Cymbal
Rd - Ride Cymbal
HH - Hit-Hat
T - Tom
S - Snare
FT1 - Floor Tom 1
FT2 - Floor Tom 2
Tp - Tympani
Bd - Bass Drum
Hf - Hit-Hat with foot

Note:
x - strike cymbal, strike HH, HH with foot
X - accent cymbal, loose HH
a - accent HH
o - strike drum
O - accent drum
F - flam
g - ghost note
b - bounce/rebound (like a drag, just let the stick "jump" in the drum)

The Measures (4/4), each "-" is equal to a 16th note:

Normal 

HH |----------------|
S  |----------------|
Bd |----------------|
   |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |

Extended (in this bar, each "-" is equal to a 32nd note)

HH |--------------------------------|
S  |--------------------------------|
Bd |--------------------------------|
   |1   +   2   +   3   +   4   +   |

Triplets
            (3) - Indicates a Triplet         (  6 ) - Indicates a Sextuplet
HH |x-x-x-x----------|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-------x-x-|
S  |----o---ooo--oooo|--o---o-o---o---|----o---ooo-oo--o-|
Bd |o-oo-oo----------|o---o-----o---o-|o-oo-o-----o--o---|
   |1 + 2 + 3tl+ 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3tl+tl4 + |

John Bonham's Kit:

Drum: Ludwig                    Cymbals: Paiste

Bass Drum 26"                   Hit-hat Sound-Edged 15"
Single Bass Speed King          Ride 24"
Snare Supra Phonic 6x14"        Crashes 16", 18", 20" and 22"
Mid Tom 15"                     Gong 36"
Floor Tom 1 16"
Floor Tom 2 18"
Tympani 29"

                Sticks: Ludwig 2A

The Song:

Notes: the beats per minute - bpm - of this song is 80.
       drums enter after part: "and the forest will echo with laughter"

   |-wait  for the--|
   |-drum entry-----|                               (3)       (3)
C  |----------------|----------------|x----------------|-----------------|
HH |----------------|----------------|--x-x-x-x-x-x-a--|a-x-x-a--a-x-x-x-|
T  |----------------|----------o-----|-----------------|-----------------|
S  |----------------|--------F-------|----O-------O---g|----O---g----O---|
FT1|----------------|------------o---|-----------------|-----------------|
Tp |----------------|--------------o-|-----------------|-----------------|
Bd |----------------|----------------|o-------o--------|o--------o-o---o-|
   |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +tl|1 + 2 +tl3 + 4 + |

                                            (3)               
                                     |----repeat 1x----|      (3)
HH |x-x-x-x-x-----x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-a--a-x-x-x-|x-x-x-a--a-----x-|
S  |----O----oOOOO--|----O-------O---|----O---g----O---|----O---g-oOOOO--|
Bd |o-------o-----o-|--o-------o---o-|o--------o-o---o-|o--------o-----o-|
   |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 +tl3 + 4 + |1 + 2 +tl3 + 4 + |

          (3)               (3)
Rd |-----------------|-----------------|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x---|
HH |x-x-x-a--a-x-x-x-|x-x-x-a--a-x-x-x-|----------------|----------------|
S  |----O---g----O---|----O---g-o-O-O-O|-o--o-------o---|-o--O--o-o-o-oOO|
Bd |--o--------o---o-|o--------o-------|o--o--o---o---o-|--o-------------|
   |1 + 2 +tl3 + 4 + |1 + 2 +tl3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |


Rd |x-x-x-x-x-x-x-X-|x-X-x-X-x-X-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x---|
S  |-o--o----o--o---|----o----o--o---|----o-------o---|-o--o--o-o-o-ooo|
Bd |o--o--o---o---o-|--o---o---o---o-|o-----o---o---o-|--o-----o---o---|
   |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |

                                                    (3)       (3)      (3)
C  |----------------|----------------|x----------------|------------------|
Rd |x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x---------|-----------------|------------------|
HH |----------------|----------------|--x-x-x-x-x-x-a--|a-x-x-a--a-x-x-a--|
S  |-o--o-------o---|----o---OooOO-O-|----O-------O---g|----O---g----O---g|
Bd |o--o--o---o---o-|--o---o---------|o-------o--------|o-o------o-o------|
   |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +tl|1 + 2 +tl3 + 4 +tl|

                           (3)      (3)                        (3)
HH |x-x-x-x-x-----x-|x-x-x-a--x-x-x-a--|a-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-a--a-x-x-x-|
S  |----O----oOOOO--|----O---g----O---g|----O-------O---|----O---g----O---|
Bd |o-------o-----o-|--o------o--------|o-------o-o---o-|o--------o-o---o-|
   |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 +tl3 + 4 +tl|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 +tl3 + 4 + |

                           (3)      (3)       (3)
C  |----------------|------------------|-----------------|x---------------|
HH |x-x-x-x-x-----x-|x-x-x-a--a-x-x-a--|a-x-x-a--x-a-x---|----------------|
S  |----O----oOOOO--|----O---g----O---g|----O---g----o-oo|----------------|
Bd |o-------o-----o-|--o------o--------|o-o------o-o-----|o---------------|
   |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 +tl3 + 4 +tl|1 + 2 +tl3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |


C  |----------------|----------------|x---------------|----------------|
FT1|--ooo-----ooo---|--ooo---o---o---|----------------|----------------|
Bd |----------------|----------------|o---------------|----------------|
   |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |


C  |----------------|----------------|x---------------|x---------------|
HH |----------------|----------------|--x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|----------------|
T  |----------------|----------------|----------------|------ooo-------|
S  |----------------|----------------|----o-------o---|--ooo-----------|
FT1|--ooo-----ooo---|--ooo---o---o---|----------------|----------o-o---|
FT2|----------------|----------------|----------------|--------------o-|
Bd |----------------|----------------|o--o----o-o-----|o---------------|
Hf |----------------|----------------|----------------|------------x---|
   |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |


C  |x---------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
HH |--x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|
S  |----o-------o--o|--o--o--o--o--o-|----o-------o---|----o----o--o---|
Bd |o-------o-o-----|o--o--oo-o--oo--|o-o-----o-o-----|o-o-----o-oo-oo-|
   |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |

          (3)      (3)  
   |----repeat 2x-----|                               (3)       (3)      (3)
C  |------------------|----------------|x----------------|------------------|
HH |x-x-x-x--x-x-x-x--|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|--x-x-x-x-x-x-x--|x-x-x-x--x-x-x-x--|
S  |----O---g----O---g|----o-----o-----|----O-------O---g|----o---g----o---g|
Bd |o-o------o-o------|o-o--o-oo--o----|o-o-----o-o------|o-o------oo-o-o---|
   |1 + 2 +tl3 + 4 +tl|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +tl|1 + 2 +tl3 + 4 +tl|

                     (3)    (3)    (3)    (3)      (     6     )
HH |x-x-x-x-x-x-x-X-|------------------------------------------|
T  |----------------|-o------o------o------o---------o-------o-|
S  |----o-------o---|o------o------o------o--------------o-----|
FT1|----------------|--o------o------o------o------o---o---o---|
Bd |o-o-----o-o---o-|-----og-----og-----og-----og--------------|
   |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1trip+trip2trip+trip3trip+trip4tripl+tripl|


C  |x---------------|----------------|x---------------|----------------|
HH |--x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|--x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|
S  |----o-------o---|----o----o--o---|----o-------o---|----o----o--o--b|
Bd |o-o-----o-o-----|o-o--o-o---o-o--|o-o-----o-o-----|o-o--o-o---o-o--|
   |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |

                  (3)                        (3)
C  |x----------------|----------------|-----------------|----------------|
HH |--x-x-x-x-x-x-x--|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x-x-x-x--x-x-x-x-|----------------|
S  |----o-------o---g|----o-------o---|----o---g----o---|F---F---F---F-Fo|
Bd |o-o-----o-o------|o-o-----o--o----|o-o------o-o-----|-oo--oo--oo--o--|
   |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +tl|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 +tl3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |

                                     |-------------repeat 4x-----------|
C  |x---------------|----------------|----------------|----------------|
HH |--x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x--xx-xx-xx-xx--|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|x--xx-xx-xx-xx--|
S  |----o-------o---|--O--O--O--O--oo|----o-------o---|--O--O--O--O--oo|
Bd |o-o----oo-o----o|o--o--o--o--oo--|o-o----oo-o----o|o--o--o--o--oo--|
   |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |


C  |----------------|----------------|x-x-----x-x---x-|----------------|
HH |x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|----------------|----------------|--x-x-x-x-------|
S  |----o-------o---|F---F---F---oooo|----oooo----F---|----o-----oooooo|
Bd |o-o----oo-o----o|-oo--oo--oo-----|o-o-----o-o---o-|--o-----o-------|
   |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |

                                                                      (3)
                                                    (3)|----repeat 1x----|
C  |x-x-----x-x---x-|----------------|x----------------|-----------------|
HH |----------------|--x-x-x---------|--x-x-x-x-x-x-x--|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x--|
T  |----------------|----------o-----|-----------------|-----------------|
S  |----oooo----F---|----o---o-------|----o-------o---g|----o-------o---g|
FT1|----------------|------------o---|-----------------|-----------------|
FT2|----------------|--------------o-|-----------------|-----------------|
Bd |o-o-----o-o---o-|--o-------------|o-------o-o------|o-o-----o-o------|
Hf |----------------|--------x-x-x-x-|-----------------|-----------------|
   |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +tl|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +tl|

                                    (3)               (3)
                  (3)|----repeat 1x----|-Ritard --- Play Gradually Slower-|
C  |-----------------|-----------------|x----------------|x---------------|
HH |x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x--|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x--|--x-x-x-x-x-x-x--|----------------|
S  |----o----o--o---g|----o-------o---g|----o-------o---g|----------------|
Bd |o-o----o---o-o---|o-o-----o-o------|o-------o--------|o---------------|
   |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +tl|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +tl|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +tl|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |

END

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Comments on this version of the 'Stairway To Heaven' drums tab

LosZebUnknown Date

last big drum fill at around 6:30 is almost right but the first part is straight time with the last quarter in swung time, and there isn't a double bass note but it sounds cool if you throw it in.

T1|-o-----o-----o-----o-----o---o|

S |o-----o-----o-----o--------o--|

Ft|--o-----o-----o-----o---o-o-o-|

B |----o-----o-----o-----o-------|

|1 e + a 2 e + a 3 e + a 4tl+tl|

( 6 )

enjoy!

foxmtbrUnknown Date

i give the bonham salute to you

GrummaUnknown Date

just an idea. has any1 seen the cover of this that the Foo Fighters did on an American talk show? if u took out all the parts where the guitarist/singer had 2 stop cos he didnt know the words it sounded pretty kewl. id tab it but it would take me foreva and id probs miss bass and ghost notes. if any1 is considering tabbing it il get the clip fom my friend and send it 2 u

strongpowerUnknown Date

About tempo in the song: I've read an interview with Jimmy Page about this song. It was his idea to make "Stairway to Heaven" against all musical rules, to make it going faster and faster straight from the beginig to the end of the song. MAgic..:) Just some notices abou tempo:

Well, in the very beginig guitar starts playing just at some 73 beats per minute. When drums fill in, it has the tempo of 84bpm and it slides up to 86 at 5:31. Then the great ta-da-dam ta-da-dam fill:), which, I think, is counted not correctly in the tab. (Count count count!!!:), in one of the live versions, that I've heared Bonham even plays with foot on hihat on 1,2,3,4 ). It should look like this:

C |----------------|--------------x-|--------|--------|

FT1|ooo-----ooo-----|ooo---o---o-----|--------|--------|

Bd |----------------|--------------o-|--------|--------|

|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1+2+3+4+|1+2+3+4+|

here beat speeds up to 97bpm, and then:

C |----------------|--------------x-|----------------|

HH |----------------|----------------|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|

T |----------------|----------------|----------------|

S |----------------|----------------|----o-------o---|

FT1|ooo-----ooo-----|ooo---o---o-----|----------------|

FT2|----------------|----------------|----------------|

Bd |----------------|--------------o-|--o-----o-o-----|

Hf |----------------|----------------|----------------|

|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |...

and further as it was in original tab. The tempo reaches its peak(104bpm) at about 7:20 when Robert Plant is screaming:), and then after a little fill at 7:24 it slows down to 100bpm and stays like this till the last drum measure where it is about 75bpm.

p.s. just minor corrections. In general I think it's a great tab.

strongpowerUnknown Date

Aaaahhh, what a mess in the last correction, it should look like this there:

|----------------|--------------x-|--------|--------|

|ooo-----ooo-----|ooo---o---o-----|--------|--------|

|----------------|--------------o-|--------|--------|

|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1+2+3+4+|1+2+3+4+|

and:

|----------------|--------------x-|----------------|

|----------------|----------------|x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-|

|----------------|----------------|----------------|

|----------------|----------------|----o-------o---|

|ooo-----ooo-----|ooo---o---o-----|----------------|

|----------------|----------------|----------------|

|----------------|--------------o-|--o-----o-o-----|

|----------------|----------------|----------------|

|1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |...

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Stairway To Heaven by Led Zeppelin

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