Pepper Keenan shows you how to play his most iconic riffs in the latest episode of Gibson TV's Riff Lords
Since the early 1990s, Pepper Keenan has been at the forefront of Southern heavy music, helping define the sound of Corrosion of Conformity and Down with riffs that blend groove, grit, and an iconic raw power that’s instantly recognizable. His approach to writing riffs blends equal parts weight and restraint, and his ability to sit in the pocket has left an unmistakable mark on the world of heavy rock.
In this episode of Riff Lords from Gibson TV, Pepper teaches us the riffs that shaped albums like Deliverance, Wiseblood, and In The Arms of God, in addition to Down’s NOLA and Down II. It’s a rare opportunity to sit down with the guitarist, whose work bridges the swampy crunch of C.O.C. with the sludgy, low-tuned power of Down, and get the exact roadmap on how to play his riffs, while understanding how the tunings he uses on his guitars—especially his Gibson SG and Gibson ES-335 models—make such a difference to how his riffs sound, and how that impacts his songwriting.
If you’re watching via the Gibson Gazette, use these timestamps to jump straight to the sections of the video and songs you want to learn:
0:00 Intro
0:22 Pepper Keenan’s approach to songwriting
1:06 Corrosion of Conformity – “Albatross” (DGCFAD)
6:30 Corrosion of Conformity – “Clean My Wounds” (Standard)
11:55 Corrosion of Conformity – “Senor Limpio”(CGCFAD)
19:24 Corrosion of Conformity – “King of the Rotten” (CGCFAD)
24:42 Corrosion of Conformity – “13 Angels” (CGCFAD)
32:00 Corrosion of Conformity – “Paranoid Opioid” (CGCFAD)
38:08 Corrosion of Conformity – “Who’s Got the Fire” (CGCFAD)
41:14 Corrosion of Conformity – “Redemption City” (DGCFAD)
46:47 Corrosion of Conformity – “Stare Too Long” (DGCFAD)
52:19 Down – “Lifer” (C Standard)
58:58 Down – “Ghosts Along the Mississippi” (C# Standard)
1:04:36 Down – “Stone the Crow” (C# Standard)
1:08:56 Down – “Bury Me in Smoke” (Drop B/C# Standard)
1:18:20 Pepper Keenan’s advice for guitarists
From the beginning, Pepper makes it clear that his philosophy is about feel and honesty over technical flash. “Writing music is something that you don’t necessarily have to be a wizard to do,” he says. “If you mean what you say and you can really do the homework, we’re just trying to get our point across with this thing.”
This episode isn’t just about learning Corrosion of Conformity or Down riffs—it’s about exploring the DNA of Southern heavy music through the eyes of one of its key architects, and getting into the mindset of an iconic guitarist. For anyone chasing big tone, down-tuned riffs, and timeless groove, this is a must-watch video. Along the way, Pepper shares stories about his influences, from Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” to the wrist-heavy groove of ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, showing how unexpected inspirations shaped some of his heaviest riffs.
What tuning does Pepper Keenan use?
A big part of Pepper Keenan’s sound comes down to the tunings he uses, and in this episode of Riff Lords, he breaks down exactly how he uses DGCFAD, Drop C, C Standard, C# Standard, and Drop B, all of which give his riffs their trademark weight and heavy groove.
Learn to play Corrosion of Conformity and Down songs (the right way)
In this episode of Riff Lords, you’ll learn to play Corrosion of Conformity songs such as “Albatross,” “Clean My Wounds,” “Senor Limpio,” “King of the Rotten,” “13 Angels,” “Paranoid Opioid,” and “Stare Too Long.” Pepper then shifts focus to iconic Down songs, breaking down fan-favorites such as “Lifer,” “Ghosts Along the Mississippi,” “Stone the Crow,” and “Bury Me in Smoke.”
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