Scorpions Style: Rhythm

Hi Everybody. Welcome to a riff based lesson in the style of the Scorpions, the German heavy metal band who enjoyed their biggest success in the early 80's with albums like Blackout and Love At First Sting.

The Scorpions had a very powerful rhythm player in the shape of Rudolph (Michael's older brother) Schenker and his riffs have been the foundation of all their classic anthems that have been famous worldwide.

This is an uptempo track which uses 2 note power chords and diads, which I've introduced in previous lessons. The lesson requires you to be accurate with your right hand strumming, incorporating alternate up & down strokes to achieve the effect of the riffs. You might develop your own personal way of strumming the pattern but it will definitely be a combination of some upstrokes and some downstrokes.. there will be occasions where you play 2 downstrokes next to each other because it is the most practical way to play it.

For the tone I used my trusty Marshall JVM on the RED channel of OD2 and a small touch of reverb.

Enjoy this trip into the crazy world of the Scorpions and I shall see you soon ! Prost !

Tempo: 120bpm
Key: Am