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Dire Straits - Money For Nothing - Famous Riffs - Guitar Lesson

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Dire Straits - Money For Nothing - Famous Riffs - Guitar Lesson

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Dire Straits - Money For Nothing - Famous Riffs guitar lesson video
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Money For Nothing - Famous Riffs

"Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits is the second track on their 1985 album Brothers in Arms and became one of the defining rock songs of that decade. Written from the perspective of two working-class men watching MTV, it features a guest appearance by Sting on the iconic falsetto intro. For electric guitarists, the song is a must-learn for its instantly recognizable riff, raw blues-influenced tone, and the way Mark Knopfler uses a fingerpicking style through heavy distortion to create a sound that remains widely studied.

  • Mark Knopfler plays fingerstyle rather than with a pick, giving the main riff its distinctive attack and tone.
  • Sting sings the falsetto intro and the backing line 'I want my MTV,' borrowed melodically from The Police's 'Don't Stand So Close To Me.'
  • Released as the second single from Brothers in Arms on 28 June 1985 via Vertigo Records.
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