Scorpions - Blackout - Guitar Lesson

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Scorpions - Blackout - Guitar Lesson

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Classic Rock

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Blackout album cover
Blackout
1982 3:48
Scorpions Hard Rock 1982 A minor
Capo Advisor 0 A minor · Original key

Blackout


"Blackout" is a track by the German rock band Scorpions, featured on their 1982 album of the same name, released through Harvest and EMI Records. The album marked a high point in the band's career and showcased their signature hard rock sound. For electric guitar players, the song offers a strong introduction to Scorpions' driving riff style and the twin-guitar interplay that defined their era.

  • Blackout appears on the Scorpions' eighth studio album, released in 1982 on Harvest and EMI Records.
  • The Scorpions are a German band, making them one of Europe's most influential hard rock acts of the era.
  • Learning this song gives guitarists exposure to the tight, riff-driven rhythm playing central to early 1980s hard rock.
Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Matthias Jabs adopted Fender Stratocasters with humbuckers in later years, using their brighter character for cleaner ballad tones and more articulate lead work than his earlier Explorer guitars. The single-coil versatility lets him dial back aggression while maintaining the Scorpions' signature sustain.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

While less documented than their Custom models, the Les Paul Standard's thick body and stock humbuckers provide the warm, sustained tone the Scorpions need for layered lead harmonies and heavy power chord work in the studio.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

Matthias Jabs relied heavily on Gibson Les Paul Customs in the studio for their superior sustain and thick tonal character on solos, using the guitar's humbuckers and weight to achieve the band's signature fat, compressed lead sound.

Gibson Flying V
Guitar

Gibson Flying V

Rudolf Schenker's iconic Gibson Flying V since the mid-70s delivers his aggressive, palm-muted rhythm tone through hot PAF-style humbuckers, becoming synonymous with the Scorpions' raw, pointed attack and distinctive visual identity.

Gibson Explorer
Guitar

Gibson Explorer

Matthias Jabs built his lead style around the Gibson Explorer's angular design and humbucker tone, using the guitar's focused midrange and sustain for expressive solos before transitioning to signature ESP and Fender models.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

Both Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs powered the Scorpions' classic 80s sound through Marshall JCM800 heads, with Schenker running moderate preamp gain for defined rhythm crunch and Jabs pushing higher gain for lead work and sustain.