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Whitesnake - Still Of The Night - Interlude & String Section - Guitar Lesson

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Key C minor
Whitesnake - Still Of The Night - Interlude & String Section guitar lesson video
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Classic Rock

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Whitesnake Hard Rock C minor
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About Still Of The Night - Interlude & String Section

The interlude and string section of "Still Of The Night" is one of the more atmospheric moments in Whitesnake's catalogue, pulling the song away from its heavy main riff into something more textural and spacious. In C minor at 80 BPM, the tempo feels slow enough to be deceptively comfortable, but nailing the phrasing and sustain cleanly takes real control. This is where tone and touch matter more than speed: you need to let notes breathe and manage your pick attack carefully to keep things from sounding stiff. The string-like lines call for smooth legato playing and precise volume shaping, so keep your picking hand relaxed. If the melodic lines feel slippery, use the Practice Toolbar to loop them slowed down and focus on even finger pressure through each phrase. Playing this section well is really about patience and listening rather than any flashy technique.

  • The section sits in C minor and uses E Standard tuning, so no retuning is needed before jumping in.
  • At 80 BPM the tempo is slow, which puts the focus firmly on sustain, clean fretting, and controlled pick attack rather than speed.
  • The string-inspired melodic lines reward a legato approach, so practising hammer-ons and pull-offs smoothly will help the phrases sing.

How to Play Still Of The Night - Interlude & String Section

Tuning: E Standard · Key: C minor · Tempo: 80 BPM

Loop each section and focus on clean, even timing rather than speed, with the metronome at 80 BPM.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

While John Sykes favored the Les Paul Custom, the Standard delivers the same thick humbucker warmth essential to Whitesnake's classic rock tone. Its slightly lighter weight and traditional specs make it an accessible alternative for achieving that powerful, sustained lead sound through cranked tube amps.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

John Sykes' black 1978 Les Paul Custom with gold hardware is the definitive Whitesnake guitar, its stock Gibson humbuckers producing the warm midrange growl and controlled compression needed for 'Still of the Night' solos. This guitar's thick, harmonically rich character became inseparable from the band's signature hard rock voice.

Ibanez JEM
Guitar

Ibanez JEM

Steve Vai brought the Ibanez JEM 777 and its Floyd Rose tremolo to Whitesnake, enabling expressive solo techniques and pitch-bending flexibility that complemented the band's shredding era. The JEM's bright, articulate character contrasted with traditional Les Paul tones while maintaining cutting power through Marshall stacks.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

The Marshall JCM800 is the sonic foundation of Whitesnake, delivering the thick, tube-driven natural saturation and harmonically rich distortion that defines songs like 'Still of the Night.' Sykes pushed these heads hard in the preamp, maintaining high presence and treble to retain clarity and pick attack in solos.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

John Sykes used the Dunlop Cry Baby Wah sparingly but effectively for solo accents and expressive passages, adding dynamic color without cluttering Whitesnake's amp-driven aesthetic. This pedal's responsive sweep complemented his Les Paul's warm tone while enhancing the emotional impact of key lead moments.

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