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Whitesnake - Still Of The Night - Octave Riff, Pre-Chorus & Chorus - Guitar Lesson

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Key C minor
Whitesnake - Still Of The Night - Octave Riff, Pre-Chorus & Chorus guitar lesson video
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Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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AI-selected preset based on genre and era — adjust the knobs to taste.

Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
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Whitesnake Hard Rock C minor
Capo Advisor 0 C minor · Original key

About Still Of The Night - Octave Riff, Pre-Chorus & Chorus

Three of the most satisfying sections in the Hard Rock catalogue land right here. The octave riff that drives "Still of the Night" is deceptively physical: your fretting hand has to stay relaxed while stretching across two strings at a brisk 112 BPM, and any tension will cause the notes to flam or mute unevenly. Everything is tuned down a half step to Eb Standard, so your open strings sit slightly lower than normal and the whole riff has that extra low-end weight. In C minor the pre-chorus builds real harmonic tension, and nailing the rhythmic push into the chorus requires locking in with the kick drum rather than rushing ahead of it. Use the Practice Toolbar to isolate the octave riff at reduced speed until your pick attack is consistent, then loop the pre-chorus to chorus transition the same way before stitching the three sections together. Whitesnake wrote a genuinely demanding guitar part here, and the reward for getting it right is immense.

  • The entire song is played in Eb Standard tuning, dropping every string a half step for a heavier, slightly looser feel.
  • The octave riff demands clean fretting-hand muting between the two fretted strings to stop unwanted open strings from ringing.
  • At 112 BPM the pre-chorus to chorus transition has a rhythmic push that benefits from slow, looped practice before playing it up to speed.

How to Play Still Of The Night - Octave Riff, Pre-Chorus & Chorus

Tuning: Eb Standard · Key: C minor · Tempo: 112 BPM

It is played in Eb standard, a half step down, so tune down before you start or every position and bend will sit a half step sharp against the recording.

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 112 BPM to build it up to tempo.

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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