Creator Area
Sign in Creator Area

Whitesnake - Is This Love - Guitar Lesson

Practice Studio

Whitesnake - Is This Love - Guitar Lesson

Sections · Loop · Speed · Metronome

Not in tune?

Select a Loop

Start of your loop
End of your loop

Speed Control

Speed
100%

Tools

BPM
Key G major
Whitesnake - Is This Love guitar lesson video
Guitar 365
Guitar 365 Top Contributor
YouTube: 1.6Msubs 295Kviews
Creator Page →
·
–50¢ 0 +50¢
· Tap to start

Your browser will ask for microphone permission.

Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
AI tone preset

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.
Listen on Spotify
Whitesnake Hard Rock G major
Capo Advisor 0 G major · Original key

Is This Love

"Is This Love" is a hard rock ballad by Whitesnake, released in 1987 as the second single from their self-titled album. It showcases a melodic, restrained guitar style that contrasts with the heavier tracks on the record. For electric guitar players, the song is a strong study in smooth lead phrasing, clean chord work, and the expressive mid-tempo playing that defined Whitesnake's commercial peak.

  • The song comes from Whitesnake's 1987 self-titled album, one of the best-selling hard rock records of that era.
  • Its guitar parts reward players who focus on tone and sustain rather than speed or technical complexity.
  • Released as a UK single on 18 May 1987, it became one of Whitesnake's most recognisable ballad-style tracks.
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.

Recommended for You