Deep Purple - Smoke on the Water - Guitar Tab

Machine Head

1972 5:42

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About Smoke on the Water

Few riffs in rock history are as immediately recognizable as the four-note sequence that opens "Smoke on the Water," and learning it correctly is the first real test for any guitarist picking it up. The riff is built on parallel perfect fourths played on the D and G strings, which gives it that thick, slightly ambiguous quality. Many beginners instinctively reach for power chords on the low E and A strings, so getting the actual string positioning right is worth slowing down and drilling carefully. The song sits in G minor, and once you move past the main riff, the verse and solo sections demand a solid feel for the minor pentatonic scale in that key. Deep Purple play the whole track at a moderate, deliberate tempo, which means every note in the riff needs to land clean rather than being covered by speed. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the riff slowed down until the string choice and pick attack feel completely natural before bringing it back up to tempo.

• The signature riff uses parallel perfect fourths on the D and G strings, not power chords on the low strings as many beginners assume.
• The song is in G minor, making it a practical entry point for learning minor pentatonic phrases in that position on the neck.
• Clean pick attack matters throughout because the moderate tempo leaves no room to hide sloppy string contact on the main riff.