Europe - Cherokee - Guitar Solo Tab

The Final Countdown (Expanded Edition)

1986 4:13

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About Cherokee

"Cherokee" from the 1986 album The Final Countdown sits in Bb major, which puts every chord and lead line a half-step up from the more common A-based hard-rock territory. That shift might seem small, but it means your standard open-position shapes won't serve you here. You'll be working barre chords and upper-neck positions throughout, so clean fretting pressure is something to watch from the start. At 120 BPM the song moves at a confident mid-tempo pace that feels approachable until you hit the lead sections, where pick accuracy and smooth position shifts become the real test. Europe built their reputation in Hard Rock on tightly arranged guitar parts, and Cherokee reflects that, rewarding players who take time with the detail rather than rushing through it. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop any lead phrase slowed down until your fretting hand finds the position changes cleanly before you bring it back up to tempo.

• Playing in Bb major means relying on barre chords and mid-neck positions rather than open shapes, which demands consistent left-hand fretting pressure.
• At 120 BPM the tempo is comfortable for rhythm parts, but lead lines require precise picking and smooth position shifts to sit cleanly in the mix.
• E Standard tuning is used throughout, so no retuning is needed, but pay attention to your barre chord clarity across all six strings on the heavier chord voicings.