Kavinsky - Nightcall - Guitar Tab

About Nightcall

Rooted in A minor at a slow, hypnotic 84 BPM, "Nightcall" by Kavinsky is primarily a synth-driven track, but its brooding atmosphere translates surprisingly well to guitar. The challenge on guitar is less about technical speed and more about nailing the mood: cold, sustained notes with plenty of space between them. A clean electric tone with a touch of chorus or reverb gets you closest to the icy, late-night feel of the original. The main melodic line sits comfortably in the A minor pentatonic scale, making it accessible to intermediate players, but the real work is in playing it with restraint and letting each note breathe. Because the tempo is steady and unhurried, it is tempting to rush the phrasing, so use the Practice Toolbar to loop sections at a reduced speed and focus on your pick attack and release. Synthpop arrangements like this reward guitarists who can play less and mean more.

• The melody sits naturally in A minor pentatonic, making it a good vehicle for practising expressive, minimal single-note phrasing.
• A clean electric tone with chorus or reverb best captures the cold, cinematic quality this song demands from a guitar arrangement.
• At 84 BPM the groove feels slow and open, so practise holding your timing steady without rushing into the spaces between notes.