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Scorpions - Sails Of Charon - Guitar Tab

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Key E minor
Scorpions - Sails Of Charon guitar tab video
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Classic Rock

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Taken by Force album cover
Taken by Force
1977 5:12
Listen on Spotify
Scorpions Hard Rock 1977 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Sails Of Charon

Few tracks from the late 1970s Scorpions catalogue demand as much from a lead guitarist as "Sails of Charon." The song opens with one of the most recognisable classical-flavoured guitar intros in hard rock, built on a rapid, scalar fingerpicking passage in E minor that sits at the boundary between rock and flamenco technique. Uli Jon Roth's phrasing here requires both right-hand precision and clean left-hand fretting at a steady 120 BPM, so if the intro is slipping, use the Practice Toolbar to loop it slowed down until each note speaks clearly before you bring the tempo back up. The rhythm guitar underneath the verses is straightforward power-chord work in E Standard tuning, which gives you space to focus on nailing the lead lines. The real challenge is sustaining Roth's legato feel through the solo section, where hammer-ons and pull-offs need to flow without any note choking out. Patience with the picking hand angle pays off more here than raw speed.

  • The intro features a fast classical-style fingerpicking run in E minor that blends flamenco-influenced technique with hard rock phrasing.
  • The entire song sits in E Standard tuning at 120 BPM, making a metronome essential for keeping the scalar runs from rushing.
  • Uli Jon Roth's solo relies heavily on legato technique, so practising hammer-ons and pull-offs in isolation will speed up your progress.

How to Play Sails Of Charon

Tuning: E Standard · Key: E minor · Tempo: 120 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 120 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Matthias Jabs adopted Fender Stratocasters with humbuckers in later years, using their brighter character for cleaner ballad tones and more articulate lead work than his earlier Explorer guitars. The single-coil versatility lets him dial back aggression while maintaining the Scorpions' signature sustain.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

While less documented than their Custom models, the Les Paul Standard's thick body and stock humbuckers provide the warm, sustained tone the Scorpions need for layered lead harmonies and heavy power chord work in the studio.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

Matthias Jabs relied heavily on Gibson Les Paul Customs in the studio for their superior sustain and thick tonal character on solos, using the guitar's humbuckers and weight to achieve the band's signature fat, compressed lead sound.

Gibson Flying V
Guitar

Gibson Flying V

Rudolf Schenker's iconic Gibson Flying V since the mid-70s delivers his aggressive, palm-muted rhythm tone through hot PAF-style humbuckers, becoming synonymous with the Scorpions' raw, pointed attack and distinctive visual identity.

Gibson Explorer
Guitar

Gibson Explorer

Matthias Jabs built his lead style around the Gibson Explorer's angular design and humbucker tone, using the guitar's focused midrange and sustain for expressive solos before transitioning to signature ESP and Fender models.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

Both Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs powered the Scorpions' classic 80s sound through Marshall JCM800 heads, with Schenker running moderate preamp gain for defined rhythm crunch and Jabs pushing higher gain for lead work and sustain.

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