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Scorpions - When The Smoke Is Going Down - Guitar Tab

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Scorpions - When The Smoke Is Going Down - Guitar Tab

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Key E minor
Scorpions - When The Smoke Is Going Down guitar tab video
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Blackout album cover
Blackout
1982 3:50
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Scorpions Hard Rock 1982 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

When The Smoke Is Going Down

"When The Smoke Is Going Down" is a slow acoustic-flavored ballad by the German rock band Scorpions, featured on their 1982 album Blackout. Released on Harvest and EMI Records, Blackout marked a peak period for the band's international reach. The song is a rewarding study for electric guitar players interested in Scorpions' melodic, clean-tone approach, offering expressive chord work and understated dynamics distinct from the album's harder tracks.

  • The song appears on Blackout, Scorpions' eighth studio album, released in 1982 through Harvest and EMI Records.
  • Its restrained, clean-toned style contrasts sharply with the heavier material on Blackout, making it a useful exercise in dynamic control.
  • Scorpions are a German rock band, and their European melodic sensibility is clearly reflected in this ballad's chord voicings and phrasing.
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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