Survivor - Eye of the Tiger - Guitar Tab

About Eye of the Tiger

That opening riff is the whole reason most guitarists come to this song. It lands in C minor and moves at a steady 109 BPM, which is controlled enough that every note has to be deliberate and punchy. The signature figure is built on a repeated rhythmic motif that locks tightly with the kick drum, so your picking hand needs to stay consistent and accented rather than loose. Getting that stabbing, percussive quality right takes more precision than it first appears, and using the Practice Toolbar to loop it slowed down will help you nail the attack before bringing it back up to tempo. Beyond the riff, the song asks you to hold a tight, driving rhythm throughout, so right-hand discipline carries the whole performance. Survivor were working squarely in Hard Rock territory here, and the guitar tone is thick but defined, so a slightly compressed, mid-forward sound on guitar will get you closest to the record. E Standard tuning means no extra setup required.

• The signature opening riff is built on a percussive, rhythmically repeated motif in C minor that demands consistent, accented picking to sound right.
• At 109 BPM in E Standard tuning, the song sits at a moderate tempo where clean articulation and tight rhythm are more important than speed.
• The greatest practice challenge is maintaining the punchy, driving feel of the riff throughout the whole track without letting your picking hand get sloppy.