Blackout by the Scorpions, from Blackout (1982), features a guitar solo by Matthias Jabs that is fast, aggressive, and full of classic hard rock energy. It is a great study in rock soloing with speed and attitude.
About the Solo
Jabs plays with precision and aggression on this solo. Fast alternate picking, confident bends, and driving rhythm make this a classic piece of 80s hard rock lead guitar. The tone is powerful and the phrasing never loses its sense of direction.
What You Will Work On
- Fast alternate picking — precise, aggressive, driving
- Hard rock pentatonic runs — speed with musical direction
- Aggressive bends — confident pitch bending with rock conviction
- Driving rock feel — locking in with the heavy rhythm section
- 80s hard rock vocabulary — essential language for this style
Tips for Learning
- Build speed methodically — clean at every tempo before pushing faster.
- Match the aggression of the original — hesitant playing kills the feel.
- Work on alternate picking in pentatonic boxes before applying to the solo.
- Use a high-gain tone with good mid-range presence to match the Scorpions sound.
WANT TO MASTER THIS SOLO PROPERLY?
Private Rock Guitar Lessons via Zoom — Diego Fonseca
Rock & metal specialist with 20+ years of teaching. Students across the US and Canada. I will build a lesson plan around the music you actually want to play — solos, technique, theory.
✔ Free 30-min trial lesson ✔ US & Canada timezones ✔ $240/month · 4 lessons
Fill out the form and Diego will reply within 12 hours.