Introduction
Introduction:
The Final Countdown is the iconic song of Swedish rock band Europe which was released in 1986. The song was written by lead singer Joey Tempest.
Strumming Pattern
This song has a mix of palm-muting rhythm, open strumming, and melodic lead parts. The common strumming pattern which you can follow for this song is D D D D D D D D .
Make sure to keep your strokes short and control them using palm muting.
Song Structure
Introduction: In this section your guitar instructor Mike Walker is going to teach you how to tune your guitar in order to use it for the song.
Intro Parts: In this part of the guitar lesson your guitar instructor is going to show you how to play the synth part which comes in the intro of the song.
Song Arrangement Part 1: This section shows how you should be playing the verse section of the song and you will be playing these particular chords twice in the song.
Song Arrangement Part 2: Here, Mike shows you how to play the interlude, which is present in the song and is played alongside crash symbols.
Song Demo: This is the part where Mike Walke shows you how to play the guitar parts with the backing track.
Main Motif: This is the section where you will learn how to play the iconic motif, which
makes the song so memorable and classic.
Solo Lesson: Mike shares his knowledge of how you should be playing the harmonic solo of
this song in addition to the guitar chords.
Harmony Solo: This particular guitar part is played above the arpeggios section of the song.
Why Learn Final Countdown Song On Guitar By Europe Song?
Final Countdown is more than just a rock song, it's a rock anthem which has an instantly recognizable melody which is played at the beginning of the song.
The main keyboard riff can be easily played on guitar and learning it will help you practice lead techniques. The intro and the verse are great for learning melodic playing which is used a lot of time in rock music.
FAQs – This Song Guitar Lesson
Q1. Why is the Final Countdown so Famous?
Ans. The song reached number spot in 25 different countries, it is Europe’s only top 10 hit to this day. In addition to this, it is the band's most popular song of all time, the song which made the band famous all over the world.
Q2. What is the original BPM of the Final Countdown?
Ans. Final Countdown has a somber tune to it, as a result, the tempo of the song lies in 118 BPM. You can also use a half-time tempo at 59 BPM, or double-time it at 236 BPM.
Q3. Who is Europe's lead singer?
Ans. Joey Tempest is the lead singer of the rock band Europe.
Q4. How many hits did Europe have?
Ans. Europe has 20 albums in the Billboard 200 charts, including The Final Countdown and Out Of This World. In addition to this, they have three songs in the top 30 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.
Fun Fact: The lyrics of the song were written after getting inspired by David Bowie’s “Space Oddity.” The song was only intended to be a concert opener, but it became the band’s best song of all time.
Final Countdown
Introduction
Intro Parts
Song Arrangement Part 1
Song Arrangement Part 2
Song Demo
Main Motif
Solo Lesson
Harmony Solo
Introduction:
The Final Countdown is the iconic song of Swedish rock band Europe which was released in 1986. The song was written by lead singer Joey Tempest.
Strumming Pattern
This song has a mix of palm-muting rhythm, open strumming, and melodic lead parts. The common strumming pattern which you can follow for this song is D D D D D D D D .
Make sure to keep your strokes short and control them using palm muting.
Song Structure
Introduction: In this section your guitar instructor Mike Walker is going to teach you how to tune your guitar in order to use it for the song.
Intro Parts: In this part of the guitar lesson your guitar instructor is going to show you how to play the synth part which comes in the intro of the song.
Song Arrangement Part 1: This section shows how you should be playing the verse section of the song and you will be playing these particular chords twice in the song.
Song Arrangement Part 2: Here, Mike shows you how to play the interlude, which is present in the song and is played alongside crash symbols.
Song Demo: This is the part where Mike Walke shows you how to play the guitar parts with the backing track.
Main Motif: This is the section where you will learn how to play the iconic motif, which
makes the song so memorable and classic.
Solo Lesson: Mike shares his knowledge of how you should be playing the harmonic solo of
this song in addition to the guitar chords.
Harmony Solo: This particular guitar part is played above the arpeggios section of the song.
Why Learn Final Countdown Song On Guitar By Europe Song?
Final Countdown is more than just a rock song, it's a rock anthem which has an instantly recognizable melody which is played at the beginning of the song.
The main keyboard riff can be easily played on guitar and learning it will help you practice lead techniques. The intro and the verse are great for learning melodic playing which is used a lot of time in rock music.
FAQs – This Song Guitar Lesson
Q1. Why is the Final Countdown so Famous?
Ans. The song reached number spot in 25 different countries, it is Europe’s only top 10 hit to this day. In addition to this, it is the band's most popular song of all time, the song which made the band famous all over the world.
Q2. What is the original BPM of the Final Countdown?
Ans. Final Countdown has a somber tune to it, as a result, the tempo of the song lies in 118 BPM. You can also use a half-time tempo at 59 BPM, or double-time it at 236 BPM.
Q3. Who is Europe's lead singer?
Ans. Joey Tempest is the lead singer of the rock band Europe.
Q4. How many hits did Europe have?
Ans. Europe has 20 albums in the Billboard 200 charts, including The Final Countdown and Out Of This World. In addition to this, they have three songs in the top 30 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.
Fun Fact: The lyrics of the song were written after getting inspired by David Bowie’s “Space Oddity.” The song was only intended to be a concert opener, but it became the band’s best song of all time.
Final Countdown
Introduction
Intro Parts
Song Arrangement Part 1
Song Arrangement Part 2
Song Demo
Main Motif
Solo Lesson
Harmony Solo
Explore More in English Songs
Introduction
Tune into Torrins’ guitar song lesson on the iconic single by American rock band Guns N' Roses, Sweet Child O’ Mine. This chart-topping hard rock song is taught by our instructor, Mike Walker. He has broken down the lesson into 10 parts for a detailed understanding of each section and to make learning easier. Find dedicated lessons on the intro, verses, choruses, interlude solos, main solo, and outro.
Fun Fact: "Sweet Child O' Mine" was born out of a playful jam session at the band’s house. Slash was fooling around with a "circus" melody to make drummer Steven Adler laugh when Izzy Stradlin suggested turning it into a song. Within an hour, the band had crafted the core structure, and Axl Rose, inspired by his girlfriend Erin Everly, wrote the heartfelt lyrics by the following afternoon.
Chords Used in Sweet Child O' Mine Guitar Lesson
This song is played in half-step down tuning and features a mix of open chords and power chords. Some of the key chords used in the song include:
- C, D, Cadd9
- A power chord, Dsus4
Tune into the full lesson to learn all the chords and how to transition between them seamlessly.
Strumming Pattern
- Intermediate/advanced rhythm: Alternating strumming pattern with pull-off techniques for added depth
- A lick is layered over the chorus, and Mike walks you through how to blend it into the song smoothly
Song Structure
This song follows a well-defined verse-chorus format:
- Intro Riff – The iconic opening lick is based on a repetitive motion with just the first note changing. It’s repeated twice.
- Verse 1 & 2 – Follows an 8-bar phrase played twice using three chords. Incorporates a pull-off pattern. Mike breaks down the intricacies of the verses in great detail.
- Chorus – Mix of power chords and open chords like A power chord, C5, and Dsus4. A lick is played over the chorus for added texture.
- Solo 1 – The rhythm underneath the solo is half the length of the verse.
- Verse 2 – Similar to Verse 1.
- Chorus 2 – Same as Chorus 1.
- Solo 2 – A longer solo covering an entire verse.
- Chorus 3 – Double the length of the previous choruses.
- Outro Solo – Includes wah-wah pedal, hammer-ons, pull-offs, sliding, and some resting measures for dynamic effect.
Why Learn Sweet Child O' Mine?
This lesson covers not just the guitar parts but also the feel and dynamics that make the song iconic.
- Learn the nuances of Slash’s soloing style
- Improve your pull-offs and hammer-ons
- Master playing with a wah-wah pedal for expressive control
FAQs – Sweet Child O' Mine Guitar Lesson
Q1. Is this song beginner-friendly?
Ans: This lesson is ideal for intermediate and advanced players.
Q2. What’s the trick to mastering the intro riff?
Ans: Focus on the repetitive pattern and ensure the other strings are muted for a clean sound.





































