Tunnel Of Love [RHYTHM]

"Tunnel of Love" by Dire Straits: Rhythm Guitar

Let’s check out how to play the rhythm guitar for Tunnel Of Love by Dire Straits. This is the first lesson in my Tunnel Of Love mini-series! Here, we check out the chords, strumming, and arrangement. Below you'll find links to the solo stuff. :)

Man, this song is AWESOME! The rhythm parts are real nice, and it's an elaborate arrangement loaded with details. You can keep it simple or go deep and make it complex! Unsurprisingly, there are tons of chord sequences in this song, so we’ll also cover how to create a chord chart from scratch. :)

 

🎸 Full Demo: If you fancy a jam or want to see all these chords in action, you’ll find a full playalong at 27:00. :)

 

Tunnel of Love by Dire Straits: Pick or Fingers?

Let’s get this clear - I’m pretty sure this rhythm part was played with a pick. I know that Mark Knopfler is a finger player, but I tried all kinds of sounds and couldn’t get it right until I started strumming with a pick. Either Mark Knopfler used a pick, someone else recorded the rhythm, or he has a crazy callous on his thumb!

 

The Key

The chords are all from F Major - F, Gm, Am, Bb, C, Dm - and we finish each time on Dm. This chord feels like home, so this song is in D Minor (technically D Aeolian).

 

💡 Know Your Theory: Unsure about F Major and the D Aeolian Mode? Master music theory and use it to transform your playing with my Practical Music Theory course.

 

We'll need loads of barre chords for this song - the E Major shape, the E minor shape, the A Major shape, the A minor shape, and even the C Major shape! Follow the links for detailed lessons on these grips.

 

Tunnel of Love by Dire Straits: The Rhythm

The patterns change a lot throughout the song. Though I find it tricky to remember all of them by heart, I seem to lock into the groove nicely when jamming along with the original track. So my advice is to listen to the Dire Straits original loads, absorb the rhythms, then play it from your musical imagination. You can also check out the full demo and jam along with me. :)

 

The Guitar Fills

There are loads of fills between the power chords. They tend to be based around the open E and A strings and bass notes. Watch the video lesson for the authentic fills, nick them from the Dire Straits recording, or make up your own. :)

 

Outro Rhythm Guitar

There's a lot of keyboard in the long outro. If you’re playing in a band without a keyboard player, I suggest you keep your rhythm guitar nice and delicate. Pick out some notes and add some melody, making sure to give the lead guitar space.
 

 

Take The Pieces And Put Them Together

I miss out lots of details here because there is so much to cover. Tunnel Of Love is long and there's a lot going on, so do some homework to figure out the extra details. I suggest you play unplugged electric with the original, listen for the accuracy of your playing, and try to copy Dire Straits.

 

🔥 Transcribe and Learn Songs Yourself: One of the top benefits of transcribing is that you learn songs on your own. You can learn all your favorite riffs and chord sequences without relying on tabs and books, and become a better musician while doing so. Check out my video on the power of transcribing and get motivated to train your ear!

 

In the end, it’s up to you to pick up what you want! There's so much going on in this song that it’s impossible to learn everything. It depends on your level, your love for the tune, and how much time you have. Enjoy exploring this awesome tune. :)

👉 Check out the first guitar solo and the outro solo from Tunnel Of Love by Dire Straits.