Why do so many play this riff wrong? #2 | Greatest riff in rock history

FOLLOW ME:

SUPPORT ME (tabs + guitar pro available at patreon!)

***GEAR***

GUITARS:
Les Paul Custom Shop Reissue '59

AMP:

MICS:

SOUND:

[lawrencedavis]

Tried playing it your way but I got a blister on my little finger and a blister on my thumb

[marcinjasinski]

I'm clapping my hands for two days now. Still no Les Paul.

[Russoski]

Thank you, Obi-Wan Kenobi, very precise and useful lesson!

[Noah-imfo]

Money for nothing is the most badass riff ever created.

[shadyshs]

I’ve been playing along with this video for about a year. I am finally at the 15 second mark in that song,

[warren]

The one quote I’ll take from this is, “ Everyone starts off shitty and hopes to get better “. As a beginner, I often forget that the majority of players were probably once like me. Here’s to getting better !! 🎸🍻

[runswithbears]

Knopfler is such an amazing guitarist. His style is so unique and recognizable, a single lick or note is enough to know the master is playing.

[L.C.Sweeney]

Everybody seems to miss the fact that Mark plays certain riffs with an up down motion of his index and thumb - hitting the low string on the way up with his upturned thumb's nail. You can definitely hear it in this song. Every offbeat is an upstroke which is less powerful than the downstrokes that are on the beat. If you manage to master that then the riff comes naturally. It also gives it a groove. If you just try and pinch both strings in the same manner each time you can get close but it'll never sound right.
PS. He actually has explained this technique on camera more than once before. He even explained who taught it to him and where he learnt it.

[torpedience]

You put a big smile on my face and made me appreciate Knopfler all the more. I've always been a sucker for those subtle, percussive clicks and clacks.

[charliebrown]

I've never seen or heard this riff dissected in such great detail. Magical.

[emregeylani]

"i wont see that pick again i guess" best guitar teacher/bro ever

[JakHart]

"We all start off shitty"
-Paul Davids

Well said mate.

[Stuntman-Jeff]

The FIRST time I've heard anyone nail this riff. So complex -- way to go, Paul!

[georgegrubbs]

Perfect for the guitar perfectionist. The subtleties make this great song even greater.

[slashusr]

I have learned. This is not something I can always say after viewing YouTube videos. I agree with your philosophy and I admire your assiduous attention to the subtilties of the "Greatest Riff in Rock History"--which I first heard (and very carefully listened to) whilst moving refrigerators and moving color TVs in 1985. I have a Line 6 James Tyler Variax, which means I CAN clap my hands and get a Les Paul. Your comments on tone and amp head are very helpful, and the rest has earned you a new subscriber.

[scarletcrusade]

Personnal summary :
0:38 SAMPLE 1
3:11 Effects
3:54 1st Step
4:12 2nd Step
5:55 3rd Step
6:18 Recap of 1 2 3
6:37 4th Step
6:58 5th Step
7:12 6th Step
7:35 Recap of 4 5 6
8:08 7th Step
8:19 8th Step
8:16 SAMPLE 2
8:56 SAMPLE 3 (SLOW)

[estevanmartins]

2:37 that dude passed away :(
Kiko Loureiro from Megadeth even tried to raise money to pay for that dude's cancer treatment.

[EternallyThankful-ospz]

My compliments to you - I've ALWAYS thought the on-line tabs / lessons for this riff sounded "hollow"...turns out there IS a LOT more going on in there than too many others have thought !! You are spot on with this lesson and it sounds GREAT with those subtleties crafted in - congrats and thanks for sharing !!

[mattedjon-veryaccuratetabs]

I just love when you dig deep into the riff to be as accurate as possible, some people would probably said that it's too much and it kills creativity but I think it's exactly the opposite. It's a great work to do

[strangeuwaterworld]

Seriously one of the best walkthroughs of why this riff is so amazing, and considered so difficult! Respect man!