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Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing - Guitar Cover

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Key D minor
Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing guitar cover video
Kfir Ochaion
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Classic Rock

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Dire Straits album cover
Dire Straits
1978 5:49
Listen on Spotify
Dire Straits Rock 1978 D minor
Capo Advisor 0 D minor · Original key

About Sultans of Swing

"Sultans of Swing" is a track by British rock band Dire Straits, written by guitarist and vocalist Mark Knopfler. Originally demoed in July 1977, it was later rerecorded in February 1978 for the band's self-titled debut album. The song is a landmark study in fingerpicking electric guitar, showcasing Knopfler's distinctive bare-finger technique, melodic phrasing, and tasteful use of dynamics, making it a rewarding and educational piece for intermediate and advanced players.

  • Mark Knopfler plays without a pick, using his fingers directly on the strings, a defining technique heard throughout this track.
  • The original demo was recorded at Pathway Studios in North London in July 1977 before the band had a record deal.
  • BBC Radio London airplay of the demo helped build an early audience for the song before its official release.

How to Play Sultans of Swing

Key: D minor · Tempo: 148 BPM · Difficulty: Medium

The core challenge here is Knopfler's bare-finger picking style: he uses his thumb, index, and middle fingers directly on the strings rather than a pick, producing a softer, rounder attack with a lot of dynamic nuance. You can learn it with a pick, but to get close to the actual tone and phrasing, practicing the fingerpicking approach is worth the effort. The intro riff in D minor is the foundation of the whole song, so isolate that first before moving to the verses. The two extended solos, especially Solo 2 at the end, involve fast legato runs and string bends that require clean left-hand positioning; looping those sections at reduced speed will reveal exactly where the phrase transitions get sloppy.

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 148 BPM to build it up to tempo.

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