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Europe - The Final Countdown - Guitar Cover

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Key F# minor
Europe - The Final Countdown guitar cover video
Kfir Ochaion
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Classic Rock

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The Final Countdown (Expanded Edition) album cover
The Final Countdown (Expanded Edition)
1986 5:10
Listen on Spotify
Europe Hard Rock 1986 F# minor
Capo Advisor 0 F# minor · Original key

About The Final Countdown

"The Final Countdown" by Europe is a Swedish rock anthem released in 1986 as the title track and lead single from their album of the same name. Written by vocalist Joey Tempest, the song built around a signature keyboard riff that doubles beautifully on electric guitar, making it a staple for rock guitarists. Its driving rhythm, memorable chord progressions, and iconic melodic lead lines offer players a solid introduction to classic 1980s hard rock technique.

  • The song's famous riff was originally written by Joey Tempest on keyboard in the early 1980s before becoming the band's biggest track.
  • Lyrics were inspired by David Bowie's 'Space Oddity,' giving the song its distinctive space-travel narrative theme.
  • Originally conceived as a concert opener, not a single, its arena-ready energy makes it a rewarding piece to perform live on electric guitar.

How to Play The Final Countdown

Tuning: E Standard · Key: F# minor · Tempo: 120 BPM · Difficulty: Medium

The central challenge here is nailing the iconic F# minor keyboard riff transposed to guitar: it sits in a position on the neck where smooth string crossings matter more than hand strength, so isolate the intro and loop it at reduced speed until each note rings cleanly without muting adjacent strings. The chorus rhythm work is relatively straightforward in F# minor, but guitarists often rush the transitions between the verse and chorus sections at 118 bpm, so use the metronome to lock those handoffs in before playing full sections through. The lead solo is the hardest section technically, featuring melodic phrasing with bends and vibrato that reward careful, phrase-by-phrase practice rather than running it from top to bottom. Keep the riff articulation crisp: the most common pitfall is letting notes blur together when ascending the pattern, which strips the melody of the punctuated, almost staccato character that makes it recognizable.

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 120 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

John Norum's Stratocasters blend single-coil clarity in the neck and middle with a bridge humbucker for aggressive leads, giving Europe's sound versatility between glassy rhythm tones and saturated solo work. This hybrid approach lets him switch textures without changing instruments, crucial for his dynamic playing style.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Norum's late '50s-style Les Paul Standards with PAF humbuckers deliver the warm, articulate foundation for Europe's classic hard rock tone, responding beautifully to his volume knob technique for clean rhythm passages before cranking for full saturation.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

The Gibson Les Paul Custom, particularly his '68 goldtop, anchored Europe's early recordings with thick mahogany body resonance and vintage humbucker character that cuts through high-volume Marshall saturation while maintaining pick definition.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

Norum's JCM800 head driven at high volume creates Europe's signature natural power-tube breakup without relying on gain stacking, letting his touch and dynamics shape the tone rather than pedal settings.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

The Cry Baby wah is Norum's most essential effect, featured prominently across Europe's solos for vocal-like expressive sweeps that showcase his legato technique and add character to lead passages.

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