About this recording
Dire Straits · 1978 · Original album studio recording
Playing level: advanced · Theory level: beginner
Start with D minor, then listen for short phrases that follow the chords. Knopfler’s touch is as useful to notice as the scale names.
The scales at a glance
Compare the notes
Learn these shapes, then see how they help explain each solo below. Some are extra ideas for your own practice.
| Scale | Notes | Intervals | Use in this study |
|---|---|---|---|
| D Minor Pentatonic | D · F · G · A · C | 1 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · ♭7 | Listening guide |
| D Natural Minor | D · E · F · G · A · B♭ · C | 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · ♭6 · ♭7 | Listening guide |
| D Harmonic Minor | D · E · F · G · A · B♭ · C♯ | 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 4 · 5 · ♭6 · 7 | Listening guide |
Solo breakdown
Main solo
Guitar: Mark Knopfler
Where is this solo?
The closing studio solo after the final vocal. The earlier shorter solo is a separate section.
D Minor Pentatonic
Listening guide
D minor pentatonic gives a small set of notes for the blues-shaped phrases.
D · F · G · A · C
◎ Outlined dots = D, the home note.
Standard tuning (teaching setup) · frets 10–13 · high string 1 at top · toward nut →
These dots show where the scale notes are. They do not show the order of the solo.
Read the note positions
- String 1, fret 10: D, interval 1, root
- String 1, fret 13: F, interval ♭3
- String 2, fret 10: A, interval 5
- String 2, fret 13: C, interval ♭7
- String 3, fret 10: F, interval ♭3
- String 3, fret 12: G, interval 4
- String 4, fret 10: C, interval ♭7
- String 4, fret 12: D, interval 1, root
- String 5, fret 10: G, interval 4
- String 5, fret 12: A, interval 5
- String 6, fret 10: D, interval 1, root
- String 6, fret 13: F, interval ♭3
More about these scales
D Minor Pentatonic Listening guide
D minor pentatonic gives a small set of notes for the blues-shaped phrases.
D · F · G · A · C
D Natural Minor Listening guide
D natural minor adds E and B♭. Use the wider map to compare the connecting notes.
D · E · F · G · A · B♭ · C
D Harmonic Minor Listening guide
Compare C♯ with C near A7. C♯ is a note in that chord; it does not mean the whole closing solo changes to harmonic minor.
D · E · F · G · A · B♭ · C♯
How the chords shape the solo
Chords and note choices
Listen for the landing note
Listening idea A chord tone belongs to the chord you hear underneath the lead. D minor contains D, F and A; A7 contains A, C♯, E and G. Listen for a phrase that lands as the chord changes.
D Minor arpeggio
D · F · A · 1 · ♭3 · 5
Play these chord notes separately and listen for a clear ending. This is a chord-note reference, not the order of a recorded passage.
Practice idea Compare the notes of D minor as an original chord-tone exercise.
A Dominant seventh arpeggio
A · C♯ · E · G · 1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7
Play these chord notes separately and listen for a clear ending. This is a chord-note reference, not the order of a recorded passage.
Practice idea Compare the notes of A dominant7 as an original chord-tone exercise.
Technique tips
Technique and phrasing
- fingerstyle: Fingerstyle means plucking with your fingers. Try a short phrase with a light touch and keep the unused strings quiet. Practice suggestion
Practice ideas
Try the ideas yourself
Original practice suggestions; these are not the recorded solo.
Try this slowly
Choose D Minor Pentatonic and make a short phrase ending on D. Then choose D Harmonic Minor to find C♯. Over a separate A7 practice chord, end a new phrase on C♯ and hear the difference.
Check: You can keep a steady pulse and hear the final note clearly.
A simple practice plan
Put the study into practice
- Listen to the chosen solo and identify its beginning and ending.
- Find the root notes: the notes the scale is named after. Say their names, then play them.
- Add one new note, or aim for a note from the chord. Make a short phrase of your own.
- Listen to the solo again. Can you hear where the phrase comes to rest?
Updated 2026-11-10
This analysis may contain errors or inaccuracies.