Guitar & Bass Tabs
Pat Travers Band
About Pat Travers Band
The Pat Travers Band burst onto the rock scene in the early 1970s, led by Canadian-born guitarist Pat Travers. Travers cut his teeth on the blues-rock circuits of North America and Europe, building a reputation for blazing riffs, melodic solos, and a fearless live approach. The band quickly became known for high-energy performances that fused blues-based phrasing with hard rock swagger, helping to define a thread of guitar-driven rock that would influence generations of players.
Across late-70s and into the 80s, the Pat Travers Band released a string of albums and earned a global fanbase, aided by their radio-ready hooks and relentless tours. Their signature sound—crunchy, sustain-rich leads layered over tight rhythm sections—found a home on classics like Boom Boom (Out Go the Lights) and a roster of hard-hitting tracks that remain touchstones for aspiring rock guitarists. The band also became a frequent touring staple, sharpening their live dynamics and inspiring countless players to pick up the instrument.
Though lineups changed over the years, Travers' guitar voice remained the focal point, and the band's influence can be felt in the way modern players balance fierce technique with feel. Today, the Pat Travers Band's legacy endures in classic rock education and on platforms that teach rock riffs and solos—like the two lessons featured here, with songs such as Sbortin' Whiskey and Snortin' Whiskey that capture the band's raw energy.
🎸 Want to know what gear Pat Travers Band used, their playing style, and fun facts? Scroll below the lessons!
Watch the Lesson
Snortin' Whiskey
Pat Travers Band
View Tab →Playing Style
Pat Travers Band's playing style blends blues-rock grit with high-energy rock lead work. Travers's guitar voice is built on blues-inflected scales, driving riffs, and melodic soloing. He often crafts tight, hard-edged riffs using power chords and palm-muted chugs, paired with blazing pentatonic runs and expressive bends. His solos strike a balance between speed and feel, using vibrato, wide phrasing, and dynamic attack. The overall sound is thick, sustain-rich, and punchy—perfect for live, crowd-pleasing rock that still rewards dedicated practice.
🎸 Gear & Equipment
Iconic gear associated with the Pat Travers Band includes a Gibson Les Paul-style guitar favored for its thick, sustaining tone, often run through a Marshall-type amp stack to deliver the aggressive blues-rock edge. Travers's setup typically favors reliable overdrive and a touch of wah-wah to shape solos, along with straightforward pedal effects that keep riffs tight and rhythms punchy.
Why Learn Pat Travers Band Songs?
Learning Pat Travers Band tunes helps guitarists build key rock skills: tight rhythm riffs, blues-based phrasing, and lead techniques that emphasize tone, dynamics, and control. The two available lessons are solid, mid-to-upper-intermediate challenges that reward precise timing, clean alternate picking, string bending, and expressive phrasing. Working through Sbortin' Whiskey and Snortin' Whiskey gives you a practical blueprint for crafting large, confident sounding rock guitar parts and a foundation for stage-ready fretboard mastery.
Did You Know?
- 1The Pat Travers Band's breakout hit Boom Boom (Out Go the Lights) remains a staple of 70s classic rock radio.
- 2Pat Travers is known for blistering, blues-inflected guitar tone and high-energy live shows.
- 3The band has undergone several lineup changes, but Travers has remained the constant driver of the sound.
- 4Their music helped popularize blues-rock guitar and inspired a generation of players to study fiery riffs and bold leads.
1 Pat Travers Band lesson(s) available — Start learning today!
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