If you are new to playing guitar or ukulele, begin with whole-note strumming by counting 1 – 2 – 3 – 4, striking the chord on bold counts, and saying out loud “one and two, one and two…” Next step onward to quarter note strumming.
Riptide’s chords, with a capo on the first fret, are unofficially Am, G and C (and Fmaj7 – more on that later) making this song ideal for beginners.
Am
These stepping-stone shapes allow for effortless transitioning between G, C and Am chords – even the bridge that separates verse from chorus can be played entirely with just four chords!
Riptide’s studio recording is in an altered key that’s one half step higher than standard tuning, so to play along you must apply a capo on fret 1. With it in place, Am, G and C chords will become Fmaj7, Dmaj7 and Fmaj7 chords respectively.
Start out by playing several bars of an Am chord to get familiar with its rhythm, before switching over to playing G and C chords with similar rhythms – this will enable you to develop the strumming pattern before adding melodic elements of your song.
G
Riptide requires you to learn two chords quickly: G and F barre chords. If F barre is too difficult, there are alternative fingering options without using a barre; here are two of them; these won’t produce as full sounding an effect but may get you over any obstacles faster.
Riptide’s strumming pattern may appear simple, but dynamic variations are key for an exceptional rhythm guitar performance.
Look back and reflect for a second. Consider what you’ve accomplished: you just learned the chords to one song – unlocking over 4,500 new tunes along the way. That is an extraordinary return on your investment!
C
Riptide by Creedence Clearwater Revival features an accessible strumming pattern to keep its rhythm going strong, perfect for beginning guitarists and appearing elsewhere in songs such as Green Day’s Good Riddance or Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Sweet Child O’ Mine.
The open C chord offers several stepping-stone options that you can experiment with. Place your fingers in different positions to experience how it affects sound quality.
Practice these shapes regularly until they become part of your fingers, like when boiling a kettle or using the microwave, until your hands feel at home with them and you can start playing songs using just 4 chords – what an incredible return on investment.
F
Riptide’s catchy rhythm makes it instantly recognisable. The strumming pattern is easy enough – just down, up, down and up often enough – making this practiced with or without metronome possible. You could try saying out loud your strumming patterns as a form of practice and playing along.
Riptide is an excellent song to learn how to form barre chords and change them to match the beat, helping you develop the necessary skill. While strumming, keep your fingers in their respective places as if strumming, using only the bony part of your index finger to barre chords (and not its fleshy one).
Once you know your chord progression, start searching YouTube or Spotify for songs with those four chords as an easy starting point – you may quickly discover thousands of new tunes!
Strum
Learning proper strum technique will allow you to practice more efficiently and reduce injury risks when playing your guitar. A metronome may come in handy here; or simply follow along with the song when strumming along.
Riptide’s strumming pattern consists of a straightforward four-to-a-bar rhythm with downstrokes and upstrokes – a popular style among guitarists that should be familiar to most players.
Beginners might find this strumming pattern challenging. To make things simpler, try placing a capo on the first fret to transpose chords up a tone – the chord progression remains unchanged but strumming patterns will become easier to manage for beginners.