Don't Fear the Reaper- Blue Öyster Cult

How to play Don't Fear the Reaper- Blue Öyster Cult by SpiritWriterSong on guitar

This is a great beginner song to learn because it stays steady and lets you focus on clean changes instead of tricky technique. At about 120 BPM, it has a calm, driving feel that is easy to lock into once you settle into the groove.

You only need open shapes here, so the main challenge is keeping your fretting hand relaxed and moving efficiently. The opening A - G - A - G change is the one to watch, since it repeats right away and can expose any hesitation.

Start by looping just A - G slowly until the switch feels automatic, then add the full opening progression. Once that feels smooth, play along with the track at a comfortable pace and gradually bring it up to speed while keeping every chord ringing clearly.

Use the play-along above to follow each chord change in time with the music, or learn the shapes first with the chord diagrams below.