Don't Fear the Reaper- Blue Öyster Cult

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

This song is a great beginner pick because the groove is steady and the harmony is easy to follow. You get a classic rock feel without needing fast chord changes, so it is satisfying to play along with right away. At about 120 BPM, it feels driving but still manageable.

Most of the chart uses open shapes, with only Cm as the harder barre shape. That means your left hand can stay relaxed for much of the song, but you should watch the move into Cm and back out again. The opening A - G - A - G is a good place to lock in clean changes.

Start by looping the opening progression slowly until the switches feel automatic. Then add the rest of the open shapes one at a time, and save Cm for last so you can isolate the barre grip. Once the changes are smooth, bring the tempo up in small steps until you can stay with the track.

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.