Riptide

How to play Riptide by Vance Joy on guitar

Riptide is a great beginner song because it has a bright, catchy feel and a steady groove that makes you sound good quickly. You can focus on keeping the rhythm flowing and letting the changes carry the song, which makes it fun to play along with right away.

The chart mixes open shapes and barre shapes, so you will feel both easy grips and a few tougher stretches. The opening move goes C# - A - G# - C#, and that jump back to C# is the one to watch so your timing stays even and the sound does not break up.

Start by practicing the chord changes slowly, especially C# to A and G# back to C#. Once those feel smooth, add a steady strum and keep the motion relaxed. Then play through the full progression at a slower pace before bringing it up to the song's tempo.

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.