Up Around the Bend

How to play Up Around the Bend by Creedence Clearwater Revival on guitar

This is a great beginner song because it stays bright, steady, and easy to follow. You get a driving feel without having to chase a lot of chord changes, so it is a good one for building confidence and keeping your rhythm solid.

You can play every shape as an open chord, so your left hand stays relaxed. The main thing to watch is the quick switch between D and A, since that change comes up often and keeps the song moving. The chord pattern is simple, and the same few shapes keep cycling through the whole tune.

Start by looping D and A slowly until the change feels clean, then add G if you want to practice the full set of shapes in the song. Once your hands know the movement, bring it up to tempo and focus on staying even as the progression repeats. Keep the changes small and smooth, and let the pattern settle in.

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.