How to Practice Creep

Radiohead's 'Creep' is the most-covered indie-rock song of the 1990s. The four-chord progression (G-B-C-Cm) is dead simple, but the dynamic shifts from quiet verse to crashing chorus are what give the song its emotional weight.

What to Focus On

Four chords (G-B-C-Cm). Steady strumming with massive dynamic shift between verse and chorus. Singing the brooding melody with restraint, then commitment.

Practice Tips

1. 1

   Four chords, two of which (B and Cm) are slightly unusual. Master them before adding the dynamic shift.

2. 2

   The verse is whispered; the chorus is screamed. The dynamic range is what makes it 'Creep.'

3. 3

   The 'crunchy' chord (Cm) is what gives the song its angst. Don't substitute it.

Why This Song

It's the indie-rock standard for dynamic-shift songwriting and brooding singing.