Song practice guide
How to Practice Riptide
Vance Joy's 'Riptide' built modern indie-folk's signature sound on three chords (Am-G-C) and a ukulele. The song is shockingly simple to play and shockingly hard to play well, the rhythm is what carries it.
Song Details
- Key
- Am
- Tempo
- 100 BPM
- Time
- 4/4
- Style
- boom-chuck
Structure
This song is still under copyright, so we publish its form rather than its chord chart. Add it to your library and you can enter or attach your own chart, and Repertoire will schedule it either way.
What to Focus On
Three chords (Am-G-C). Driving strum pattern. Confident vocal phrasing in the verse and chorus.
Practice Tips
- 1
Three chords, no excuses. Master the transitions and the strum is what's left to figure out.
- 2
Originally written on ukulele but works equally well on guitar. Use whichever feels right.
- 3
The strum pattern is the song. Don't simplify it; the syncopation is what makes it sound like Riptide.
Why This Song
It's the modern three-chord folk-pop standard, and a great first ukulele or guitar song.
Practice Riptide Daily
Repertoire uses spaced repetition to keep your songs sharp. Add this song to your collection and the system schedules your practice automatically.
No credit card required • Free tier: 3 collections · 15 songs each
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