Creedence Clearwater Revival - Proud Mary - Guitar Lesson

Bayou Country (Expanded Edition)

1969 3:07

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About Proud Mary

Few riffs in Rock are as immediately recognizable as the opening figure of "Proud Mary," and nailing it is the first real challenge here. Creedence Clearwater Revival built that signature intro around a repeating, syncopated single-note line in D major that sounds deceptively simple but demands clean left-hand muting and precise pick attack to get the groove right. The song sits at 126 BPM in E Standard tuning, and the feel wants to be laid-back and rolling rather than stiff, so be careful not to rush the eighth notes. The chord work through the verse and chorus is approachable for intermediate players, but matching the relaxed, behind-the-beat pocket that John Fogerty locks into is the real test. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the intro riff slowed down until the muting and timing feel natural before bringing it back up to tempo. Once that groove clicks, the rest of the song falls into place fairly quickly.

• The signature intro riff is a single-note figure in D major that relies on tight left-hand muting to keep the groove clean and percussive.
• At 126 BPM in E Standard tuning, the feel demands a relaxed, behind-the-beat approach rather than a rigidly metronomic one.
• Chord shapes throughout the song are beginner-friendly, making the riff's rhythmic precision the main skill to develop here.