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REO Speedwagon - Keep On Loving You - Guitar Lesson

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Tools

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Key C major
REO Speedwagon - Keep On Loving You guitar lesson video
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Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
Hi Infidelity (30th Anniversary Edition) album cover
Hi Infidelity (30th Anniversary Edition)
1980 3:20
Listen on Spotify
REO Speedwagon Classic Rock 1980 C major
Capo Advisor 0 C major · Original key

About Keep On Loving You

At 92 BPM in C major, "Keep On Loving You" sits in that comfortable mid-tempo pocket that can fool you into thinking it is easier than it is. The song opens with a clean piano figure that guitars double and reinforce, so your picking hand needs to be light and even, matching that smooth, polished tone throughout. The chord work leans on open-position and first-position barre shapes in C major, but the transitions between them need to feel effortless, which takes more slow practice than most players expect. The bridge lifts into a slightly more driven texture, so dialing in the contrast between the cleaner verse feel and the fuller chorus sound is one of the real skills the song teaches. REO Speedwagon built this track from the Classic Rock playbook of tight arrangements where every guitar part earns its place. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the verse-to-chorus transition slowed down until the chord changes feel automatic under your fingers.

  • The song runs at 92 BPM in E Standard tuning, making it a good tempo for drilling clean chord transitions without the pressure of a fast pace.
  • Playing in C major means you can take advantage of open-string voicings that add resonance to the smooth, polished tone the arrangement calls for.
  • The cleaner picking touch required in the verses is a useful technique to practise separately before combining it with the fuller chorus chord work.

How to Play Keep On Loving You

Tuning: E Standard · Key: C major · Tempo: 92 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 92 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Gary Richrath occasionally switched to Fender Stratocasters for cleaner passages, using their brightness and articulation to contrast with his signature Les Paul heaviness. The Strat's single-coils provided clarity without sacrificing the midrange warmth that defined REO's rock ballads.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Richrath's primary instrument, the Les Paul Standard's stock PAF humbuckers and thick body delivered the warm, singing midrange tone that became REO Speedwagon's signature sound. Its dynamic response cleaned up beautifully with volume roll-offs, enabling both delicate passages and screaming leads.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

Richrath favored late '60s and '70s Les Paul Customs for their slightly higher output and resonant character, pushing his cranked Marshalls into thick, natural tube saturation. The Custom's weight and sustain made it ideal for the power ballads that defined REO's catalog.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

The JCM800's preamp compression and power tube saturation created REO's thick, singing midrange tone when driven hard, with enough headroom to capture both gritty leads and clean passages via volume knob manipulation. This amp remains the backbone of REO's live sound decades later.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Richrath used the Cry Baby sparingly but memorably, adding expressive lead accents on early tracks like 'Ridin' the Storm Out' without compromising his minimalist, amp-driven philosophy. The wah's dynamic sweep complemented his natural playing dynamics perfectly.

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