Don T Fear the Reaper guitar riff

Learn the killer guitar riff that's guaranteed to prompt cries of 'More cowbell!' from your listeners

This classic riff is based around just three guitar chords, played as arpeggios: A5, G and F5. Technically, the chord names are more complicated than this -thanks to extra open string notes- but keep the three basic shapes in mind and the riff will be easier to remember.

Your main aim should be to perform the arpeggios smoothly and steadily, following the eighth note rhythm tightly. Chord changes must be swift, without any gaps between notes. Use your second and third fingers for both the A5 and G chords, but use your first and fourth fingers for the F5.

Picking-wise, a 'down up' style alternate approach feels like the best option to us; it gives you most control, allowing you to 'feel' the rhythm and make sure every note is just the right volume. That said, an all-downstrokes approach minimises your picking movement so, if it suits your style, try it out.

On this post, we will learn how to play the Blue Oyster Cult’s most well-known hit – Don’t Fear The Reaper.

How to Play Don’t Fear The Reaper

This riff is a good example of a riff that is based purely on arpeggios. The open G string is the common note to all 3 chords that are arpeggiated, and the way it rings out on each upbeat creates a beautiful, chime like effect. Play each note with a down-stroke, except for the note that’s marked in red. That’s an upstroke.

How to play “Don’t Fear the Reaper”

The song features a cowbell prominently on the recording. A Saturday Night Live skit in 2000 featured a “Behind The Music” style program with a fictionalized Blue Oyster Cult recording this song. The “more cowbell” sketch is considered to be one of the best SNL skits of all time, and “more cowbell” has become a pop-culture catch phrase.

"Message in a Bottle" is a song by English rock band The Police. It was released as the lead single from their second studio album, Reggatta de Blanc (1979). Written by the band's lead singer and bassist Sting, the song is ostensibly about a story of a castaway on an island, who sends out a message in a bottle to seek love. A year later, he has not received any sort of response, and despairs, thinking he is destined to be alone. The next day, he sees "a hundred billion bottles" on the shore, finding out that there are more people like him out there. Over the course of the song, Sting mentions sending an S.O.S. 31 times.

The song was the first of their five UK number one singles.[5] Rolling Stone ranked it number 65 on its list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time".

Composition[edit]

The song exemplifies the reggae rock/new wave style of early Police. It is composed in the key of C♯ minor with a chord progression of C#m9-Amaj9-B7-F#m.

According to the band's guitarist, Andy Summers, Sting had initially intended the guitar riff that "Message in a Bottle" is centred around for a different song.[6] Summers said to L'Historia Bandidio in 1981: "Sting had that riff for a while, but there was another tune with it originally. He'd been fiddling about with it during our first American tour. Finally, he rearranged the riff slightly and came up with the song." Summers came up with, as Sting described, "lovely arpeggiated shiver" during the break prior to the third verse.[6] Sting praised this addition saying, "He'd [Summers] do that – the song would be quite raw and he'd just add these lovely colours."[6] The riff in its final form is built of multiple overdubbed guitar parts, played by Summers. Following the main progression of the song, one part features Summers playing a three note figure featuring the root, fifth, and ninth of each chord in succession. A second guitar part plays the identical rhythm with different harmony notes, adding minor or major thirds to each chord, as well as additional extensions such as eleventh and thirteenth notes.[7]

The song was recorded at Surrey Sound Studios as part of the sessions for the Reggatta de Blanc album. Stewart Copeland's drumming, praised as his "finest drum track" by Summers, was "overdubbed [from] about six different parts."[6]

Cash Box described the song's hook as "a mesmerizing guitar figure" that is similar to that of Blue Öyster Cult's "Don't Fear The Reaper."[8]

The theme of the song is "universality of desired connection."[9] The lyrics depict a castaway longing for someone to listen to him and then discovered many messages from others washing up on his shore.[9]

The song's B-side, "Landlord", was written by Sting (lyrics) and Copeland (music). Sting said of its inspiration, "I wrote that after Frances and I were thrown out of the house we were renting in London. I hated the idea of somebody fucking my life up like that. Stewart [Copeland] wrote the music."[6] The song originally featured lyrics by Copeland, but they were replaced by Sting's.[6]

Live performances[edit]

The Police debuted the song on live television on the BBC's Rock Goes to College, filmed at Hatfield Polytechnic College in Hertfordshire, England.[10] The Police donated all money earned from the show to the college.

The Police performed at Live Earth, a 2007 charity concert to raise awareness of global warming and other environmental hazards, and performed "Message in a Bottle" as the US finale, with John Mayer playing guitar with Andy Summers and Kanye West performing a rap verse over the chorus of the song.

Reception[edit]

The song was released as the first single from Reggatta de Blanc in September 1979. The song was a massive success in Britain, becoming The Police's first No. 1 hit in the UK Singles Chart.[11] The song also topped the charts in Ireland and reached No. 5 in Australia. Despite its popularity in the UK, the single only reached No. 74 in the United States. Even though it only reached No. 74 in the United States, it is widely popular[citation needed] contemporarily and is still played on radio stations. An alternative "classic rock" mix is available on Every Breath You Take: The Classics.

"Message in a Bottle" is also a personal favourite of the members of the band. In addition to saying it was his favourite song in an interview with Jools Holland of the BBC, Sting described it as a "good song", and also said that he was "very proud" of it.[6][12] Copeland said it was "one of our [The Police's] best moments in the studio and always great on stage."[6] Summers described the track as a personal favourite in his book One Train Later, and said, "For me, it's still the best song Sting ever came up with and the best Police track."[6]

'Message in a Bottle' is a good song. That can move me. I like the idea that while it's about loneliness and alienation it's also about finding solace and other people going through the same thing. The guy's on a desert island and throws a bottle out to sea saying he's alone and all these millions of bottles come back saying, So what So am I! I like the fact that the whole deal is clinched by the third verse. It makes a journey.

— Sting, Q, November 1993[6]

According to Billboard, "Message in a Bottle" has an "irresistible" hook.[13] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Mike Duquette rated it as the Police's best song, praising the "foolishly simple guitar riff devised by Sting but played to perfection by Summers" the "cacophony of percussive brilliance by Copeland" and "Sting’s most plainspoken and razor-sharp lyric."[9]

Personnel[edit]

The album credits simply state: "All noises by the Police. All arrangements by the Police."[14] On Tidal, the credits are given as the following:[15]

What guitar was used on don't fear the reaper?

Is don t Fear the Reaper on Guitar Hero?