Of all the early breakthrough rock & roll artists, no musician is more important to the development of our music than Chuck Berry. He is considered one of our greatest songwriters, the main shaper of music’s instrumental voice, one of its greatest guitarists, and one of its greatest performers. Quite simply, without him, there would be no Beatles, Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, or even Bob Dylan!
Intro
Part 1
This classic riff will be a load of fun to play. It is considered intermediate because of the speed and the slides that you will be playing. Begin the first measure by sliding with your 2nd finger on the “G” string to the seventh fret coming from the tuning pegs on the guitar. Then use your 1st finger to play the sixth fret on the “B” string. Next, use your 3rd finger to play the eighth fret on the same string. That is it for the first measure.
For the second measure, you will need to slide with your 1st finger on the sixth frets of the “G” string, the “B” string, and finally the “high E” string. When sliding, notice that the video shows to slide from around the fourth fret or so. Though this isn’t in the tablature it gives you an example of how far you CAN go when sliding and still be perfect with the timing of the riff. You will transition into the next riff by holding the last notes of the second measure.
In the third measure, you will be playing an extension of the second measure. Play this once, and then with your 4th finger play the ninth fret on the “B” string. Next, use your 3rd finger to play the eighth fret on the same string. Next, you will be using your 1st finger for both notes on the “G” string and the “B” string on the sixth frets. Then, on the “G” string use your 2nd finger to play the seventh fret. End the measure by using your 3rd finger to play the eighth fret on the “D” string twice. You will then transition to the next measure on the same string, so keep your finger where it is.
In the fourth measure, you will need to 2nd finger to perform the slide on the “A” string and the “D” string. This will continue through the measure.
In the fifth and final measure, you will be working the strings a little here. Begin this measure by placing your 2nd finger on the seventh fret on the “G” string. Place your 1st finger on the sixth fret on the “B” string. You will then use your 3rd finger on the “B” string to play the eighth fret. Take that finger off and you are repeating what you just played the note before for the next part. Next, slide up to the fifth fret on the “G” string with your 3rd finger. Then, play the third fret with your 1st finger on the same string. Repeat the same steps on the “D” string with your 3rd finger on the fifth fret, and then play the third fret on the “G” string with your 1st finger. The riff is done!