Creep Guitar Tutorial – Radiohead
This Creep Guitar Tutorial is designed for players who are looking to step out “beginner-ness” and start incorporating barre chords into their playing.
In this tutorial, I walk you through the chords, the strumming, how to handle the barre chords, and how to practice the song in sections with dynamics.
Looking for the chord progression and a clear breakdown to actually play the song—not just stare at chord charts?
You’re in the right place!
This page doesn’t give you the lyrics or a full chord sheet – but it does give you something better:
A step-by-step plan to help you actually learn the song from start to finish, the way I teach my students.
🎶Creep Chords:
If you’re new to barre chords, check out my Barre Chord Help Page.
🪕Creep Strumming Pattern:
The pattern I use in the video sounds great with the original feel:

It’s long, but you can break it into two halves.
Just starting out? Use this simpler pattern for the whole song:

🔁 Chord Progression Overview
The same four chords repeat throughout the entire song:
G – B – C – Cm
Each chord lasts two measures, and you play the strumming pattern two times per chord (or 4 times per chord if using the simpler pattern)
You’ll hear this same progression in:
- The verse
- The chorus
- The bridge
So you’re really learning one progression that unlocks the whole song!
📝 Practice Guide (No Lyrics Required)
Let’s start with Downstrokes Only to get your switching solid (4 times per chord):
G G B B
C C Cm Cm
Once you’re comfortable switching, layer on the full strumming pattern.
🎚️ Add Dynamics to Tell the Story
Since the progression stays the same, the way you play each section makes all the difference:
Verse – Keep it soft
Use the full strumming pattern, but replace some upstrokes with light single-note plucks to keep things sparse and moody.
Chorus – Let it open up
Use the full strumming pattern, hitting all the strings for a steady, mid-level energy.
Bridge – Go big
Replace the whole strumming pattern with straight downstrokes. No fancy rhythms – just build intensity and drive.
📌 A Note on Lyrics
This lesson focuses on playing the music by ear and memory. You won’t find lyrics or full chord/lyric sheets here.
But as you play along with the video or original track, you’ll hear how the melody lines up, you’ll learn to count how long to play each chord for – and that’s how you develop the actual skills needed to play full songs.
🚀 Next Steps
Once you can play the chords and rhythm cleanly, load up the original recording and try playing along:
- Start with just downstrokes to match the groove
- Then layer in the full strumming pattern
- Finally, use the dynamics tips above to bring the song to life
Want a future lesson on Johnny Greenwood’s guitar parts? Drop a comment on the video and let me know!
⚠️ Disclaimer
This tutorial is for educational purposes and personal practice only. All rights to the original composition belong to their respective copyright holders.
This page does not include or distribute lyrics or official sheet music.
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