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REO Speedwagon - Can't Fight This Feeling - Guitar Lesson

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Key D major
REO Speedwagon - Can't Fight This Feeling guitar lesson video
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Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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Wheels Are Turnin' album cover
Wheels Are Turnin'
1984 4:55
Listen on Spotify
REO Speedwagon Classic Rock 1984 D major
Capo Advisor 0 D major · Original key

About Can't Fight This Feeling

At 76 BPM in D major, this ballad from REO Speedwagon sits in a tempo range that feels comfortable but still demands clean, controlled playing throughout. The song is built on arpeggiated chord shapes, so your right-hand picking pattern is the real focus here. Getting those arpeggios even and smooth across the full chord voicings is harder than it looks at first, especially when the song builds toward the chorus and the dynamics lift. Standard E tuning means no retuning headaches, but pay close attention to the chord transitions: the progressions move through some wider stretches that can trip up your fretting hand if you haven't locked in the fingering. The Classic Rock feel of the track rewards a slightly behind-the-beat, relaxed right hand rather than mechanical precision. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the verse arpeggio pattern slowed down until the picking hand moves on autopilot before bringing it back up to tempo.

  • The song is built primarily on arpeggiated chord voicings, making consistent right-hand picking technique the central skill to develop.
  • Played in D major at 76 BPM in standard tuning, it is approachable for intermediate players focused on clean ballad-style fingerpicking or hybrid picking.
  • The chorus swells in dynamic intensity, so practise the transition from the quieter verse arpeggio into the fuller strummed sections as a separate drill.

How to Play Can't Fight This Feeling

Tuning: E Standard · Key: D major · Tempo: 76 BPM

Loop each section and focus on clean, even timing rather than speed, with the metronome at 76 BPM.

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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