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Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode - Guitar Tab

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Key Bb major
Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode guitar tab video
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Berry Is On Top album cover
Berry Is On Top
1959 2:42
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Chuck Berry Classic Rock 1959 Bb major
Capo Advisor 0 Bb major · Original key

About Johnny B. Goode

"Johnny B. Goode" is a rock and roll classic written and recorded by Chuck Berry in 1958. Released as a single that same year, it reached number two on the Hot R&B Sides chart and has since become one of the most recognized songs in rock history. For electric guitar players, it is essential study material, featuring Berry's influential double-stop licks, signature intro riff, and blues-rooted rhythm patterns that shaped the foundation of modern rock guitar.

  • The opening guitar riff is one of the most imitated in rock history and a benchmark for beginner and intermediate electric guitarists.
  • Chuck Berry wrote and sang the song himself in 1958, demonstrating his role as both composer and performer.
  • Running just under two minutes and forty-two seconds, the song packs its iconic guitar work into a tight, efficient structure.

How to Play Johnny B. Goode

The song moves through: Intro, Verse, Chorus, Solo.

Tuning: E Standard · Key: Bb major · Tempo: 120 BPM · Difficulty: Medium

The defining challenge here is nailing Chuck Berry's signature intro riff in Bb, which uses a double-stop figure built on the sixth and fifth strings moving up the neck; at 168 bpm it moves fast, so isolating that opening phrase and working it up to tempo is the right place to start. The solo section demands the same double-stop vocabulary applied more freely across the neck, and many players underestimate how much right-hand attack and string muting shape the tone. A common pitfall is rushing the shuffle feel in the verse rhythm playing, which loses the blues groove that holds the whole song together. Loop the intro riff in the site's section player at reduced speed until the position shifts feel automatic before attempting full tempo runs.

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 120 BPM to build it up to tempo.

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