Riptide | TAB
Considering there are only three chords (four in the middle 8), there’s an enormous amount of TAB to go through here. Let’s start with the capo on fret 1, here’s the verse.

The chords here are VI – V – I. We can say this is in the key of Am/C. It’s not in the key of G even though the chords could have been II – I – IV. We know this because the melody is the A Minor Pentatonic, using the b7 over the G chord.
When working out modes like this, one must always look at what the melody is doing.
Still, the ambiguous feeling that it could be in either key gives the progression tension, a great songwriting trick!
For the chorus, the chords are the same, but the rhythm changes, like this.

You could play all this using a capo on fret 6 instead, or if there are two of you, pick one each.
Now the chords change slightly as using a full D chord would be too high in pitch, we automatically get a D5, instead of a D (chord V). I’ve put the 5th in the bass to fatten this chord up, hence a D5/A.

For the chorus, we again change the rhythm.

Keep that capo on fret 6 and let’s look at the breakdown and middle 8 section where we get a new chord that shows us we must be in the Aeolian, not Dorian.

Starting out with an add9 lick we soon enter the middle 8 which goes VI – V – I – IV. If we had been in the key of D, that last chord (C/G) would have been outside the key. This is another way we determine key centres (the first was melody).
The rhythm has changed again here, play slowly at first, then along to the original recording, it’s not as easy as it seems.
Finally, let’s move the capo to fret 1 again and play as if in Am/C.

Riptide TAB | Related Pages
Riptide | Chords + Lyrics
You can learn to play Riptide by Vance Joy using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| Am G | C |
I was scared of dentists and the dark…
Five similar tunes | Chords + Lyrics
Vance Joy tunes
Following the tradition of great Australian one-hit wonder bands, Vance Joy became world-famous in 2013.
His worldwide hit Riptide stayed in the top 100 for over 100 weeks. In ten years, the video has been played over 500 million times on YouTube.
Vance Joy on the web
About me | Dan Lundholm
This guitar lesson by Dan Lundholm features TAB and covers Riptide. Discover more about him and how you can learn guitar with Spytunes.
Most importantly, find out why you should learn guitar through playing tunes, not practising scales, and studying theory in isolation.