The River cover

The River

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Bruce Springsteen

The River (1980)rockTop 5%5:13SpotifyYouTubeApple Music
Key: E minorTuning: StandardTempo: 112 BPMestTime signature: 4/4

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Compare every playable arrangement, then open the exact version that has the parts you need.

100%8 tracks · 7,514 notes · E minor · 112 BPM· 5:13Recommended
Practice Play
Intro
Verse I
Chorus
Verse II
Chorus
Harmonica Solo
Verse III
Verse IV
Chorus
Outro
Fade Out
Guitar 1
Bass
Organ 1
Piano
Organ 2
Lead Vocals
Guitar 2
Drums
100%8 tracks · 6,745 notes · E minor · 112 BPM· 7:27extended
Practice Play
Acoustic guitar (steel)
Electric bass (pick)
Harmonica
Honky-tonk piano
Drawbar organ
Lead 5 (charang) 1
Lead 5 (charang) 2
Standard drum kit
95%6 tracks · 4,224 notes · E minor · 58 BPM· 5:02
Practice Play
Acoustic guitar (steel)
Harmonica
Alto sax
Drums
Electric bass (finger)
Honky-tonk piano

Musical analysis below is derived from the recommended version —8 tracks · 5:13

About this song

The River by Bruce Springsteen is in E minor, around 112 BPM, 4/4 time. This 8-track arrangement runs 5:13 (Honky-tonk piano, Drawbar organ, Harmonica, Acoustic guitar (steel), Electric bass (pick), Lead 6 (voice), and Drums), with an intro, alternating verses and choruses, a solo, and an outro. 3 versions available to play and practice.

Difficulty by instrument

How hard each detected part is to play in the recommended version.

GuitarAdvanced
6.8 notes/sec
DrumsIntermediate
5 notes/sec
PianoIntermediate
1.37 notes/sec
BassBeginner
1.64 notes/sec
KeysBeginner
0.29 notes/sec
VocalsBeginner
1.89 notes/sec

Chord progressionsestimated

Roman numerals (transposable to any key) over the actual chords. Play a section, or hover any chord for its piano & guitar shape and a play button.

Intro
Verse
Chorus
Solo
Outro

Song structure

The shape of the recording — tap a section to jump the player there.

0:001:002:003:004:005:13
Intro0:02Verse0:19Chorus0:54Verse1:11Chorus1:45Solo2:02Verse2:39Verse3:13Chorus3:47Outro4:21

Vocal range

The span of the lead vocal line — see at a glance whether it sits in your range.

C3C4C5D3G4

D3 – G4 · 17 semitones (~1.4 octaves)

About the key of E minor

E minor is the most common key in our catalog. Its three core chords are Em, Am, and Bm.

Browse all songs in E minor Build a chord progression in this key

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Featured in

The River appears on the soundtrack of Blinded by the Light: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.