River
by Ed Sheeran • Lesson #117 • Dec 30, 2017
Video lesson
Looking for a Print-Friendly Guide?
This is one of my few lessons that doesn't have a printable song sheet / PDF available. If you'd like to request I make one, let me know by clicking the button below! If there's enough demand I'll bump it toward the top of the list.
Note about capo and tuning
To play this song in standard tuning with no capo, you’ll need many difficult barre chords (shown below). You can make the song easier in two ways:
- Use a capo on the 4th fret
- Tune all your guitar strings down 1/2 step
Most of what I show in this lesson is for the capo 4th fret approach, though I’ll explain the no-capo-standard-tuning version too.
Intro tab
Capo 4
E –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
G –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
D ––––––––––––––––––2–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2–––––––––––4––––
A ––2–––––––––––2–––3–––––––––––2–––2–––––––––––2–––3–––––––––––5––––
E ––0–––––––––––3–––––––––––––––3–––0–––––––––––3––––––––––––––––––––
Em G C G Em G C D
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
No capo (standard tuning)
E –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
G –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
D –––––––––––––––––(9)–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––(9)–––––––––11––––
A ––6–––––––––––9–––11––––––––––9–––6–––––––––––9–––11––––––––––––13–
E ––4–––––––––––7–––0–––––––––––7–––4–––––––––––7–––0––––––––––––––––
G#m B E B G#m B E F#
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
E –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
G –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
D –––––––––––––––––(9)–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––(9)––––––––––4––––
A ––6–––––––––––9–––11––––––––––9–––6–––––––––––9–––11––––––––––4––––
E ––4–––––––––––7–––0–––––––––––7–––4–––––––––––7–––0–––––––––––2––––
G#m B E B G#m B E F#
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Verse chord timing
Capo 4
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Em . . G C . . D Em . . G C . Am .
No capo (standard tuning)
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
G#m B E F# G#m B E C#m
Strumming pattern
I like to do this three times:
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D D U U D D U D U
Followed by this one once:
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D D D U U U U D U
See my lesson for reference! I know this may seem tricky.
Enjoy!
Let me know if you have questions. I hope this is helpful!
Enjoy my lessons? Buy me a beer!
If this and my other lessons have proven helpful to you, please consider making a one-time donation to my tip jar. Contributions of any amount help make this project possible (including the many, many hours I put into it).
Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made
Subscribe to my YouTube channel
Be sure to never miss a lesson by subscribing on YouTube. I put out 2-3 new videos every week. These include full song lessons, as well as covers, practice tips, behind-the-scenes updates. Thanks!
Recent Lessons
-
September 15, 2023
"Stuff That Works" by Guy Clark
-
September 11, 2023
Monday Morning Triad Practice! (Key of A Major)
-
September 8, 2023
"Into the Mystic" by Van Morrison
-
September 1, 2023
Practicing Major Arpeggios in Each CAGED Shape
-
August 31, 2023
Travel Guitar... Worth It, or a Waste? (Taylor GS Mini review, 3 years later)
-
August 29, 2023
Creating a Fingstyle Arrangement from Scratch (feat. Graceland by Paul Simon)
-
August 18, 2023
"Bouncing Around the Room" by Phish
-
August 17, 2023
Simple Way to Travis Pick Any Song (Key of C)
-
August 12, 2023
"Summertime Blues" by Zach Bryan
-
August 8, 2023
How I Use This Poster to Practice Lead Guitar