Don't Let Me Down

by The Chainsmokers • Lesson #24 • Jul 8, 2016

Editor’s Notes

Here’s an acoustic guitar lesson teaching how to play the song Don’t Let Me Down by The Chainsmokers. I was drawn to this one by the intro riff – which I’ll teach you in a few different ways. Makes for good fun. Enjoy!

Free 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.

<a class=”button button-primary” href=’mailto:[email protected]?subject=PDF request: “Don’t Let Me Down” by The Chainsmokers&body=Please make a print-friendly guide for “Don’t Let Me Down” by The Chainsmokers… thanks!’>Click to Request</a>

Playing the riff

All with one string!

E ||––––4––4––2–––––11––11––11–––––6––6––6–––––6h7––7––6––––
B ||––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
G ||––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
D ||––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
A ||––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
E ||––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Two strings, a bit higher up the neck

E ||–––––––––––––––11––11––11–––––6––6––6–––––6h7––7––6–––––
B ||––––9––9––7–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
G ||––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
D ||––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
A ||––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
E ||––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Three strings, much higher up the neck

E ||––––––––––––––11––11––11–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B ||–––––––––––––––––––––––––––11––11––11–––––11h12––12––11––
G ||–––13––13––11––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
D ||–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
A ||–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
E ||–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

One octave lower, middle of the pack

E ||––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B ||––––––––––––––4––4––4–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
G ||––––––––––––––––––––––––––3––3––3––––3h4––4––3––––––––––
D ||–––––6––6––4––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
A ||––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
E ||––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Single string, de la bass player

E ||––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B ||––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
G ||––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
D ||––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
A ||––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
E ||––––4––4––2–––––11––11––11–––––6––6––6–––––6h7––7––6––––

Playing the chords

No capo

E ||––––0–––––––––2––––4––––
B ||––––0––––4––––2––––4––––
G ||––––1––––4––––3––––4––––
D ||––––2––––4––––4––––6––––
A ||––––2––––2––––4––––6––––
E ||––––0–––––––––2––––4––––
        E    B    F#   G#m

Capo 2nd fret

Note that the capo becomes “fret zero,” such that playing the 3rd fret in the tabs below means 3 frets up from the capo.

E ||––––2–––––––––3––––2––––
B ||––––3––––2––––0––––2––––
G ||––––2––––2––––0––––2––––
D ||––––0––––2––––0––––4––––
A ||–––––––––0––––2––––4––––
E ||––––––––––––––3––––2––––
        D    A    G   F#m

Capo 4nd fret

Again, note that the capo becomes “fret zero,” such that playing the 3rd fret in the tabs below means 3 frets up from the capo.

E ||––––0––––3––––2––––0––––
B ||––––1––––0––––3––––0––––
G ||––––0––––0––––2––––0––––
D ||––––2––––0––––0––––2––––
A ||––––3––––2–––––––––2––––
E ||–––––––––3–––––––––0––––
        C    G    D    Em

Chords + riff combined (capo 4th fret)

On the fourth fret, you can play the riff along with the chords via this tab.

E ||–––––0––0––––––––/–7––7––––––––2––2––2––––2h3––3––2––––
B ||–––––1–––––3–––––/–8–––––8–––––3––––––––––0––––––––––––
G ||–––––0–––––––––––/–7–––––––––––2––––––––––0––––––––––––
D ||–––––2–––––––––––––0–––––––––––0––––––––––2––––––––––––
A ||–––––3–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
E ||–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
         C             G           D          Em

Unlock My Secret Stash!

Gain instant access to my library of 259 print-friendly cheat sheets! Also includes my extended video lessons, jam tracks, courses, and more.

Join Song Notes Premium

Have questions? Watch video tour »

Browse Related Lessons

Click any tag below to view other lessons I've made in that category:

Enjoy My Lessons? Show Your Support!

Most of the lessons on my website are 100% free. If you have the means, please show your support with a tip jar contribution. I put many hours into every lesson — but it only takes you a minute to make a donation. You have my thanks!

Donate

Looking for More Song Lessons?

Featured Courses

Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made

Fret Monster

Interactive fretboard map! See the patterns behind every scale in any key.

View

Capo Captain

An easy way to calculate key & chord combinations, for any capo location!

View

Key Master

See and hear the notes, chords, scales used in each of the most common keys.

View

Blank Tabs

Free PDF templates to download, print, and write out your own guitar tabs!

View

Coming soon is Jambox – which shows all the video jam tracks I've made. It's note quite ready for the spotlight, but check it out if you like!


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

Browse All Recent Lessons →

← back to homepage