Home ❯ Songs ❯ The Chainsmokers ❯

Don't Let Me Down

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

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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

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<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

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Don't Let Me Down

Editor’s Notes

Free Video lesson

Looking for a Print-Friendly Guide?

Playing the riff

All with one string!

Two strings, a bit higher up the neck

Three strings, much higher up the neck

One octave lower, middle of the pack

Single string, de la bass player

Playing the chords

No capo

Capo 2nd fret

Capo 4nd fret

Chords + riff combined (capo 4th fret)

Unlock My Secret Stash!

Browse Related Lessons

Enjoy My Lessons? Show Your Support!

Looking for More Song Lessons?

Featured Courses

Guitar for Beginners

Beginner Chord Guide

Reading Music for Guitarists

Blues Starter Kit

Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made

Fret Monster

Capo Captain

Key Master

Blank Tabs

Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Recent Lessons