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Shape of You
by Ed Sheeran • Lesson #60 • Apr 24, 2017
Editor’s Notes
Here’s an acoustic guitar lesson for Shape of You by Ed Sheeran. I’ll show you a few ways to tackle things, from the riffs to the chords and strumming. Check it out, and I hope you enjoy!
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Capo and chords needed
This entire song uses the same progression:
C#m . . . F#m . . . A . . . B . . .
These chords the vi, ii, IV, and V triads in the key of E major. By adding a capo, we can play the same relative progression but use different chord shapes. Here’s a map of the chords you’d need, depending on where you used a capo (if at all):
vi ii IV V
------------------
No Capo C#m F#m A B
Capo 2 Bm Em G A
Capo 4 Am Dm F G
Capo 9 Em Am C D
In this lesson, I’ll show you how to play the chords and intro riff for each the keys above.
No capo (key of E / C# minor)
Chords needed:
E –––4––––2––––5––––7––––
B –––5––––2––––5––––7––––
G –––6––––2––––6––––8––––
D –––6––––4––––7––––9––––
A –––4––––4––––7––––9––––
E ––––––––2––––5––––7––––
C#m F#m A B
Intro riff, using one string:
E ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
G –––6–9–6–––6–9–6–––6–9–6–––8–6–4––––––
D ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
A ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
E ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Intro riff, using two strings:
E ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B –––––5–––––––5–––––––5–––––4––––––––––
G –––6–––6–––6–––6–––6–––6–––––6–4––––––
D ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
A ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
E ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Capo 2 (key of D / B minor)
Chords needed:
E –––2––––0––––3––––0––––
B –––3––––0––––0––––2––––
G –––4––––0––––0––––2––––
D –––4––––2––––0––––2––––
A –––2––––2––––2––––0––––
E ––––––––0––––3–––––––––
Bm Em G A
Intro riff:
E –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B –––––3–––––––––3–––––––––3–––––––2–––––––
G –––4–––4–––––4–––4–––––4–––4–––––––4–2–––
D –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
A –––2–2–2–––––––––––––––––––––––––0–0–0–––
E –––––––––––––0–0–0–––––3–3–3–––––––––––––
Bm Em G A
Capo 4 (key of C / A minor)
Chords needed:
E –––0––––1–––(1)–––3––––
B –––1––––1––––1––––0––––
G –––2––––2––––2––––0––––
D –––2––––0––––3––––0––––
A –––0––––––––(3)–––2––––
E ––––––––––––(1)–––3––––
Am Dm7 F G
Intro riff:
E –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B –––––1–––––––––1–––––––––1–––––––0–––––––
G –––2–––2–––––2–––2–––––2–––2–––––––2–0–––
D –––––––––––––0–0–0–––––3–3–3–––––––––––––
A –––0–0–0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
E –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––3–3–3–––
Am Dm7 F G
Capo 9 (key of G / E minor)
Chords needed:
E –––0––––0––––0––––2––––
B –––0––––1––––1––––3––––
G –––0––––2––––0––––2––––
D –––2––––2––––2––––0––––
A –––2––––0––––3–––––––––
E –––0–––––––––––––––––––
Em Am C D
Intro riff, lower octave:
E –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
B –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
G –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
D –––2–5–2–––––2–5–2–––––2–5–2–––––4–2–0–––
A –––––––––––––0–0–0–––––3–3–3–––––0–0–0–––
E –––0–0–0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Em Am C D
Intro riff, higher octave:
E –––0–3–0–––––0–3–0–––––0–3–0–––––2–0–––––
B ––(0)–––––––(1)–––––––(1)–––––––(3)––3–––
G ––(0)–––––––(2)–––––––(0)–––––––(2)––––––
D –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––0–0–0–––
A –––––––––––––0–0–0–––––3–3–3–––––––––––––
E –––0–0–0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Em Am C D
Enjoy!
Let me know if you have questions. I hope this is helpful!
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