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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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