Premium
VIP
Beta Tester
Chords needed
Here’s how to play the chords used in this song:
E |–––0––––4–––––4––––5––––7––––7––––
B |–––0––––5–––––4––––5––––7––––7––––
G |–––1––––6–––––4––––6––––8––––8––––
D |–––2––––6–––––6––––7––––9––––7––––
A |–––2––––4–––––6––––7––––9––––9––––
E |–––0––––––––––4––––5––––7––––7––––
E C#m G#m A B B7
Chord progressions
With the exception of the brief pre-chorus, the entire song is played with these four chords in this order:
E . . . C#m . . . G#m . . . A . . .
For the pre-chorus, you’ll simply do two measures of B and then two measures of B7 to build things up:
B . . . B . . . B7 . . . B7 . . .
Intro and verse riff
In total, here’s the tabs for the main riff you hear in the intro and verse of the song.
E |––––––––––0–x–––––|–––––––––4–x–––––|–––––––––4–x–––––|–––––––––5–x–––––
B |––––––––––0–x–––––|–––––––5–5–x–––––|–––––––––4–x–––––|–––––––––5–x–––––
G |––––––––1–1–x–––––|–––––6–––6–x–––––|–––––––4–4–x–––––|–––––––6–6–x–––––
D |––––––2–––2–x–––––|–––6–––––6–x–––––|–––––6–––6–x–––––|–––––7–––7–x–––––
A |––––2–––––2–x–/6––|–4–––––––4–x–––––|–––6–––––6–x–––––|–––7–––––7–x–––––
E |––0–––––––0–x–––––|–––––––––––––––––|–4–––––––4–x–4–––|–5–––––––5–x–––––
E C#m G#m A
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
If you want to learn this riff and are at all confused, I recommend following these steps so you’re adding one thing at a time. Note the timing I include in each tab writeup below… this is helpful to understand which beat each thing is happening on.
Step 1: rhythm basics
E |––0–––––––––––––––|–4–––––––––––––––|–4–––––––––––––––|–5–––––––––––––––
B |––0–––––––––––––––|–5–––––––––––––––|–4–––––––––––––––|–5–––––––––––––––
G |––1–––––––––––––––|–6–––––––––––––––|–4–––––––––––––––|–6–––––––––––––––
D |––2–––––––––––––––|–6–––––––––––––––|–6–––––––––––––––|–7–––––––––––––––
A |––2–––––––––––––––|–4–––––––––––––––|–6–––––––––––––––|–7–––––––––––––––
E |––0–––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–4–––––––––––––––|–5–––––––––––––––
E C#m G#m A
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Step 2: add arpeggios
E |––––––––––0–––––––|–––––––––4–––––––|–––––––––4–––––––|–––––––––5–––––––
B |––––––––––0–––––––|–––––––5–––––––––|–––––––––4–––––––|–––––––––5–––––––
G |––––––––1–––––––––|–––––6–––––––––––|–––––––4–––––––––|–––––––6–––––––––
D |––––––2–––––––––––|–––6–––––––––––––|–––––6–––––––––––|–––––7–––––––––––
A |––––2–––––––––––––|–4–––––––––––––––|–––6–––––––––––––|–––7–––––––––––––
E |––0–––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–4–––––––––––––––|–5–––––––––––––––
E C#m G#m A
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Step 3: end each chord on a full strum
E |––––––––––0–––––––|–––––––––4–––––––|–––––––––4–––––––|–––––––––5–––––––
B |––––––––––0–––––––|–––––––5–5–––––––|–––––––––4–––––––|–––––––––5–––––––
G |––––––––1–1–––––––|–––––6–––6–––––––|–––––––4–4–––––––|–––––––6–6–––––––
D |––––––2–––2–––––––|–––6–––––6–––––––|–––––6–––6–––––––|–––––7–––7–––––––
A |––––2–––––2–––––––|–4–––––––4–––––––|–––6–––––6–––––––|–––7–––––7–––––––
E |––0–––––––0–––––––|–––––––––––––––––|–4–––––––4–––––––|–5–––––––5–––––––
E C#m G#m A
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Step 4: after each full strum, mute all strings
E |––––––––––0–x–––––|–––––––––4–x–––––|–––––––––4–x–––––|–––––––––5–x–––––
B |––––––––––0–x–––––|–––––––5–5–x–––––|–––––––––4–x–––––|–––––––––5–x–––––
G |––––––––1–1–x–––––|–––––6–––6–x–––––|–––––––4–4–x–––––|–––––––6–6–x–––––
D |––––––2–––2–x–––––|–––6–––––6–x–––––|–––––6–––6–x–––––|–––––7–––7–x–––––
A |––––2–––––2–x–––––|–4–––––––4–x–––––|–––6–––––6–x–––––|–––7–––––7–x–––––
E |––0–––––––0–x–––––|–––––––––––––––––|–4–––––––4–x–––––|–5–––––––5–x–––––
E C#m G#m A
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Step 5: add transitional bass notes
E |––––––––––0–x–––––|–––––––––4–x–––––|–––––––––4–x–––––|–––––––––5–x–––––
B |––––––––––0–x–––––|–––––––5–5–x–––––|–––––––––4–x–––––|–––––––––5–x–––––
G |––––––––1–1–x–––––|–––––6–––6–x–––––|–––––––4–4–x–––––|–––––––6–6–x–––––
D |––––––2–––2–x–––––|–––6–––––6–x–––––|–––––6–––6–x–––––|–––––7–––7–x–––––
A |––––2–––––2–x–/6––|–4–––––––4–x–––––|–––6–––––6–x–––––|–––7–––––7–x–––––
E |––0–––––––0–x–––––|–––––––––––––––––|–4–––––––4–x–4–––|–5–––––––5–x–––––
E C#m G#m A
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
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!
Looking for More Song Lessons?
Featured Courses
Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made
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
-
April 10, 2026
"Free Fallin'" by Tom Petty
-
March 23, 2026
"I'm a Little Crazy" by Morgan Wallen
-
March 17, 2026
[Fixed] Minor Pentatonic Cheat Sheet - Download Link Fixed!
-
March 13, 2026
Guitar Tech Tip: Change the Key of Any YouTube Video
-
March 12, 2026
[Updated] Strum & Riff Guide for "About a Girl" by Nirvana
-
March 3, 2026
Strumming Issues? Try the "Pyramid" Rhythm Drill
-
Feb 13-20, 2026
Save Your "Favorite" Lessons, with Custom Collections!
-
February 4, 2026
Sing & Strum "Piano Man" by Billy Joel
-
Jan 26, 2026
Member Q&A: January 2026
