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!
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.
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!
Enjoy my lessons? Buy me a beer!
If this and my other lessons have proven helpful to you, please consider making a one-time donation to my tip jar. Contributions of any amount help make this project possible (including the many, many hours I put into it).
Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made
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 24, 2024
13 Must-Know Riffs with Droning Strings
-
April 18, 2024
"Moonshadow" by Cat Stevens
-
April 9, 2024
Chords & Music Theory... 9 New Lessons!
-
March 30, 2024
Gordon Lightfoot's "Carefree Highway"
-
March 22, 2024
Lead Guitar & the F1 Theme Song
-
March 15, 2023
Pink Floyd's "Breathe" - with Simpler Chords Included
-
March 6, 2024
Q&A: 8 Tips to Avoid Muting Strings
-
March 1, 2024
Blues Shuffle Riffs - Using Just 2 Strings!
-
February 16, 2024
Soulful Lead Guitar with "America the Beautiful"
-
February 8, 2024
Country Honk by The Rolling Stones