Adele - When We Were Young - Guitar Cover

25

2015 4:51

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About When We Were Young

Sitting in F major at a steady 100 BPM, "When We Were Young" gives guitarists a chance to work on feel as much as technique. The song is piano-led in its original form, but the chord progressions translate naturally to guitar, and the real challenge is capturing the emotional weight behind each change rather than simply hitting the right frets. Standard E tuning keeps things accessible, so you can focus entirely on your dynamics, specifically how you swell from a gentle fingerpicked verse into the fuller, driven chorus. The chorus chord progression builds tension deliberately, and nailing the timing of those builds is where most players trip up. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the verse-to-chorus transition slowed down until the dynamic shift feels instinctive rather than mechanical. Adele writes with a vocal drama that asks any accompanying guitarist to stay supportive and tasteful, never overplaying. This is a great piece for players working on their Pop rhythm sensibility and touch control.

• The song sits in F major at 100 BPM in standard E tuning, making it approachable for intermediate players focusing on feel and dynamics.
• The main challenge on guitar is matching the original piano's emotional swell, particularly the controlled build from a quiet verse into the full chorus.
• Fingerpicking the verse and switching to strummed chords for the chorus is a practical arrangement approach that rewards careful attention to pick or finger pressure.