Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud - Guitar Lesson

About Thinking Out Loud

At 104 BPM in D major, "Thinking Out Loud" has a slow, shuffled soul groove that feels deceptively simple until you try to lock it in cleanly. The song is built around a fingerpicked chord pattern with a steady, behind-the-beat feel, and keeping that relaxed pocket while switching between the chords is where most players slip up. Ed Sheeran plays the song in Eb Standard tuning, so drop your whole guitar a half step before you start, otherwise nothing will sit right against the recording. The left-hand chord shapes are straightforward open and barre forms in D major, but the right-hand rhythm, that soft alternating bass-and-strum pattern, is the real thing to nail. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the intro progression slowed down and focus purely on keeping the thumb and fingers independent. Once the groove feels natural at a reduced tempo, the rest of the song falls into place quickly. Pop Rock arrangements like this reward patience with the fundamentals.

• The song uses Eb Standard tuning, so every string is tuned down a half step from standard before you play along with the recording.
• The signature part is a fingerpicked soul groove with an independent alternating bass line, which demands solid right-hand thumb and finger separation.
• Chord shapes are mostly open and barre forms in D major, making this accessible for intermediate players focused on developing rhythmic feel.