Shape of You — One String Guitar Tab
Ed Sheeran
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Practice Tips
- 1Start slow — use the 0.5x speed option
- 2Focus on one note at a time
- 3Keep your fretting hand relaxed
Similar Melodies
About This Melody
Shape of You by Ed Sheeran is one of the biggest pop songs of the 21st century. Released in 2017 from the album ÷ (Divide), it topped charts in over 40 countries and became one of the most-streamed songs on Spotify of all time. The song's marimba-style riff is incredibly catchy and loops endlessly in your head. This one-string version uses the 2nd (B) string and frets 0 through 5 — one of the smallest fret ranges on the site. The riff is built on a repeating three-note cell (2, 5, 2) that makes it almost impossible to forget once you've played it a few times.
How to Play
- This melody uses just the 2nd string (B string) of your guitar. The fret sequence is: 2, 5, 2, 2, 5, 2, 2, 5, 2, 4, 2, 0, 2, 5, 2, 2, 5, 2, 2, 5, 2, 4, 2, 0.
- The melody is built on one simple cell: fret 2, fret 5, fret 2. This bouncing pattern repeats three times in a row to start.
- After the third repetition, play the variation: fret 4, fret 2, then open string (0). This is the phrase ending — it breaks the pattern and resolves downward.
- Now repeat the entire thing: three more rounds of 2, 5, 2, followed by the same ending — 4, 2, 0.
- That's the whole melody — two identical halves, each made of three bounces and a descending close. Once you learn the first half, you already know the second.
- The original tempo is around 96 BPM with a bouncy, danceable groove. Start slow and focus on making the 2–5–2 bounce feel rhythmic and even. Once it's in your muscle memory, speed up gradually until it grooves.
Common Mistakes
Making the 2–5–2 bounce sound uneven — since this cell repeats nine times, any inconsistency stands out. Practice the bounce in isolation until each note has equal length and volume. Forgetting which repetition you're on — three bounces, then the ending (4, 2, 0). Count the bounces or feel the phrase in groups of three. Missing the subtle shift from fret 5 to fret 4 in the ending — these frets are right next to each other and it's easy to play 5 by mistake. Pay attention when the pattern breaks. Playing on the wrong string — this melody uses the 2nd (B) string, not the 1st (high E). The 2nd string is the second thinnest.