Taylor Swift’s Love Story is an elegant piece, and very easy to play on either guitar or ukulele. All it requires are some chords and an effective strumming pattern.
The chords used are C, G, Am and F with the exception of Bm in the chorus. When performing the strum pattern, remember to alternate down then up then down before returning back down again.
Intro
A chord is composed of multiple notes combined together. Just as letters sound different when spoken aloud, so do notes grouped into chords sound differently when heard together.
To play chords effectively, one must first master each string’s notes. Each string is designated with its fret position on the guitar neck; low E is considered E and high C C string is C string.
Understanding guitar tabs requires knowledge of their notation. For example, an “x” signifies muting a string while an “o” denotes an open one – reading tabs from left to right is recommended! Also when seeing either an a or v symbol this indicates vibrato.
Verse 1
Love Story chords are easy to learn and play on guitar or ukulele, provided you know its chord progression and strumming pattern. Taylor Swift uses an unconventional chord progression with C chord, G, Em and F chords strummed twice each as she sings. This progression can also be found in “Good Riddance” by Green Day among many others; making this song perfect practice material and an opportunity to jam along to your favorite songs!
Watch the video above for a step-by-step tutorial of this song as well as a full breakdown of its chords and strumming patterns.
Verse 2
Love Story’s second verse begins with C, G and Am chords strung with an up/down pattern; when transitioning into chorus mode it switches to F G C chords; finally when Taylor sings about her white dress it requires adding in Bm chords at the end.
The chord progression used in this song is extremely popular and can be heard on numerous songs by various artists. Additionally, its chord structure only requires three chords for learning purposes and fretting the ukulele can be easy too – making this an excellent song to help beginners practice strum pattern and chord progression techniques.
Chorus
The chorus is often the strongest section of a song and may even be known by another name: refrain. Repetition of certain lyrics also falls under this umbrella term.
The composition of chorus songs can differ depending on their style, yet most will share certain common characteristics. Here are a few essential principles that all chorus songs tend to adhere to:
Example of a good chorus song A good chorus song should include both obvious and internal rhyme, making it catchier and easier for listeners and singers alike. Furthermore, its notes should balance short with long notes within its vocal range to provide balance as well as rhythmic support.
Choruses often begin with an introduction known as the pre-chorus to help build anticipation for what’s to come, and prime listener ears for hearing what lies ahead.
Bridge
Taylor Swift is an amazing singer-songwriter whose songs provide incredible inspiration when facing tough times. One of her most famous tunes, “Love Story”, can be learned to play on either guitar or ukulele with our chords and strumming pattern provided below.
Notes and rests that are marked with dots indicate they should be played for shorter than usual duration. For instance, dotted quarter notes must be played twice as long as their regular counterparts.
Tablatures feature vertical lines to correspond with each string on your instrument. If there is an indication of chord, these should be played all at once for optimal sound.