Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” is a timeless classic, and its gentle intro is instantly recognizable. While the original recording features a banjo, this lesson will teach you how to play a beautiful guitar adaptation of the “Love Story” intro using fingerpicking techniques. This version is perfect for beginner guitarists looking to explore fingerstyle playing with the iconic “Love Story Guitar Chords”. It’s a fantastic way to develop your right-hand dexterity and learn a song that everyone knows and loves.
Taylor Swift Love Story Guitar Chords Lesson
This lesson focuses on the intro riff, breaking down the fingerpicking pattern and the easy-to-learn “love story guitar chords” used. The beauty of this arrangement lies in its repetitive picking sequence, making it easier to master. The core pattern remains consistent throughout the intro; the only change is the bass note played by your thumb, which moves between two strings depending on the chord.
Let’s dive into the fingerpicking pattern. For the first chord, your thumb will play the 4th string, your first finger (index) will play the 3rd string, your second finger (middle) the 2nd string, and your third finger (ring) the 1st string. The picking pattern is as follows: Thumb, Index, Middle, Index, Middle, Ring, Middle. It might seem like a lot at first, but it’s a repeating sequence that becomes natural with practice. Focus on getting this right-hand pattern smooth and consistent.
The first chord you’ll encounter using these “love story guitar chords” is a D chord, transitioning to D suspended 2 (Dsus2). For the D chord, you likely already know the standard fingering. However, for this intro, we’ll primarily use a Dsus2. To play Dsus2, fret the 2nd fret of the 3rd string with your first finger, the 3rd fret of the 2nd string with your second finger, and leave the 1st string open. The 4th string (D) is your bass note played by the thumb. Play the fingerpicking pattern over this Dsus2 for the first two measures.
Next, we move to the third measure and our first chord change. For the next chord in our “love story guitar chords” sequence, you’ll transition to B minor add 4 (Bm add4). To get there from Dsus2, simply move your first finger from the 3rd string to the 4th string, maintaining the 2nd fret position. The picking pattern remains the same, and your thumb will still play what was the 4th string in the Dsus2, which is now acting as a bass note within the Bm add4 context.
For the subsequent chord in our “love story guitar chords” progression, we shift to G6. This involves another slight adjustment. Move your first finger from the 4th string to the 5th string, still on the 2nd fret. Simultaneously, add your fourth finger (pinky) to the 4th fret of the 3rd string to create the ‘add4’ part of the Bm add4 chord (although in the original text it might be slightly simplified in description, the intent for Bm add4 is implied). Now for the G6, remove your pinky finger, and move your second finger to the 3rd fret of the 6th string to establish the G bass note. For G6, the thumb now plays the 6th string. The fingerpicking pattern remains consistent, but now your thumb alternates to the 6th string bass note while your fingers continue the pattern on strings 3, 2, and 1.
The complete sequence of “love story guitar chords” intro then repeats. It’s crucial to practice the right-hand picking pattern separately to build muscle memory. If you are completely new to fingerpicking, consider exploring beginner fingerpicking resources that delve deeper into right-hand techniques and exercises. Consistent, slow practice is key to mastering this beautiful intro.
In conclusion, learning the “Love Story” intro on guitar using fingerpicking is a rewarding experience. By focusing on the consistent right-hand pattern and understanding the simple chord changes between Dsus2, Bm add4, and G6, you’ll be playing this iconic riff in no time. Keep practicing, and enjoy bringing this classic love story to life on your guitar.
