The A Team by Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran's song "The A Team" is a beautiful acoustic track that highlights the singer-songwriter's signature style, blending heartfelt lyrics with intricate yet accessible guitar work. At Licklibrary.com, we provide a detailed, note-for-note guitar lesson for this iconic song, focusing on the unique guitar techniques that make it a standout in Sheeran’s catalog. Whether you're a beginner or an intermediate player, this lesson will help you master the techniques used in "The A Team" and elevate your guitar playing to a new level. Danny Gill breaks down this pop classic in this exclusive Lick Library video tutorial.

Guitar Techniques in "The A Team"

In this lesson, you’ll learn several important guitar techniques that are essential to recreating the sound of "The A Team." Each technique is broken down for clarity, ensuring that you can replicate the feel of the song while also expanding your guitar skills. Let’s explore the key techniques featured in this lesson:

Fingerpicking Technique

The A Team is primarily driven by a fingerpicking pattern that gives the song its delicate and intimate feel. Ed Sheeran is known for his expert fingerpicking, a technique where the player plucks the strings with their fingers instead of using a pick.

Benefit: Mastering fingerpicking helps players develop dexterity and control, allowing them to create dynamic and melodic guitar parts. This technique is ideal for acoustic guitar and can be applied to a wide variety of musical genres.

Travis Picking

A specific variation of fingerpicking, Travis picking is used to create alternating bass notes with the thumb while the other fingers pick the melody or harmony. This steady rhythmic pattern forms the backbone of "The A Team."

Benefit: Travis picking is a great way to develop independence between your thumb and fingers, helping you maintain a consistent rhythm while playing complex melodies. It’s an essential technique for acoustic guitarists looking to add more texture to their playing.

Arpeggiated Chord Progressions

In "The A Team," Sheeran often uses arpeggiated chord progressions. This involves playing the individual notes of a chord sequentially rather than strumming them all at once. It adds a sense of flow and emotion to the music.

Benefit: Learning to play arpeggiated chord progressions improves your picking accuracy and adds a melodic quality to your playing. It’s a key skill in creating more expressive guitar parts, especially in ballads and folk songs.

Slides

Slides are used throughout the song to smoothly transition between notes. This technique gives the song a fluid, effortless quality, adding to the emotional depth of the performance.

Benefit: Incorporating slides into your playing adds a new layer of expression and can make your transitions between notes smoother and more connected. This technique is widely used across many genres, from blues to pop.

Hammer-Ons and Pull-Offs

Both hammer-ons and pull-offs are key to the embellishments in "The A Team." Hammer-ons allow you to add notes by pressing down on the string without picking it again, while pull-offs do the reverse by releasing the string.

Benefit: These techniques allow you to play more fluid and faster licks, adding complexity to simple chord progressions. They are foundational skills for lead guitar playing.

Capo Use

Ed Sheeran often uses a capo to change the pitch of his guitar without altering the chord shapes. In "The A Team," a capo is placed on the second fret to achieve the higher-pitched sound that complements his vocals.

Benefit: Learning to use a capo opens up a world of possibilities for playing in different keys while using familiar chord shapes. It’s a great tool for accompanying vocalists or matching the key of a song without needing to relearn the chords.

Influence of Ed Sheeran in "The A Team"

Ed Sheeran is both the guitarist and vocalist on "The A Team." His playing style is highly influenced by folk and acoustic traditions, blending intricate fingerpicking with modern pop sensibilities. Sheeran's influences include artists like Damien Rice and John Mayer, both of whom share a focus on acoustic guitar and intimate, lyrical storytelling.

Sheeran’s guitar work is notable for its simplicity, yet it demands a lot of control and finesse. He often employs loop pedals during live performances, layering rhythm and melody, but in "The A Team," his guitar work remains stripped-down, letting the song’s lyrical content and emotion take center stage. Learning to play this song not only teaches you important guitar techniques but also offers insight into Sheeran’s artistry and approach to songwriting.

List of Guitar Techniques Used in "The A Team"

• Fingerpicking
• Travis Picking
• Arpeggiated Chord Progressions
• Slides
• Hammer-Ons
• Pull-Offs
• Capo

By learning these techniques in our lesson for "The A Team," you will not only master this classic song but also enhance your overall guitar playing. Whether you are looking to improve your fingerpicking skills, add new embellishments to your playing, or simply enjoy playing one of Ed Sheeran’s most beloved tracks, this lesson is a must.