How to Play Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran with Letter Notation
Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran is a rewarding first piece because its measured pace, repeating harmony and clear vocal line give beginners manageable layers to separate. Letter notation replaces the visual density of a conventional score with familiar note names such as A, B, C# and D. That makes it easier to connect what you hear with the keys in front of you while preserving the melody, chord changes and timing.
Open Piano Letters, search for the song and choose the letter-note arrangement before sitting at the instrument. Use the transpose function to put a digital keyboard in A major, or simply read the note labels on the keys. Plan to use your right hand for the tune and your left for the chords. Learn each part separately at first, then combine them at a deliberately slow tempo.
Read the letter notation
The letter system on Piano Letters turns each pitch into a keyboard name, so an A means the A key wherever it appears. Sharps are shown with a #: F#, C# and G# are the black keys directly to the right of F, C and G. If the arrangement includes octave numbers, keep them in view; a lower A is a different note from the A above middle C. Repeated letters and bar lines still communicate rhythm, so read the shape of each bar as well as its pitch names.
A major gives you a compact chord vocabulary built mostly from major and minor triads. The opening harmonic pattern is A, E, F#m and D, and much of the verse and chorus returns to that four-chord cycle. Locate those symbols in the arrangement, then listen for the same bass movement in the recording. Hearing “one, two, three, four” against the chord names gives you a practical check that the chart and the song agree.
Learn the opening chords
For a beginner-friendly left hand, play each chord as a simple root-and-fifth shape and let the right hand carry the tune. A is A–E, E is E–B, F#m is F#–C#, and D is D–A. Keep your thumb on the lower note and your little finger on the upper one where the hand allows. If five fingers feel cramped, play the root alone on beats one and three and add the fifth only when the transition feels secure.
The first stage is not speed; it is a clean change from A to E, then to F#m and D. Hold each chord until the next change, count four at roughly 80 beats per minute, and return immediately to the start when a mistake interrupts the flow. Record one complete cycle on your phone. If you cannot hear the four distinct chords, separate the movement with a short rest before playing them together again.
If your keyboard cannot change keys, the chart can still be followed on the printed notes. The chart assumes A major, however, and moving the whole pattern up or down requires matching every F#, C# and G# in the melody. For a learner with no black-key experience, begin in A and keep that position for the first full performance.
Bring in the melody and rhythm
The vocal tune is the most recognisable layer, so place the right-hand notes over the repeating left-hand pattern only after both are secure. Most phrases move in short, repeated contours. Learn a bar or two, sing the line quietly, then locate the matching letters on the keyboard. Play the phrase once with the left hand alone, once with the right hand alone, and finally with both. This prevents a technically correct accompaniment from hiding a missed note in the tune.
Keep the pulse relaxed and let the final note of each four-beat phrase breathe slightly. The song’s emotional effect comes from a smooth, singing tone rather than heavy attack, so use a light touch and release each chord cleanly. Raise the volume a little for the repeated chorus section and bring it back for quieter lines. If the notation includes a rest, preserve the full silence; rushing over it changes both the phrasing and the apparent tempo.
Build a practice routine you can keep
Ten focused minutes can be more useful than an hour of repeated errors. Spend three minutes naming and playing the chord tones, five minutes on one verse section, and two minutes on the transition into the chorus. Use a metronome at 78 or 80 beats per minute, increasing by no more than five beats after a full run goes cleanly. Australian learners often practise after dinner or while a household task runs, so a short routine attached to an existing habit is easier to sustain.
When the arrangement is familiar, a contrasting tune can broaden your note-reading without losing momentum. The Clint Eastwood on piano version offers a different rhythmic character to explore while keeping the same letter-note approach. Keep the new material separate from Ed Sheeran’s song: identify its first chord, its main pulse and its first memorable phrase before attempting the whole piece.
For equipment, Australian music shops commonly stock entry-level Yamaha, Casio, Korg and Roland digital pianos and keyboards, and second-hand models are a familiar option in the local market. Check that every key responds, the sustain pedal works and the labels remain clear. Under the Australian Consumer Law, a faulty instrument bought from an Australian retailer is generally covered by consumer guarantees, so keep the receipt and contact the seller promptly to discuss the available remedy.
Shape a performance worth sharing
Start with a complete, modest rendition before worrying about subtle expression. Mark the arrival of the chorus in the chart, rehearse that transition several times, and begin the final run with a four-beat count-in. As familiarity grows, vary the sustain and dynamics only where the notation leaves room, keeping the pulse and note lengths unchanged. A smooth tempo is more valuable than trying to reproduce every studio effect on a home keyboard.
Film themes can make a useful contrast after this piece is secure. The Interstellar letter notes arrangement introduces a spacious, atmospheric sound and can help you practise patience with sustained notes. At a live Australian venue, remember that public performance of copyright music may require a licence, commonly arranged through APRA AMCOS; playing privately at home is a different situation. For major-city performances in Melbourne or Sydney, check the venue’s music licensing arrangements before the event.
Now return to the Thinking Out Loud arrangement, place the keyboard in A major, and start with the opening four-chord cycle. Run the verse, pause at the chorus entrance, and finish with one complete pass at 80 beats per minute. Keep the letter chart open beside the keyboard and mark any bar that still causes hesitation rather than rewriting the whole page.
Use the searchable Piano Letters library to find a familiar track, inspect its letter notes and build a short practice schedule around its progression. Open Piano Letters, search for Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran, and play the opening A–E–F#m–D cycle now.
