Key
Am (A Minor)
Tempo / BPM
110 BPM (Approx.)
Tuning
Standard (E A D G B E)
Time Signature
4/4
Difficulty Level
Medium
Capo Position
Capo Fret 2
Chord Count
9 Unique Chords
Genre
Blue-eyed Soul
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If It Hadnt Been For Love by Adele is played in the key of Am. Originally recorded in the sounding key of Am, 'If It Hadnt Been For Love' by Adele is best approached with a Capo placed on Fret 2, enabling guitarists to execute friendly Gm shapes while fully preserving the studio pitch. To prevent hand fatigue on the challenging F barre chord, beginners can comfortably substitute an open Fmaj7 (xx3210) or small four-string F (xx3211) without sacrificing harmonic richness or vocal support. The primary progression challenge lies in switching between Am and B: keep your fingers hovering close to the fretboard rather than flying off between changes. Set your metronome at an initial practice tempo of 79 BPM in 4/4 time to master the '↓ - ↓ ↑ - ↑ ↓ ↑' strumming groove, emphasizing steady downstrokes on beats one and three before accelerating toward the studio speed of 110 BPM.
