How to Play The Archer Chord by Taylor Swift on Guitar
“The Archer” is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released as the fifth track on her seventh studio album, Lover (2019). The song was written by Swift and Jack Antonoff, and produced by Antonoff. It is a synth-pop ballad that features a dreamy soundscape and introspective lyrics about Swift’s insecurities and fears in relationships. The song received critical acclaim for its vulnerability and maturity, and was named one of the best songs of 2019 by various publications.
If you want to learn how to play “The Archer” by Taylor Swift on guitar, you will need to know some basic chords, strumming patterns, and capo positions. In this article, we will show you how to play the song in the key of C, which is the original key of the song. However, you can transpose the song to any other key that suits your vocal range or preference by using a capo or changing the chords accordingly.
Chords
The chords used in “The Archer” are C, G, Am, and F. These are all common chords that you can find in many songs, so they should not be too difficult to learn. Here are the chord diagrams for each chord:
[Intro] C [Verse 1] G Am F Combat, I'm ready for combat G Am F I say I don't want that, but what if I do? G Am F 'Cause cruelty wins in the movies G Am F I've got a hundred thrown-out speeches I almost said to you [Pre-Chorus] C Easy they come, easy they go G I jump from the train, I ride off alone Am I never grew up, it's getting so old F Help me hold on to you [Chorus] C G F I've been the archer, I've been the prey Am Who could ever leave me, darling G F But who could stay? [Verse 2] G Am F Dark side, I search for your dark side G Am F But what if I'm alright, right, right, right here? G Am F And I cut off my nose just to spite my face G Am F Then I hate my reflection for years and years [Pre-Chorus] C I wake in the night, I pace like a ghost G The room is on fire, invisible smoke Am And all of my heroes die all alone F Help me hold on to you [Chorus] C G F I've been the archer, I've been the prey Am Screaming, who could ever leave me, darling G F But who could stay? (I see right through me, I see right through me) [Bridge] C 'Cause they see right through me C They see right through me G They see right through G Can you see right through me? Am They see right through Am They see right through me F I see right through me F I see right through me [Pre-Chorus] C All the king's horses, all the king's men G Couldn't put me together again Am 'Cause all of my enemies started out friends F Help me hold on to you [Chorus] C G F I've been the archer, I've been the prey Am Who could ever leave me, darling G F But who could stay? (I see right through me, I see right through me) C Who could stay? G F Who could stay? Am Who could stay? G F You could stay C G F You could stay... [Outro] Am G F (C/G) Combat, I'm ready for combat
Strumming Pattern
The strumming pattern for “The Archer” is fairly simple and consistent throughout the song. You can use a down-down-up-up-down-up pattern for each chord, or vary it slightly depending on the rhythm of the lyrics. Here is an example of how to strum the first verse:
C G Am F D D U U D U D D U U D U D D U U D U D D U U D U Combat, I’m ready for combat C G Am F D D U U D U D D U U D U D D U U D U D D U U D U I say I don’t want that, but what if I do?
You can also add some accents or palm muting to create some dynamics and variation in your playing.
Capo Position
As mentioned earlier, the song is in the key of C, which means you do not need to use a capo if you want to play along with the original recording. However, if you want to change the key of the song, you can use a capo to do so. For example, if you want to play the song in the key of A, which is two steps higher than C, you can place a capo on the second fret and play the same chords as before. The capo will transpose the chords for you automatically. Here is a table that shows you how to change the key of the song using a capo:
| Key | Capo | Chords |
|---|---|---|
| C | none | C G Am F |
| A | 2nd fret | A E F#m D |
| G | 3rd fret | G D Em C |
| F | 5th fret | F C Dm Bb |
| E | 7th fret | E B C#m A |
| D | 10th fret | D A Bm G |
You can choose any key that suits your voice or preference.
Conclusion
“The Archer” by Taylor Swift is a beautiful song that you can learn to play on guitar with some basic chords, strumming patterns, and capo positions. It is a great song to practice your skills and express your emotions. You can find more information about the song and its chords on various websites. You can also watch some video tutorials on YouTube or listen to some covers by other artists for inspiration. Have fun playing “The Archer” by Taylor Swift on guitar!
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