Today we’re going to learn how to play Until I Found You by Stephen Sanchez. We will explore two different manners of playing
this song in order to accommodate beginners and more advanced players.
The first version will be closer to the recorded studio version and a bit more challenging. In the second version, we will explore a simplified way to play Until I Found You. You’ll need to have a capo for either version. Pick whichever version suits you best. Better yet, learn both and see how they relate to each other in a musical way. For further help with this song tutorial and much more, check out Roadie Coach. This is a fantastic tool and app that gives personalized feedback and helps you learn chords, strumming patterns and chord transitions more effectively and faster.
Without further ado, here’s how to play Until I Found You by Stephen Sanchez.
First version
Intro
As mentioned, in this version we’ll play Until I Found You like it was recorded in the studio. Let’s start by placing the capo on the 10th fret. This song is a 6/8 time signature so the feel is going to be a bit different than your typical 4/4 songs.
We’ll start with a c-chord shape and then pluck the first three strings starting from the first to the third, creating an arpeggio. We then have an E minor chord shape at bar 2 of this song. We then place our pinky on the third fret of the first string and pluck. Then we do a pull off that
and quickly pull it off before hitting all three top strings at once.
For the third bar we have your traditional F chord, which then turns in to an Fm chord. Since this is the version for more advanced players, we are going to be playing both of these chords fully barred.
Finally, the last chord is an Fm(9). To add that ninth, simply play the first string on the third fret with your pinky.
Verse
For the verse, we’re going to play the same chord progression and then add C C and G G. The strumming pattern we’ll use is a D – DD- D, which is a relatively easy pattern. This pattern features all down strums and is a great one to practice while you learn how to play Until I Found You.
Chorus
The chorus has a bit more harmony, but they are all simple chords. Most beginners will know these after just a few weeks of playing. The progression is F, G, C, E, F, G, C, C7. After that, we go to F, G, C, Em, F, F, Fm, Fm.
As you can see, these are largely the same chords that we have already played before. The challenge here lies more in knowing the form or structure of the song and remembering which chord comes after the other. The best way to do that is to think in terms of progressions, or smaller blocks, in order to simplify.
The strumming pattern for the chorus is D, D, D, D, D, D.
In short, this is the more challenging way to learn how to play Until I Found You.
Simple version
For this simplified version we’re going to be playing lower on the neck as and will also simplify some strumming patterns. These changes will make the song easy for beginners.
So lets put the capo on the third fret. The chords for the intro are G, Bm, C, Cm, Cm. Keep in mind we are referring to the chords by shape, not by their actual sound. This simplifies it quite a bit when playing with a capo.
Verse
For the verse, the simplified progression is G, G, Bm, C, Cm, G, G, D and D. All of these chords are pretty simple, with the exception of the Bm. However, this is an excellent opportunity to get started with barred chords, if you haven’t done so already.
We’re going to employ a very simple strum pattern for the verse. It will feature downstrokes on a D, D, D, D, D D, strum.
Chorus
The chorus also features a simpler chord progression. Much like in the previous version, the challenge here is to remember the form. This will be a great exercise as the form or structure of the song is an often neglected aspect by beginners. In other words, learning where you are in the song and where you are heading is important.
The progression for this simpler version of the chorus is C, D, G, Gm, C, D, G, G7. This is followed by C, D, G, Bm, C, C, Cm, and Cm. We will use the exact same strum pattern featured in the verse: D, D, D, D, D, D.
We then go on to play G, G, Bm, Bm followed by C, C, Cm, Cm. We will stay playing downstrokes only for the entirety of the simpler version.
We hope you enjoyed this article on how to play Until I Found You by Stephen Sanchez. This is a beautiful song that has become quite popular. It is also a great opportunity to learn new techniques on the guitar, whether it is a new chord or strum pattern.
Additionally, this song is a great one to work on mastering form and song structure. Remember to be patient, practice, and have fun!
