Espresso

How to play Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter on guitar

“Espresso” is a fun one to learn because it sits in a steady, catchy groove and feels good once you lock into the pulse. At about 120 BPM, you can keep it light and confident, with the chords driving the song more than any flashy lead work.

You only need open shapes here, so the main challenge is clean changes rather than barre chords. The opening move to watch is Em to Am to G to Am, since that back-and-forth can feel quick at first and needs smooth left-hand motion.

Start by looping that opening progression slowly until each change feels automatic. Then bring it up to tempo in short bursts, keeping your strumming even and relaxed. Once the shapes are solid, play along with the track and focus on staying steady through the repeats.

Use the play-along above to follow each chord change in time with the music, or learn the shapes first with the chord diagrams below.