Let Down

How to play "Let Down" on Gesture Synth

Let Down is where the songbook starts asking for chord qualities beyond the plain triad. The verse cycles A, E, F#m, E, but the chorus brings in Dsus2 and D/F# — suspended and slash chords that change both the right-hand shape and the way you think about the chart.

It is also the first song with chords that shift mid-bar in places, so the reading challenge is real. The payoff is a Radiohead chart that actually sounds like Radiohead.

Difficulty: Intermediate

Adds sus2 and slash chords to the mix, plus more changes per bar than anything before it.

Verse (bars 1–8)

A → E → F#m → E, twice. The classic I–V–vi–V in A major — a familiar loop, played at a patient 84 BPM.

Chorus (bars 9–16)

D → Dsus2 → A → D/F#, then the same idea again, and a run back through the verse. The Dsus2 toggles the right-hand quality from triad to suspended, and the D/F# keeps the bass moving.

Practice tips

• Dsus2 is the first non-triad in the songbook: it is quality 3 in the major world — the same finger shape you will later use for seventh chords.
• The A → E → F#m → E verse loop is your warm-up; get it automatic before touching the chorus.
• Slash chords like D/F# are just their root chord — play D and trust the engine for the bass note.

Keep going

Once you can play "Let Down" from memory, try these next:

• Creep · Radiohead
• The Nights · Avicii
• Hallelujah · Leonard Cohen