What key is "Photograph" in?

"Photograph" by Ed Sheeran is in the key of E with a tempo of 110 BPM. Difficulty: medium.

Is "Photograph" easy to play on piano?

This arrangement is rated medium. It requires comfort with chord shapes and basic hand independence. Expect 1-2 weeks of regular practice for a confident performance.

Can I play "Photograph" without reading sheet music?

Yes. Our player offers a falling-notes mode (Synthesia-style) and a beginner mode with color-coded keys — both let you play along without reading traditional notation.

How long does it take to learn "Photograph" on piano?

2–4 weeks of consistent practice (20–30 min/day) for an intermediate player. Drill the tricky passages in isolation first.

What other songs by Ed Sheeran can I play here?

Try "Sing", "SING", "DIVE". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.

Lyrics

ing can hurt.

Lov ing can hurt some times.

But it’s the on ly thing that I know.

And when it gets hard

i er, you know it can get hard (C#m)’ry piece some times

it is the on ly thing we that makes us feel a live.

Mm…

We keep this love in a pho to graph.

We made these mem o ries for (B)our selves.

Where our eyes are nev er clos ing, hearts are nev er bro ken, and times are for ev er fro zen still.

So you can (E)keep me in side the pock et of your (Bsus4)ripped (B)jeans, hold in’ me clo ser till our (C#m)eyes meet and you won’t ev er be a (Asus2)lone.

Wait for me to come home.

(CN.C.)2.

ing can heal.

Lov ing can mend your soul.

And is the on ly thing that I know.

I it will get eas

i er, re mem ber that with ev (C#m)’ry piece of ya.

And it’s the on ly thing we take with us when we die.

Mm…

We keep this love in a pho to graph.

We made these mem o ries for (B)our selves.

Where our eyes are nev er clos ing, hearts are nev er bro ken, and times are for ev er fro zen still.

So you can (E)keep me in side the pock et of your (Bsus4)ripped (B)jeans, hold in’ me clo ser till our (C#m)eyes meet and you won’t ev er be a (Asus2)lone.

Wait for me to come home.

(CN.C.)2.

ing can heal.

(A)lone.

And if you (E)hurt me, well, that’s o kay, ba by.

On ly (Bsus4)words (B)bleed.

In side these pa ges, you just (C#m)hold me.

And I won’t ev er let you (Asus2)go.

Wait for me to come home.

Ooh.

Oh, you can (E)fit me in side the neck lace you got when you were (Bsus4)six (B)teen, next to your heart beat where I (C#m)should be.

Keep it deep with in your (Aš2)soul.

And if you (E)hurt me, well, that’s o kay, ba by.

On ly (Bsus4)words (B)bleed.

In side these pa ges, you just (C#m)hold me.

And I won’t ev er let you (Asus2)go.

When I’m a way,

I will re mem ber how you (B)kissed me un der the lamp post back on (C#m)Sixth Street, hear ing you whis per through the (Asus2)phone.

Wait (CN.C.)for me to come home.

Photograph by Ed Sheeran

7 people have learned this song

Easy piano arrangement in the key of E at 110 BPM. Difficulty: medium. Color-coded notes — no sheet-reading skill required.

Teacher’s notes

This arrangement is a great way to build confidence with chord shapes in the key of E major, which means your left hand will be navigating four sharps — so take a moment to orient yourself around F♯, C♯, G♯, and D♯ before you start.

The core progression (E–B–C♯m–A) repeats throughout, and your biggest challenge will be the transition into and out of C♯m: that pinky-stretch can feel awkward at first, so isolate just the B-to-C♯m change and loop it slowly until the hand shape feels automatic.

At 110 BPM the rhythm is steady but not rushed, which gives you room to focus on smooth legato in the right-hand melody — use the sustain pedal lightly on chord changes to connect phrases without muddying them.

I'd suggest hands-separate practice first, getting the left-hand pattern flowing on its own before layering the melody on top.

Once both hands feel comfortable, the chorus will really sing under your fingers.

This is the piece that'll lock in your I–V–vi–IV muscle memory in a sharp key, a skill that transfers to dozens of other pop songs.

About “Photograph”

What key is "Photograph" in?: "Photograph" by Ed Sheeran is in the key of E with a tempo of 110 BPM. Difficulty: medium.
Is "Photograph" easy to play on piano?: This arrangement is rated medium. It requires comfort with chord shapes and basic hand independence. Expect 1-2 weeks of regular practice for a confident performance.
Can I play "Photograph" without reading sheet music?: Yes. Our player offers a falling-notes mode (Synthesia-style) and a beginner mode with color-coded keys — both let you play along without reading traditional notation.
How long does it take to learn "Photograph" on piano?: 2–4 weeks of consistent practice (20–30 min/day) for an intermediate player. Drill the tricky passages in isolation first.
What other songs by Ed Sheeran can I play here?: Try "Sing", "SING", "DIVE". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.