Marty Schwarz opens with the capo already on the third fret, fingers settled at the second position, and the opening chords of Hozier’s ‘Too Sweet’ ringing out before a single instruction is given. The song has been drawing guitarists of every level to their instruments since its release, and for good reason: it sounds layered and expressive, but the foundational structure sits well within reach of a determined beginner. Schwarz wastes no time showing exactly how close that reach really is.
Two progressions that are almost identical
The lesson centers on a third-fret capo and two chord progressions that share almost every move. Once the vocals enter the song, the playing alternates between them. The first runs E minor to G, then C, then D to B7. The B7 shape Schwarz demonstrates uses the second fret on the A string (counted up from the capo), first fret on the D string, second fret on the G string, and second fret on the high E string. The second progression swaps one chord: instead of arriving at B7 from D, it moves G to B7, but with the bass landing on F sharp rather than B. As Schwarz puts it plainly, ‘if you’re just playing it by yourself, you can just still play that B7’ and the song holds together without the bass distinction.
That single piece of reassurance carries real practical weight. A solo guitarist does not need to chase every low-register movement to make the song sound right to a listener in the room.
The small additions that open the song up
For players ready to push past the basic shapes, Schwarz layers in a few details that give the arrangement more texture. An open D string walks down to the second fret, adding a brief bass-line movement under the chord. A small melodic figure arrives on the second-fret E. Then, moving into the G section, a two-on-the-A-string run leads into the C chord. None of these additions require a chord change, only a willingness to let a finger move while the rest of the hand holds its position.
The overall lesson architecture follows that same principle: establish the skeleton first, then populate it with detail only once the skeleton feels stable.
The moment the open D string drops
There is a specific second in the demonstration when Schwarz lets the open D string ring and then presses down to the second fret without lifting the chord shape above it. The sound shifts just enough to suggest a full arrangement without adding any real technical complexity to the left hand.
With a capo at the third fret and two nearly identical chord progressions in hand, ‘Too Sweet’ stops being a song to admire from a distance and starts being one to actually play.
