Now for the verse. Of course, if this song was to be true to the style of John Mayer, it would have to have some pretty killer vocals and lyrics on top, but since I'm not that proficient in either of those two fields, I'll leave that up to you guys!
You've also noticed that I've labeled this part "Intro and Verse(s)", more on that in a bit.
So, one thing that is indicative about John's acoustic style is the way he uses his thumb for groovy bass lines whilst plucking chords on top in a very rhythmical manner. Also using the right hand to "slap" the strings in between chords creates a very percussive effect, which gives his riffs (and this one) its grooving appeal.
Start out slow on this, and get a feel for the the rhythm in the right hand, which is acting almost like the snare drum of a drummer, marking the 2 and 4 down beats. Try to sync the right hand "slaps" with your foot on the 2 and 4 and you'll get into the groove quickly!
This is not something I was consciously deciding when writing this riff, that kind of thing just tends to happen naturally when you get into this style of playing since this enables you to have your own "built-in drummer" in your right hand. There are of course many players that take this several notches above Mayer, such as Tommy Emmanuel.
Now, you've also noticed an alternative notation of the verse riff. This incorporates a slightly modified bass-line, which I thought grooved in a appealing way when I slowed the riff down. Thus I decided to throw this variation in there as an extra treat, and for you to compare the two when playing them in slower and faster tempos.
With that down, head on over to the chorus section!