Coldplay - Clocks - Guitar Lesson

About Clocks

The piano arpeggio that opens "Clocks" is so well-known that guitarists often overlook how rewarding it is to translate onto the fretboard. The repeating three-note figure in Eb major sits naturally under the fingers once you find the right position, but keeping it even and rhythmic at 130 BPM takes more control than it first appears. Coldplay layer guitar into the arrangement as a supporting voice rather than the lead, so your job here is locking in with the pulse and serving the texture rather than cutting through it. The Eb Standard tuning means you will need to tune every string down a half step, so check that before you start. The chord work in the verses rewards a clean, slightly compressed tone and precise left-hand muting to avoid unwanted ring. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the arpeggiated intro section at a reduced speed until your picking hand stays perfectly consistent, then gradually bring the tempo back up to 130 BPM.

• The song is in Eb Standard tuning, meaning all six strings are tuned down a half step from standard E, which affects open chord voicings throughout.
• The main repeating arpeggio pattern, originally a piano figure, is a great right-hand picking exercise for guitarists working on consistency and rhythmic accuracy.
• Keeping the chord transitions smooth inside the arpeggiated texture at 130 BPM is the central technical challenge for <a href="/genre/pop-rock/">Pop Rock</a> players learning this piece.