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The Police - Synchronicity II - Guitar Lesson

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Key E minor
The Police - Synchronicity II guitar lesson video
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Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
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The Police Progressive Rock E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Synchronicity II

Few tracks from 1983 hit as hard rhythmically as "Synchronicity II" by The Police, and for guitar that energy lives almost entirely in the relentless, chugging riff that drives the whole song. Played in E minor at a steady 116 BPM in standard tuning, the part sits in an aggressive mid-range register and demands tight, consistent down-strokes to keep the pulse locked. The challenge is not the fretting hand, it is staying controlled at that tempo for the full length of the song without letting the attack go loose. Andy Summers also layers some chordal and textural work above the riff that rewards careful listening, so use the Practice Toolbar to loop those sections slowed down until the voicings are clear. The Progressive Rock influences show in how the arrangement builds in layers rather than relying on a single flashy solo, which means learning the song properly means learning its dynamics, not just its notes.

  • The main guitar riff is rooted in E minor and built around a driving, repeated power-chord figure that must stay tight at 116 BPM.
  • Standard E tuning is used throughout, so no retuning is needed, but right-hand stamina and pick consistency are the real demands.
  • There is no extended lead solo to learn, so focus your practice on the rhythmic riff and the textural chord stabs in the verses.

How to Play Synchronicity II

Tuning: E Standard · Key: E minor · Tempo: 116 BPM

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 116 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Andy Summers used the Strat on select Police tracks for its smooth, singing sustain and contoured body comfort during intricate fingerpicking passages. Its versatile pickup switching complemented his hybrid Tele's spiky attack, offering warmer mid-range tones for atmospheric arrangements.

Fender Telecaster
Guitar

Fender Telecaster

Summers' modified 1961 Tele Custom with Gibson humbucker in the neck and Fender single-coil bridge became his signature weapon, delivering both cutting reggae arpeggios and warm, sustained chords that defined The Police's distinctive sonic character.

Gibson ES-335
Guitar

Gibson ES-335

The ES-335's warm, woody tone and semi-hollow body resonance gave Summers jazzier options in the studio, adding sophisticated harmonic depth to Police tracks that required softer, more organic textures beyond the Tele's angular attack.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

Summers pushed the JCM800 just past breakup for crunch rather than full distortion, pairing it in stereo with his clean Roland to create The Police's signature wide, layered guitar image with grit and clarity coexisting.

MXR Phase 90
Pedal

MXR Phase 90

This swirling phaser added jet-like, psychedelic textures to Summers' clean tones, occasionally used to enhance the shimmering, otherworldly quality of Police arrangements without overwhelming their reggae-influenced rhythmic precision.

MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay
Pedal

MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay

The MXR Carbon Copy's warm analog delay provided rhythmic slapback and lush atmospheric repeats essential to Summers' compositional approach, where effects functioned as fundamental song elements rather than decorative flourishes.

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