The Police - Synchronicity II - Guitar Lesson

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The Police - Synchronicity II - Guitar Lesson

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The Police Rock E minor
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Synchronicity II


"Synchronicity II" is a song by The Police, released as the third single from their album Synchronicity. Written by Sting, it reached No. 17 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1983. Described as aggressive and steely, the track offers electric guitarists a chance to explore Andy Summers' sharp, atmospheric playing style that defined The Police's post-punk sound.

  • Released by A&M Records as a single in both the UK and the US in 1983.
  • The B-side featured 'Once Upon a Daydream,' a non-album track not found on Synchronicity.
  • People Weekly described the song as 'aggressive' and 'steely,' reflecting its intense, driven guitar texture.
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.