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Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven - Guitar Tab

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About Tears in Heaven

Few fingerpicked ballads demand as much emotional restraint from a guitarist as this one. Written by Eric Clapton in the wake of a personal tragedy, "Tears in Heaven" sits in A major and moves at a gentle 80 BPM, giving you space to focus on touch and tone rather than speed. The song is played in D Standard tuning, so drop every string down a whole step before you start. The fingerpicking pattern is the real work here: the thumb carries a steady alternating bass while the fingers pick a melodic line on top, and keeping those two layers independent and even is harder than it looks. The chord shapes themselves are not especially complex, but clean execution of the hammer-ons and pull-offs woven into the melody requires controlled left-hand pressure. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop the intro phrase slowed down until the picking pattern sits comfortably in your hands before bringing it up to tempo. Blues Rock phrasing appears in the subtle note bends later in the song, so keep your ears open for those moments too.

  • The song is played in D Standard tuning, meaning every string is tuned down a whole step from standard E.
  • The fingerpicking pattern combines an alternating thumb bass line with a melodic top voice, requiring strong right-hand independence.
  • At 80 BPM the tempo is gentle, but clean hammer-ons and pull-offs within the chord shapes are where most players need focused slow practice.

How to Play Tears in Heaven

The song moves through: Intro, Verse, Chorus, Interlude, Bridge, Solo, Outro.

Tuning: D Standard · Key: A major · Tempo: 80 BPM · Difficulty: Medium

Tuned a whole step down to D standard, the lower string tension makes bends feel looser, so keep an eye on your intonation. The arrangement runs through 7 distinct sections, and the solo is the steepest jump, so isolate it on its own. At 80 bpm the slow tempo leaves every note exposed, so timing, vibrato, and dynamics matter more than raw speed.

Loop each section and focus on clean, even timing rather than speed, with the metronome at 80 BPM.

Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Clapton's primary instrument from the 1970s onward, his signature Strat features Vintage Noiseless pickups and an active mid-boost circuit that pushes clean Fender amps into controlled breakup, delivering his trademark smooth yet slightly gritty tone.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

The 'Beano' Les Paul with original PAF humbuckers paired with a cranked Marshall JTM45 created Clapton's legendary creamy, sustaining overdrive that defined the Bluesbreakers era and established his blues-rock foundation.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

While less documented than the Standard, Clapton's occasional use of this model maintained the thick PAF humbucker character essential to his early power-blues tone during his transitional years.

Gibson SG Standard
Guitar

Gibson SG Standard

Clapton's SG with PAF humbuckers and a cranked Marshall during Cream produced his searing, sustain-rich lead tone that became iconic for psychedelic blues-rock soloing and feedback exploration.

Gibson ES-335
Guitar

Gibson ES-335

The semi-hollow ES-335 with Derek and the Dominos gave Clapton a warmer, more articulate midrange response ideal for the soulful, slightly compressed tone heard on 'Layla' and bluesy slide work.

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

From the mid-1970s onward, Clapton's shift to the Twin Reverb running relatively clean allowed his Strat's mid-boost circuit to drive natural amp breakup, creating his refined blues tone without heavy overdrive pedals.

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