Layla (Unplugged)

How to play Layla (Unplugged) by Eric Clapton on guitar

These are the sounding chords. With a capo on fret 4 you play F#, G#, A#m, F, Am, E and more, the shapes the player above shows.

This song is worth learning because it gives you a strong acoustic version of a classic, with a steady feel that lets the melody and changes do the work. At about 84 BPM, it should feel controlled and expressive rather than rushed, so you can focus on clean transitions and a smooth groove.

You will use a mix of open shapes and barre shapes, so the main challenge is keeping your fretting hand relaxed while moving between them. The opening progression starts with A# - C - Dm - A#, so watch that first jump closely and make sure each chord rings clearly before moving on.

Start by looping the opening progression slowly until the shape changes feel automatic. Then add the rest of the song in small sections, linking two or three changes at a time. Once that feels solid, bring the tempo up gradually and aim for even, confident switches rather than speed first.

Use the play-along above to follow each chord change in time with the music, or learn the shapes first with the chord diagrams below.