Tears in Heaven

How to play Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton on guitar

These are the sounding chords. With a capo on fret 2 you play G, Em, C, D, B, E and more, the shapes the player above shows.

Tears in Heaven is a gentle, emotional song that rewards careful playing and a steady touch. At about 80 BPM, it feels calm and reflective, so you can focus on clean changes and letting the chords ring.

You will move between open shapes and harder barre shapes, so the left hand needs to stay relaxed. The opening progression A - F#m - D - F#m is a good place to lock in, and the main change to watch is the shift from the open A and D shapes into F#m.

Start by looping just A - F#m - D - F#m until each change feels smooth. Then add the rest of the chart in small sections, keeping the tempo slow and even. Once the shapes feel automatic, bring it up to full speed without rushing the transitions.

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.