Yellow

How to play Yellow by Coldplay on guitar

This song is a great one to learn because the progression is simple, memorable, and has a steady, uplifting feel. You can focus on clean changes and a smooth pulse instead of chasing lots of chord movement, which makes it rewarding at a moderate tempo.

You will spend most of your time moving between barre shapes, with only E and Em giving you a brief open-shape break. The main change to watch is the opening move from B to D#m and back again, since that shift can feel tight at first and needs accurate fretting.

Start by looping B - D#m - B - E slowly until the shape changes feel automatic. Then add the harder barre chords in small sections, keeping your hand relaxed and your timing even. Once the changes are solid, bring it up to tempo and aim for smooth, consistent 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.