Guitar Chords – Every Breath You Take

Every breath you take is a popular song by the English Rock band “The Police”. Written by the artist Sting and released in 1983, the song went on to top various music charts, including the Billboard Hot 100, where it stayed for eight weeks.  

Learning how to play the song “Every Breath You Take” on the guitar might be challenging; however, it gets easier so long as you get the basics like hand placement and finger placement right. “Every Breath you Take” is played in the A-major key and at 9 chord. 

This iconic song was recorded in the A-major key and is a popular choice among guitar players and those eager to learn how to play the guitar. If you’re one of such eager players, then this article is for you.

How To Play the “Every Breath You Take” Song on The Guitar

In this section we’ve curated procedures to playing the “Every Breath You Take” from start to finish.

Step 1: Adopt Proper Hand Placement

If you’re a beginner guitarist who’s just learning starting to play, you might find it helpful to adopt the hand placement tips explained in the video below quite helpful

Key Video Takeaways 

• Remember to start by placing your first finger on the fifth fret of the sixth string.
• The second finger’s placement should be on the seventh fret of the fifth string.

• Rest your pinky, or little finger on the ninth fret of the fourth string. 
• Practice correct finger placement by playing around with the strings as your fingers are in that position. It might take some time to adjust and feel at ease in this position.

Step 2: Practice the Riff

“Every Breath You Take” has a famous riff that requires different finger placements. The riff is divided into two parts, and the first part is in A-flat at 9 Chord. To correctly play the riff, your fretting hand should assume the following positions:

• Place your first finger on the fourth fret
• Your second finger should be placed on the fifth fret 
• Ensure your third finger should be placed on the sixth fret
• Also, make sure your pinky is on the eighth fret.

While your fretting fingers are still placed on the frets, use the fingers in your other hand to strum the strings in the guitar in order to produce the sound of the riff. Feel free to practice as many times as possible to get the exact sound.

Once you are familiar with the first part of the riff, you might want to move on to the next part of the riff. This part of the riff is played in F-minor at 9 Chord, and the fretting finger placement should be as follows:

• Place your first finger on the first fret
• Your Third finger should be on the third fret
• Your Fifth finger should be placed on the fifth fret 

While your fretting fingers are still placed on the frets, strum the guitar strings using the fingers in your other hand to produce the sound of the riff. Feel free to practice as many times as possible to get the exact sound.

The succeeding part is played in D-Flat at 9 Chord, and while doing this, your first finger should be barred over A, D, G, B, I, and E while strumming the guitar strings.  

The next part of this song is in E-flat at 9 Chord, and your fretting fingers should take the positions: 

• The third finger should be on the sixth fret of D.
• The fourth finger should be on the sixth fret of G.

After this, the bridge or interlude of the song follows. The first measure of this part is played in D flat at 9 Chord. 

The second measure is in D flat, and you’d have to Barr your fingers over the fourth frets of the A, D, and G strings as you play. Maintain the same chord shape as you move it up by two frets. Then proceed to A- flat at 9 chord and continue strumming the guitar strings to the sound of the original song. 

This last part of the song is relatively easy to play compared to the other parts. It utilizes just two basic chord forms; E# and F#. 

On the E# chord, the position of your fingers should be as follows:

• Your pinky or little finger should be placed on the seventh fret of A
• Your third finger should be placed on the sixth fret of D
• Your first finger should be placed on the fourth fret of G
• Your second finger should be placed on the fifth fret of B
• Pluck the strings one at a time, hold the chord for two measures, and then go to F#, move it up by two frets. Then hit the E chord for two measures as you finish the song.

Helpful Tips to Mastering Guitar Tabs for the “Every Breath you Take” Song

1. Correct Fingering

Using the proper finger positioning simplifies any guitar playing, no matter what it is.

Although it can be tempting to stray from the recommended fingering techniques, doing so will do you much more harm than good. Correct finger placement guarantees you can switch to and manage variations like sevenths or ninths that your assumed simpler playing style may not allow.

2. Keep a Firm, Confident Grip on the Guitar

Along with possessing appropriate fingering methods, how you hold the instrument has a significant impact on your guitar talents. Always hold the guitar with a firm but loose grip to help your hands move more naturally along the strings.

Placing your thumb on the back of the guitar’s neck is the greatest approach to perfect the proper grip. Doing this gives you more control over the notes being played as it prompts you to use your fingertips, which is a more accurate style of playing. 

3. Practice! Practice! Practice!

The adage “practice makes perfect” is true for guitar playing. You can only grow better by continuing to practice. Short bursts of erratic motivation are never better than regular, consistent practice!

Other Songs to Try Out

Once you finally master guitar tabs for “Every Breath You Take”, here are some other song suggestions we recommend you try your hands on.

• Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears
• Roxanne by The Police
• Road To Nowhere by Talking Heads

Conclusion

With the proper amount of time and effort, you’ll be able to play the “Every Breath You Take” song on the guitar like a pro. There are various video resources available to learn, all taught by talented and professional guitar players who provide helpful and useful tips and alternatives on navigating the song’s difficult parts.

References

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Every_Breath_You_Take
https://www.justinguitar.com/songs/the-police-every-breath-you-take-chords-tabs-guitar-lesson-sb-224
https://guitaralliance.com/2022/08/every-breath-you-take-by-the-police/
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.riffriff.com/how-to-play-every-breath-you-take-by-the-police/amp/