This Tears in Heaven guitar lesson will teach you one of Eric Clapton’s most beloved songs. Written after the tragic loss of his young son, this gentle ballad combines beautiful fingerpicking with accessible chord progressions that sound more complex than they actually are. What makes this song special to play is how the fingerpicked arpeggios create that flowing, cascading sound that perfectly matches the song’s emotional weight.
Song Story & Context
Clapton wrote “Tears in Heaven” in 1991 for the soundtrack of the film “Rush,” but the song’s origins are deeply personal. After the death of his four-year-old son Conor, Clapton channeled his grief into this tender piece. He recorded it using a Martin acoustic guitar with light gauge strings, which gave it that bright, delicate tone. The song topped the charts and earned Clapton three Grammy Awards, but more importantly, it became a source of healing for countless listeners dealing with loss.
What You’ll Learn
- Travis picking pattern with thumb and fingers
- Smooth chord transitions between A major, E major, and F#m
- How to incorporate bass notes while maintaining the melody
- Proper fingerpicking technique for emotional expression
- Dynamic control to match the song’s gentle flow
- Barre chord fingering for F#m and B7
Chord Progression Breakdown
The verse follows a beautiful progression: A – E/G# – F#m – C#/E# – F#m – C#/E# – F#m – A/E – D/F# – A/E – E – A. This might look intimidating written out, but when you play it, the movement feels natural.
Start with your basic A major chord. The E/G# means you’re playing an E major chord with G# in the bass, which creates that smooth descending bass line. Your ring finger stays on the 2nd fret of the D string as you move from A to E/G#.
The F#m chord is where many beginners struggle. Use your index finger as a barre across the 2nd fret, but you don’t need to press down all six strings. Focus on getting the high E, B, and G strings clear. Your middle finger goes on the 2nd fret of the G string, and your ring finger hits the 4th fret of the D string.
For the C#/E# chord, think of it as a modified C# chord with the E# (which is really just F) in the bass. Place your index finger on the 2nd fret of the low E string, and build the rest of the chord from there.
Strumming Pattern & Rhythm
This isn’t really a strummed song – it’s all about the fingerpicking. Clapton uses a Travis picking style where your thumb handles the bass notes while your fingers pluck the higher strings.
Start by practicing just the thumb pattern. Your thumb will hit the bass note, then the 4th string, then back to the bass note, then the 4th string again. Count it as “1, 2, 3, 4” with your thumb hitting on each count.
Once that feels comfortable, add your index finger on the 3rd string during count 2, and your middle finger on the 1st string during count 4. The pattern becomes: thumb (bass), thumb + index finger, thumb, thumb + middle finger.
Keep the tempo slow and steady. This song isn’t about speed – it’s about creating that gentle, flowing feeling. Practice with a metronome set around 80 BPM until the pattern becomes automatic.
Tips for Playing This Song
Keep your wrist straight while fingerpicking. A lot of players bend their wrist too much, which creates tension and makes the picking less smooth. Let your fingers do the work, not your whole hand.
Don’t rush the chord changes. The beauty of this song comes from letting each chord ring and breathe. If you’re struggling with a transition, slow it down until you can make the change without any buzzing or muted strings.
Focus on your thumb technique. Your thumb should strike the strings with a downward motion, almost like you’re walking down stairs. This gives you that warm, round bass tone that anchors the whole song.
Practice the fingerpicking pattern on just one chord first. Get comfortable with the thumb and finger coordination on an A major chord before you start adding chord changes. Once that muscle memory is solid, adding the chord progressions becomes much easier.
Remember, this song is about emotion and expression, not technical perfection. Take your time with it, and don’t be afraid to put your own feeling into the playing. Practice along with the video lesson, and you’ll have this beautiful piece under your fingers in no time.