Guitar lesson for

They Can't See

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Chords needed for 99% of the song

You’ll need to be able to play these chords. The C#m is most certainly going to the hardest of these, especially if you’ve never played barre chords before. If this vexes you, stay tuned – you can likely fake your way through the song and pull off the C#m without barring the full 4th fret.

E ––––0–––––4–––––0–––––0–––––
B ––––0–––––5–––––2–––––0–––––
G ––––1–––––6–––––2–––––2–––––
D ––––2–––––6–––––2–––––2–––––
A ––––2–––––4–––––0–––––0–––––
E ––––0–––––––––––––––––––––––
      E    C#m    A   Asus2      

Main progression

Pretty much the entire song uses this riff. You’re on each of these chords for a single measure (basically 4 counts), but what makes things interesting is how you’re only plucking 3 of the stirngs for each chord.

E –|–––––––––––––––|––––––––(4)––––|–––––––––––––––|––––––––––(0)––|–
B –|–––––––––––––––|––5––––––––––––|––2––0–––––––––|––0––––––––––––|–
G –|––1––––––––––––|––6––––––––––––|––2––2–––––––––|––1––––––––––––|–
D –|––2––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––|–
A –|–––––––––––––––|––4––––––––––––|––0––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––|–
E –|––0––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––|––0––––––––––––|–
      E               C#m             A               E

Understand that for each chord above, your left hand should be in the normal position for that chord:

E –|––0––––––––––––|––4––––––––––––|––0––––––––––––|––0––––––––––––|–
B –|––0––––––––––––|––5––––––––––––|––2––––––––––––|––0––––––––––––|–
G –|––1––––––––––––|––6––––––––––––|––2––––––––––––|––1––––––––––––|–
D –|––2––––––––––––|––6––––––––––––|––2––––––––––––|––2––––––––––––|–
A –|––2––––––––––––|––4––––––––––––|––0––––––––––––|––2––––––––––––|–
E –|––0––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––|––0––––––––––––|–
      E               C#m             A               E

But on your picking hand, your fingers are only targeting the strings that need to be played.

For the E,

E ––(0)–––
B ––(0)–––
G –––1––––  <-- right middle finger   
D –––2––––  <-- right index finger    
A ––(2)–––                            
E –––0––––  <-- right thumb           
     E      

For the C#m,

E ––(4)–––
B –––5––––  <-- right middle finger   
G –––6––––  <-- right index finger    
D ––(6)–––                            
A –––4––––  <-- right thumb           
E ––––––––
    C#m   

For the A,

E ––(0)–––
B –––2––––  <-- right middle finger   
G –––2––––  <-- right index finger    
D ––(2)–––                            
A –––0––––  <-- right thumb           
E ––––––––
     A  

And so on. Feel free to slightly deviate from these tabs if you wish (it sounds like Micahel Tyler does from time to time).

Bridge chords

You’ll also need an F#m and B chords for the bridge (in addition to a C#m, which is shown above). Use the same strumming / fingerpicking approach shown above for those chords. If you can’t play a regular B, you can sub in a B7.

–––2––––2––––2––––
–––2––––4––––0––––
–––2––––4––––2––––
–––4––––4––––1––––
–––4––––2––––2––––
–––2––––––––––––––
  F#m   B    B7

That’s it!

I hope this was helpful! This is a fun song – and that single progression isn’t a ton to memorize. Enjoy.

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