Colors
by Black Pumas • Lesson #396 • Oct 21, 2021
Video lesson
Licensed Song Sheet 2 pages
Follow along with my print-friendly guide for this song! It’s available for purchase at Musicnotes.com, the web’s leading provider of licensed sheet music.
On the fence? Here's a guide I made showing the purchase & print process, including answers to common questions about my song sheets.
Buy at Musicnotes.comEditor’s notes
Hey, friends! I had the pleasure of going to the Austin City Limits fest a few weekends back – and without doubt, the band that left the biggest impression on me was the Black Pumas. I’ve had them on repeat most of the past week, and it’s their hit song COLORS (from their debut 2019 album) I’d like to share with you today. Straight up –– give this song a listen! It sounds both old and modern, packing some retro/soul/gospel flavors on top of grooving rock foundation.
Video timestamps:
- 0:00 Lesson Overview
- 2:32 Chords Used (no capo, Key of F#m)
- 3:56 Chords Used (capo 2, Key of Em)
- 7:10 Strumming Patterns (4 options)
- 11:15 Jangly Intro Riff (w/ tab)
Musically, this song uses an 8 measure chord progression that repeats the entire time. The fact that it never gets old (and they’re able to pull so much out of it) is a real testament to the musical brains behind the band. I’ll be using a capo 2nd fret to simplify to avoid barre chords and make it more strum-friendly.
It’s the diminished chord in particular that provides the real magic in this song. It creates a bass-line walkup between the final three chords of the progression (from D to D#dim7 to the Em) – which is incredibly effective at grabbing the listeners ear. As I note in my video, I very much recommend you check out Michael Palmisano’s Guitar Teacher REACTS video where he dives into this song, giving a solid breakdown of all the music theory concepts at play – especially around the diminished chord. Note, I’m adding the 7th tone to the D#dim chord just to make it easier to play.
Other songs that use this same diminished chord
When learning this song, I realized that this isn’t the first time I’ve encountered this diminish chord shape (D#dim7). Here’s the other lesson I’ve made that use the D#dim7 – and in all cases, it’s following the D-major chord – which creates that walk-up sound.
- Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground by Willie Nelson
- Please Come Home for Christmas by the Eagles
- I Won’t Give Up by Jason Mraz
I hope y’all enjoy! Remember to give Colors a listen, and check out Michael Palmisano’s reaction video if you want a intermediate/advanced breakdown of the theory. Thanks all, and enjoy!
Watch the Black Pumas perform this live in studio
Watch Michael Palmisano’s reaction video to this song
His music theory knowledge is amazing, especially seeing how quickly he can pick this song up and identify what’s going on.
Enjoy My Lessons? Show Your Support!
Most of the lessons on my website are 100% free. If you have the means, please show your support with a tip jar contribution. I put many hours into every lesson — but it only takes you a minute to make a donation. You have my thanks!
Looking for More Song Lessons?
Featured Courses
Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made
Coming soon is Jambox – which shows all the video jam tracks I've made. It's note quite ready for the spotlight, but check it out if you like!
Subscribe to my YouTube channel
Be sure to never miss a lesson by subscribing on YouTube. I put out 2-3 new videos every week. These include full song lessons, as well as covers, practice tips, behind-the-scenes updates. Thanks!
Recent Lessons
-
December 6, 2024
"Our House" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
-
November 28, 2024
Thanksgiving Roundup: Improved Search, Vidami Coupon Code, and Melody Deep-Dives
-
November 15, 2024
"Scarlet Begonias" by Grateful Dead
-
November 12, 2024
Does CAGED Help When Learning Songs?
-
November 8, 2024
Rhythm Deep Dive: "Guitar Town" by Steve Earle
-
Nov 1, 2024
Website Tour – November 2024
-
Oct 24, 2024
"Fast Car" - Strumming & Rhythm Guide!
-
October 18, 2024
CAGED - It's More Than Just Chords!