Play Coldplay's 'Yellow'
Try this string-quartet arrangement of the simple, emotional pop tune
Coldplay was not yet a household name in 2000 when the British pop band released “Yellow,” but once this catchy tune hit the airwaves (and the music-video channels) the band was on its way to becoming one of the biggest acts in the world. “Yellow” immediately impressed me with a super-compressed acoustic guitar sound and the fantastic instrument that is front man Chris Martin’s voice. Because the straightforward groove of the band’s original version could have been bland with just the string quartet, my arrangement changes the feel with a rhythmic cello part, which is much more active than the bass part in Coldplay’s version. The result is somewhat Baroque. The obbligato arpeggio in the second-violin part propels the arrangement in the verses and allows the choruses to open up, rhythmically speaking, which will hopefully prompt the listener to join in for an old-fashioned sing-along. Without making it too jaunty, keep a spring in your step throughout.
Coldplay has gone on to create epically iconic songs, but “Yellow” is a shining example of their brand of simple, yet emotional, pop music.
Further Resources
To order Coldplay's "Yellow" and its companion piece, "New Slang," by the Shins, fromStrings Charts edition New Slang (by the Shins) and Yellow (by Coldplay): Pop Hits for String Quartet, click here. For more arrangements from the Strings Charts sheet-music line, visit String Letter Publishing here.
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