Message In A Bottle Chords And Guitar Lesson (The Police)

I can’t think of any other band that blended rock, punk, and reggae in such a new and exciting way.

From Andy Summers’ driving rock rhythms… to the punk rock attitude Sting’s vocals brought to the mix… to the highly rhythmic and syncopated drum parts of Stewart Copeland… 

The Police were one of a kind.

Below I’m going to dive into the signature guitar style behind one of their most legendary tracks. 

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this "Message In A Bottle" chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Message In A Bottle?

"Message In A Bottle" is one of most iconic tracks performed by British power rock trio The Police. It was written in 1979 by Sting, and released as the lead single from the band’s second studio album, Reggatta de Blanc. 

Sting reportedly wrote the song while living in a small apartment in London. He was reflecting on his own feelings of solitude after relocating to the city to pursue music.

Many of The Police’s biggest riffs and guitar parts were conjured up by guitarist Andy Summers. His unique style of playing drove many of The Police’s hit songs. Unfortunately, it seems he didn’t get writing credits. However, in my opinion, the songs would not have been the same without his musical contributions.

The song’s catchy guitar riff, syncopated rhythm, and reggae influences became hallmarks of The Police’s sound, blending rock, punk, and reggae in a new way.

Sting has explained that the song was inspired by his fascination with the idea of a message in a bottle as a metaphor for reaching out and seeking connection. He noted that the twist at the end — finding a "hundred billion bottles" washed ashore — reinforces the commonly shared sentiment of loneliness.

“Message In A Bottle” was recorded at Surrey Sound Studios in England. The Police worked at this studio quite frequently during their early years. The studio’s modest setup forced the band to be resourceful. This led to innovative uses of equipment and layering techniques that became part of their signature sound.

The song became The Police’s first UK #1 single. It also charted highly internationally, reaching #5 in Australia and #74 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Rolling Stone magazine has included the song in various lists of the greatest tracks of all time. And the opening riff and rhythm are frequently cited as some of the most recognizable guitar parts in rock music history.

Over the years, many great artists have covered this song. Two quick examples are, Incubus and John Mayer. This just further shows the song's lasting influence and ability to span generations and genres.

Now, you may be wondering…

What is the tuning for Message In A Bottle?

The tuning for "Message In A Bottle”, as recorded by The Police is standard tuning.

Standard tuning for a guitar is spelled out as EADGBE. 

Here are the strings:

• E (6th string, lowest pitch)
• A (5th string)
• D (4th string)
• G (3rd string)
• B (2nd string)
• E (1st string, highest pitch)

Let’s next take a look at the…

Message In A Bottle Chords

To play "Message In A Bottle” as recorded by The Police you only need to know 6 main chords they are C#m, A, B, F#m, D, and E. I would play all these chords as bar chords. Let’s take a look at a few ways these shapes might unfold on the fretboard.

C#m is played from the 5th string down and in 4th position like this:

A is played using all 6 strings and in 5th position like so:

B simply shifts the previous A chord up two frets like this:

F#m drops down to the 2nd position and removes the middle finger from the previous two shapes:

D is a major bar chord with the root on the 5th string 5th fret like this:

Finally, E is played by shifting the previous D shape up 2 frets to the 7th position like this:

If you’ve struggled to understand the fretboard and want to learn it faster and in the simplest way. Then get your hands on my free fretboard guide PDF right here now:  

All right, now that you know the "Message In A Bottle" chords, let’s next talk about…

What key is Message In A Bottle in?

“Message In A Bottle" as recorded by The Police is in the key of C# minor. However, the B section does modulate to the key of A major momentarily. Let’s analyze the chords from the perspective of C#m, and the C# natural minor scale.

The C# natural minor scale uses the notes: C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A, and B.

Here's an example of how to play this scale in 6th position:

C#m (C# - E - G#):

This is the tonic chord (i or root chord) of the key.

Built on the 1st degree of the C# natural minor scale.

A (A - C# - E):

This is the VI chord (major chord on the 6th scale degree).

Common in minor keys as it creates a sense of departure, which will eventually lead back to the tonic.

B (B - D# - F#):

This is the VII chord (major chord on the 7th scale degree).

In the natural minor scale, this is a major chord because of the D#.

F#m (F# - A - C#):

This is the iv chord (minor chord on the 4th scale degree).

A minor chord, fitting naturally within the scale.

D (D - F# - A):

This chord is not in the key of C# minor. It’s actually the IV chord in the key of A major. This only shows up in the B section where the song momentarily modulates to the key of A major.

E (E - G# - B):

This is the III chord (major chord on the 3rd scale degree).

It’s also known as the relative major chord.

Let’s now talk about the iconic…

Message In A Bottle Riff

As stated above, Andy Summers was the genius behind many of The Police’s greatest guitar riffs. He has a very unique way of approaching rhythm. One of his favorite types of chords is the (add9) chord. He would apply this (add9) sound to major and minor chords. The result was some incredible riffs and guitar parts. Here’s an example of a riff in this style:

Message In A Bottle Strumming Pattern

The main underlying feel for "Message In A Bottle" is a driving 8th-note rock feel. This was pushed to the limit by drummer extraordinaire Stewart Copeland. This rhythmic style divides each beat of a 4/4 time signature into two equal parts.

In 4/4 time, subdividing each beat into 8th notes results in 8 notes per measure. To count them, use the syllables:

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

Here’s the breakdown:

1, 2, 3, 4: The main beats in the measure.

&: The offbeat, halfway between each main beat.

When counted out loud, it sounds like:

"One-and, Two-and, Three-and, Four-and."

This steady subdivision provides the rhythmic feel. Here is an example of some power chords and a “Message In A Bottle” style strumming pattern:

Conclusion

There ya have it! 

A sneak peek at Andy Summers’ brilliant guitar style.  

Keep practicing, and if you want to learn songs faster, better understand the fretboard, and not waste years spinning your wheels with guitar, grab my free fretboard guide PDF right here now:   

Jon MacLennan