Learn to Play: Any Colour You Like by Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd’s Any Colour You Like, an instrumental track from their iconic 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon, is a masterclass in expressive and textural electric guitar playing. At LickLibrary, our note-for-note guitar lesson of this track is designed to guide players through the essential techniques that define its hypnotic and psychedelic feel. Whether you're a devoted Pink Floyd fan or a guitarist looking to expand your expressive toolbox, this lesson delivers invaluable insight into David Gilmour’s playing style and tone. Jamie Humphries breaks down this classic track in this exclusive Lick Library video tutorial.

The Soundscape of Any Colour You Like

This song is an exploration of sonic atmosphere, built upon a repeating chord progression over which Gilmour weaves expressive lead lines. The track is unique in that it features no lyrics, yet it communicates deeply through tone, phrasing, and modulation effects. Our guitar lesson dissects every note of Gilmour’s phrasing, giving students the tools to replicate and understand the emotional depth and technical execution of his performance.

Featured Guitar Techniques in the Lesson

String Bending

String bending is one of the core elements of Gilmour’s soloing vocabulary. In Any Colour You Like, bending is used to give melodic phrases a vocal-like quality. This technique allows players to add expressiveness and character, mimicking the nuances of human speech or singing. In this lesson, we explore how Gilmour applies subtle and wide bends, teaching students how to control pitch and vibrato during a bend to enhance emotion and tension.

Slides

Slides are used frequently throughout this piece to create smooth transitions between notes and to contribute to the song’s dreamy, liquid quality. By mastering slides, guitarists can develop fluid phrasing and seamless movement across the fretboard, which is essential in creating the kind of atmosphere this track demands.

Legato Playing

Gilmour’s solos in this track are a blend of attack and smoothness, often incorporating legato techniques such as hammer-ons and pull-offs. Learning to play legato helps develop finger strength and allows for faster, more fluid runs that feel effortless. Our lesson breaks down each phrase, showing how to connect notes efficiently and musically.

Vibrato

Gilmour is renowned for his masterful use of vibrato, and this track showcases it beautifully. Vibrato adds sustain and depth to notes, making them sing. We guide players through different vibrato styles—from subtle pulses to wide, expressive waves—and help you find your own vibrato voice.

Hammer-ons and Pull-offs

These are key components of legato technique but deserve their own spotlight. By learning hammer-ons and pull-offs effectively, guitarists can add speed, fluidity, and dynamic variation to solos, enabling more expressive phrasing with less pick attack.

Modulation Effects & Tone Emulation

While not strictly a guitar technique, understanding the use of modulation (like Uni-Vibe and delay) is crucial for replicating Gilmour’s tone. Our lesson includes advice on gear setup and how to dial in that signature Floyd sound, enriching the student’s understanding of how tone interacts with technique.

About the Guitarist: David Gilmour

David Gilmour, Pink Floyd’s lead guitarist and vocalist, is celebrated as one of the most soulful and expressive guitarists in rock history. Known for his melodic sensibility, impeccable phrasing, and emotional playing style, Gilmour redefined what it means to "say more with less." His work on Any Colour You Like highlights his nuanced control and mastery over tone and space—attributes that have influenced countless guitarists across generations. Learning Gilmour's parts not only improves your technical ability but also your musical phrasing and emotional articulation.

Why This Lesson Matters

Mastering the techniques in Any Colour You Like builds a strong foundation for expressive lead guitar playing. Whether you're interested in blues, psychedelic rock, or progressive music, the skills you’ll develop—such as controlled bending, tasteful vibrato, smooth legato phrasing, and dynamic slides—translate into countless other styles and songs. This lesson encourages guitarists to focus not just on speed, but on the feel of the music, which is often the most difficult and rewarding part of learning to play guitar like the greats.

Techniques Covered in This Lesson

• String Bending
• Slides
• Legato
• Pull-offs
• Hammer-ons
• Vibrato

Ready to unlock the secrets of Gilmour’s sound? Dive into the Any Colour You Like guitar lesson and elevate your expressive guitar playing with LickLibrary.