Video exclusive: How to play Maroon 5's The Sun

Singer-guitarist Adam Levine and lead guitarist Valentine share the spotlight, if not "The Sun"
Singer-guitarist Adam Levine and lead guitarist Valentine share the spotlight, if not "The Sun" (Image credit: Travis Schneider)

The other day, we presented an exclusive video lesson with Maroon 5 guitarist James Valentine showing you how to play She Will Be Loved, just one of the smash hits from the band's 2002 debut album, Songs About Jane.

Today, Valentine demonstrates the chord patterns to another standout track from that album, the funky, gently soulful number The Sun. As he notes, the song is perfect for beginning guitarists, with the verse built around a moveable, open A minor seventh chord. Valentine carefully arpeggiates the patterns, letting each note ring out for maximum impact. (And to get just the right sound, try using a rotary speaker simulator or vibrato effect.)

For the chorus, the chords are an open F major seventh, C, A minor seventh and G, ending with a B half diminished to an E. As with the verse, smooth arpeggiation throughout is key.

You can purchase the 10th anniversary of Songs About Jane on iTunes. And, of course, Maroon 5 have a brand-new album storming the charts, Overexposed. You can snatch that one up right here.

For more about Maroon 5, including tour dates, be sure to visit their official website, Facebook and Twitter.

Joe Bosso

Joe is a freelance journalist who has, over the past few decades, interviewed hundreds of guitarists for Guitar WorldGuitar PlayerMusicRadar and Classic Rock. He is also a former editor of Guitar World, contributing writer for Guitar Aficionado and VP of A&R for Island Records. He’s an enthusiastic guitarist, but he’s nowhere near the likes of the people he interviews. Surprisingly, his skills are more suited to the drums. If you need a drummer for your Beatles tribute band, look him up.