the song opens with an acoustic guitar part. this is backed by an electric guitar copying the acoustic guitar. it then forwards to the lead guitar line. it then goes back to the acoustic section. its instrumentation is varied, including the drums, cymbals, and the occasional hi-hat and ascending bass guitar. "yellow" features martin's falsetto, and nearly spoken-word whispers. martin, after the song's mixing, felt that his voice was "too subdued, too quiet".