How to Play Fingerpicking Style Version of “Let it Be” by The Beatles – Part 1

Rhythm Guitar Lesson - Fingerpicking Style Version of Let it Be by The Beatles - Part 1

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Hi, everybody. This is Darrin Goodman from guitarcontrol.com
bringing you this video lesson today. Today I want to show you
a finger style arrangement for “Let it Be” by the Beatles.

What I like about this arrangement is it’s closer to what the
original song is. The original song is on piano. It doesn’t
have guitar in it except for the guitar solo, of course. So
when you’re just strumming the chords you obviously know
what song it is, but this one is kind of cool because it’s
closer to kind of the style of the piano it’s written with.

Anyhow, in this lesson I’m going to teach you how to play
the intro and the verse. Be sure to click on the link in
the description for the tabs and let’s get started. The
chords that we’re going to be using for this are C, G, A
minor and F. Hopefully you already know those chords.

Kind of the way this is done, it’s with like a kind of an
alternating bass line, so we’re – like we’ll take C for
instance. We’re just going to be playing on strings 5, 4,
3 and 2. You’re going to play the 5th string with your
thumb and then you’re going to play the 4th string with
your 1st finger, the 3rd string with your 2nd finger and
the 2nd string with your 3rd finger. You’re going to play
them simultaneously and then just playing the bass note.

Now, usually these kinds of things are done where it’s like
the bass note is first, but this one, it’s actually different.
It’s counted with 8th notes and the bass note is on the and.
So it’s like one-and, two-and. So for the one, on beat number
one, we’ve got one-and. And then for two-and, we simply move
our 1st, 2nd and 3rd fingers up a string each. So now we’re
on strings 3, 2 and 1 and the bass note stays the same.
So one-and, two-and.

Then we switch to a G and do the same thing except now we play
the bass note on the 6th string, but again, we’re going strings
4, 3 and 2 and then 3, 2 and 1. So three -and, four-and. So
one-and; two-and; three-and; four-and.

Next is A minor and we’re going to do it the same
strings as the C, except instead of going to the
bass note right there we’re going to hit just the
3rd string open. So you’ll need to make sure that
you raise your 3rd finger off so you’re not fretting
that note; then to an F. Again, we’re on the middle
strings. So we have…

Then back to C, G again and then to F. We’re just
going to get strings 4, 3, 2 and 1 simultaneously.
I’m going down with my thumb at the same time that
I’m plucking up with my 1st, 2nd and 3rd fingers.

Then move your middle finger from the 3rd string to
the 4th string. That way we’re looking at this interval
here. We’re doing like an E dyad. Starting from the F,
I hit both of those strings at the same time just with
my 1st and 2nd finger. Then take your middle finger off,
hit the two strings open. So now we’re doing like a D
dyad; and then, a C. Again, we’re plucking all the fingers
at the same time, so strings 5, 4, 3 and 2. That is the
intro and the verse. So the whole thing one more time.

Be sure to click on the link in the description for the tabs
and be sure to watch for Part 2 coming soon. It will go over
the chorus and the little bridge that’s like before the guitar
solo and it’s also like the outro for the song as well.

Anyhow, until next time…

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