The Beatles – Michelle

Learn how to play The Beatles – Michelle note-for-note on guitar.
Difficulty level: Advanced (because of a number of awkward chord shapes)
Barre chords: Yes
Thumb over chords: No
Playing Style: Strummed plus picked notes with a pick.
Tuning: Standard
This lesson teaches the acoustic guitar part from the main song. It doesn’t cover the lead guitar solo.
The complete file contains a lesson video, a performance play thru video, full tabs, chords and lyrics. You’ll receive a link to download the lesson which will download as a zip file of 183 Mb containing all the lesson content.
Return to Individual Songs Page
Lesson Preview
Tab Preview
Chords & Songsheet Preview
Return to Individual Songs Page
You’ll receive at least two videos per song, one lesson and one performance-standard play-through. You’ll receive the chords/lyrics and guitar tabs as PDF files.
The videos are mp4 format and should play on PC’s, Macs and most mobile devices.
They will download as Zip files. If you don’t have a Zip program on your PC you’ll need to install one to open the file.
If you want to download to an iPad or iPhone you’ll need an app to do so, please read here to know more about it.
Browse Our Lessons by
Fingerstyle Instrumental pieces
da says
hi, i think i need some serious help with the bflat6. how on earth do you cover the 4 frets? the only method ive found is to either push down with my 3rd finger when barring it with my 4th, or push down on top with my 2nd if barring with my 3rd but i cant switch to this method as i have to slam the other finger over the top to create the pressure (i hope you understand what i mean)
I honestly have no idea how anyone could reliably do this chord. i like to persist with things but do you think this is 100% the right chord? are you able to consistently switch to it? i know youve given an alternative but i really want to play it as it is in the original!
thanks jerry,
dan
dan says
just making clear what i mean, push down on top of the finger that is barring the 4 frets with the next finger along*
Jerry says
Hi Dan
Yes it’s the right chord.
I play it by making a barre with the ring finger covering 4 frets. That’s also what Paul does.
There’s a video on YouTube of him playing the song at the White House (for Michelle Obama) and you can see him make that chord.
It’s not easy but it should succumb to practice.
Hope that helps
Jerry
Dan says
Great, thanks ill keep trying and i watched the white house version! id didnt think that one had ever been played live. A YouTuber who disects the beatles vocal harmonies has a video on this song and he is convinced there are two acoustics on this, one playing more major chords, and one playing minor chords at the same time. This sounds quite odd and like it would work to me, what are your thoughts? I need to give it a good listen over headphones but thought i would pose the question.
Jerry says
I wouldn’t doubt at all that there are two acoustics playing here. The Beatles often doubled instruments in that way.
That one is playing major while the other plays minor seems very unlikely. I’d need to know where in the song he thinks that’s happening. The sound of the major 3rd and minor 3rd together would grate like a rusty swing!
dan says
that was exactly what i thought too,
the link is here if you’re interested
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgB4TvwUS6g
his beatles vocal breakdowns are so good im conflicted, but i really do think hes wrong on this one.
anyway thanks, ill be practicing that awkward chord!
larry kwate says
a 3 note chord is a triad. Not a fragment. A fragment or Diad is 2 notes
Jerry says
Yes a 3-note chord is a triad. I meant it was a fragment of the full chord as we normally finger it on the guitar. Fragment is not actually a technical musical term at all.