Every one of the uploads by Mike shows how much more there is to every Beatles songs to my uneducated ears despite the songs sounding 'simple'. Ty Mike for showing the beauty of the Beatles in your enthusiastic, warm, friendly inimitable style!
Even, and especially, for non-guitar players like myself! Without shooting over my head with deep, "inside baseball" guitar-ese, Mike's able to enhance the Beatles' inner workings re: song genesis and the working together they obviously did over even the smallest details!
Thanks Mike, been a Beatles fan most of my life and was often annoyed/frustrated when people said ‘their early songs where basic pop nothing special’ being a guitarist I knew there was more complexity behind it and these small details is what set them apart, no wonder some classical music experts have eulogised over their early creativity 👍💙
their early stuff...nothing else sounds like it, it is a genre all of its own. Think about "If I Fell" what the hell? Nothing else sounds like that and it never sounds boring, each time it seems unique. Wow. I was in a band with a guy and we performed it perfectly, I never got tired of singing and playing it.
What a great teardown of a great song! I heard "I Feel Fine" it in a completely new way after listening to it for 55 years. Your tribute performance, Mike, couldn't have been more perfect. It is another example of your own genius. Thank you.
In my sixties now. I remember the “girl next door” had Beatles records. I remember hearing Strawberry Fields Forever on the radio. Like others in these comments, it is only in more recent years that I started to appreciate the complexity of Beatles music. As a Bluegrass guitar player of very limited ability, i can see that the Fabulous Four made it all look so easy and natural. They were just unbelievably talented. They had “the magic”.
I saw The Beatles in person at the Palais des Sports in Paris June of 1965 and they played many of the "Beatles '65" songs in that concert. One thing I'll always remember is right before one song George walked back to one of the tall amps and starting fiddling with knobs. Suddenly the familiar feedback strain alerted us that "I Feel Fine" was coming up. So they had figured out an easier way to produce the feedback since the Oct. 1964 recording session.
I’m nearly 73 now, and was playing in a band in 1963 when the Beatles music hit middle Ohio. No wonder we had so much trouble finding “the SOUND”! (I knew 5-6 chords on a ‘59 LP Jr.)!🤣We still couldn’t wait for the next record to come out so we could try to cover it. Many THANX for your efforts.
Mike, thanks so much for bringing us back all these great songs in such a clear an enjoyable way. You are amazing and you make my day every time I see one of your analyses. Thanks again and go on please. Javier, Spain
That was awesome Mike! When I first heard that song way back when, I was awestruck by the way those guitar parts sounded even though I did not know much about music. Those 4 lads from Liverpool were pure musical genius! BTW, really loved your version of the song. Next to the original, that is the best rendition that I have ever heard! Kudos to you..............👏👏👏👏👍👍👍👍🎸🎸🎸🎸🎤🎤🎤🎤
BRAVO ! Mike you absolutly nailed it! Who else anywhere around understands The Beatles and their music like you do ? You unlock the key to how they added complex riffs to simple melodies and why other have such a hard time trying to imitate. Someday your work especially as you have done in this video will be the only important historical reference available on how these four guys made those unforgettable songs. Thats important because we already know their music will stand the test if time. This is my first time to view the way you put all the parts together at the end and even the vocals. And wow! what a superb Job. I went to see “Rain” do their Beatle show and frankly was not very impressed . But I was totally amazed at your accurate rendition and even the vocals were perfect ! I could never make them out on their recordings and learned something of great value to me ( because I love to sing along to their music ) I know its alot of work but please make more of these wonderful videos for us. Hope you have many enjoyable and fulfilling days ahead of producing in your new Paris home studio. And you haircut really becomes you. Thanks so much!
I spent 50 years or so playing that riff from the 3rd fret down, including open strings. That's how I taught myself to play it back in '65 or so. I only learned the correct way recently from actually watching John play it on videos, and now I know why my version never had the tone of the correct version. Playing the same notes played at different positions makes a big difference!
Great lesson! I was 14 when this song came out, and it seems like only yesterday. If you have any arthritis in your hands like I do, it is easier to play the riffs if you put a capo on the third fret and use the barred A shape (index finger on 5th fret) and open A shape for the first two chords. You only have to move your pinky one fret for the moving notes, so you avoid the stretch. The third chord is the open E shape (with the capo barring the other notes), so the pinky stretch will be needed but easier than barring with your index finger. George's parts can still be played as Mike does it in the lesson. Another nice thing about a capo is that it makes it easier to add melodic notes along with the chords and riffs, if you don't have a good voice like Mike does and prefer to let the guitar do the "singing". Thanks again for the great lesson!
A beautiful song. I especially love John’s guitar part and the vocal harmonies of Paul and George. Interestingly, in several clips of live performances of this song, John gets muddled with the lyrics “I’m in love with her/She’s in love with me”; although I’m always astonished and how they remembered half the words in the first place. I’ve listened to ‘Hey Jude’ a million times but I’d struggle to recite the lyrics.
Hey man, thought I'd thank you for your wonderful lessons. The Beatles are easily the greatest band to walk this planet I think everyone knows that by now, and I have dedicated myself to learning as many songs as possible by them, and I have learned quite a few from your lessons. You are very passionate about what you teach, and give me insight on The Beatles that I hadn't heard before. Also I Feel Fine is a wonderful tune. Have a wonderful day sir.
Thr Beatles were shooting stars that we still see the trail in the musical sky, and will remain visible for many more years, and Thanks to people like Mike that show us how complex their perfoemance were. Mike , you,re the best teacher for our beloved music, Cheers
this is just wonderful, Mike. Not only the best lesson out there, but your knowledge and enthusiasm as well! I've been a Beatle fan for 40+ years and would never have known the real genius of them without your extraordinary in-depth lessons of their songs. It is so very much appreciated! Thank you!
A great breakdown of a classic song. Such a simple composition comprised in a latticework of sheer brilliance from The Beatles. Listening to it now, with this fresh perspective, suggests that it would be just as popular if it was a first release, today! And your careful analysis is brilliant. Thanks for posting. 👍😎🇳🇿🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸
Thanks for illuminating all the nuances and details of “I Feel Fine” Mike . Your enthusiasm is infectious. I’ve been working on a set of Acoustic (instrumental) covers of Beatles tunes and your videos have been very helpful - pointing out subtle elements I wasn’t aware of. Always a pleasure to meet another avid Beatles fan.
Hey Mike it’s great to have your back and posting these amazing full song tutorials. By the way your studio in France looks amazing and the production values of your videos, including the audio are through the roof. Thanks for posting and looking forward to more. Cheers!👍👍 P.s. loved your live blues clip from the other day. The band was incredible. Please post more.
I'd bet you'd win a competition among Beatle's songs performers if there was one. You give us so many wonderful twists and licks of their songs, that I for one, would not be able to ever see them, let alone perform. The fact that you also allow us to get the tab sheets, now you also give me the chance to follow and practice. Thank you ever so much.
You absolutely nailed the guitar parts and did a great job of explaining them. I always loved this song. Its layers, hidden in plain sight and detailed here, help drive home why this song is great.
Hi Mike. I have been listening to you for s long time now and I really like the Beatles songs you do, both story and chords. Never stop please. I thank you.
Love these break downs of songs I have listened to my whole life of my favorite band of all time. I have heard these song played wrong most of the time, more of a 'likeness' of the song. Your appreciation of their skill is huge. This is just brilliant. More please!
Mike, Words cannot express my awe and gratitude to you for sharing your artistry, expertise and painstaking attention to detail in all you do! I have always loved The Beatles' music- you have demonstrated the "why"! Many thanks, I am a true fan of yours! Buddy, from The Left Edge band
Ringo´s dramatic entrance into the song after the riff is absolutely amazing. Can´t give it up enough to Ringo´s contributions. Like George, he was required to and capable of constantly changing gears, modes, and genres to accommodate the ever-changing MacLennan song styles.
As a Beatles fan and guitar nut I thought I got the complexity (and artistry) of George’s beautiful riffs playing off of John’s rocking rhythms and Paul’s melodic bass; but you’ve added a whole new (for me) insight into their varied rhythms and licks and as you call it “rolls” that I never before appreciated-Thanks!
I've always loved this riff and play it ok until the G chord--that stretch is for difficult for me! And that opening feedback was, for its time pure genius!! Only John would hear that and think to put that in the opening.
Very good , you make it look easy. I like the earlier Beatles songs too. Thanks for the tutorials and the end productions you put together. Look forward to the next one 🎸 JJ
Probably the best breakdowns there are on who does what on these Beatles lessons. So precise. And part of the magic here is in listening to the individual instrument breakdown and hearing how beautiful each part is. It just flowed out of them. Brilliant songs brilliantly and energetically realized. Just off the charts.
I find that many Beatle's songs are an excellent resource for teaching guitar students in the lower intermediate stage to new chord forms, different styles of playing, song composition, and musical harmony concepts. I Feel Fine is a great introduction for students to get a taste of chord/melody style of playing. Whether the students are young or old, they all find these songs fun to play yet varied enough to challenge them as students at that level.
It just shows how inventive the Beatles were and that Mike is a good guitarist to be able to follow them so well . I’ve heard many people trying to do the Beatles songs but he can do the vocals and the different guitar parts / instruments and still sounds like them .
Thank you for your lessons that actually show how the Beatles really played their music! Your love and appreciation of the music shines through as you bring all the intricate parts together into a understandable and cohesive lesson. I know we agree that the music can only be described as perfect.
Thank you Michael. I am a musician and a guitar player, and I know how much effort you put on this to get to this level of details. Your videos can be used as a reference for future generations on how to play Beatles songs.
GREAT NEWS!: Here's how you can simulate the famous "I Feel Fine" feedback note on your acoustic guitar without an amp! Do this: Put your fretting hand at 12th position, mute strings 1 thru 4, and with your ring or middle finger "pull" the A string downward towards the floor and then release it sharply. It's sort of a side-ways "shearing" pull-off technique. The string will vibrate and in less than one second it will "slap back" against the frets and produce that shrill buzzing sound, emulating the feedback effect. Unplugged feedback on a budget! I love your videos Mike; keep up the great work!
I always thought it didn’t sound like normal feedback but more a vibrating string with something touching it. Like plucking a string then putting your fingernail against it.
What is awesome is that you divide George 's part , John 's part Paul's part. That's one of many remarkable things you do that totally separates everyone else's technique of teaching these rifts
The last chorus, i had my eyes closed, and it startled me because I was suddenly hearing the actual John singing again ... I love your voice, thanks for making the song shine Mike :-) How is the South of France life?
I remember being a little boy and listening to this riff for the first time and in that moment I took the decision of playing the guitar, which I still do almost 60 years later. It's wonderful to see all the secrets shown like this. Detail, I never really came to play this song, as my interests changed with time and I'm dedicated to Brazilian music. But your first riff you never forget.
Another great video! I've been playing this since it was first released, badly initially but got better. Interesting to see all the nuances they incorporated, I had not realised John was playing an acoustic. On a live video at the ABC Theatre Blackpool he's playing a Rickenbacker, mind you, I expect it would have been much easier to play live than the acoustic. It's always been one of my favourites along with Hey Bulldog which is great to play along with when you're feeling a bit low. If I ever win on the lottery I'll get myself some decent guitars.
Thanks Mike, I grew up with the Beatles and it’s great how you have broken everything down and then showed us how they played it! Great cover and final performances as well!
Mike, this knocked it out of the park; you're battin' a thousand! One of my favorite Beatles tunes, by far! Off the subject but still in the Beatles train of thought, could you show us "Those Were the Days My Friend"? That was such a pretty tune, thanks!
Ha ha ha, you're insane Pachelli! I love you man. I learned the Beatles when I was a kid in the early 60s by lifting the hi-fi needle and and playing over and over again. You are a true fan and amazing teacher. I've learned a lot from you and the correct Lennon/McCartney notations and inflections. Just amazing. Thank you!
I love Lennon's feel on guitar. When playing 16ths he played them with a swing. Sort of more 16th note triplet feel. Sort of the way Ringo played his fills. Never straight. HELP! is another example of this while Ringo is playing basically straight 8ths on the hihat with a very very slight swing.
Great job! As for the different ways John played the rhythm at the beginning of the first verse (around 7:00) I have always thought he deliberately did that to add more energy to the 2nd and 3rd ones. Of course, John being John, he may have just missed it and thought so what. Remember though, they loved to do things differently. Great example is how they played the verses with vigor on "I Want to Hold Your Hand", then played softly on the chorus. Everyone knows that is the opposite of what you are supposed to do.
I Listen to a lot of guitar instruction vids, but this was 22 minutes of pure excellence. The breakdown, play variation and information is impeccable. We may never know if John/George (and Paul and Ringo) basically practiced, jammed and then decided which “take” they preferred for the final or if they were all true geniuses (with Martin and Epstein) who did know every note, every strum, every version and they meticulously planned it to be as the final recording ended up. Just WOW!
Simply brilliant. Thank you. Your instruction style is perfectly clear, and the various camera angles, slow repetition of the pattern as well as the narrative are all spot on for this rusty ersatz rock star! 😄
One of my absolute favorite Beatle songs (so much going on in that composition), from the great rhythm/lead fingering/riffs to Ringo's l Latin accents on the drums! And Paul's movement on the bass! That is the most detailed breakdown of this classic I have ever heard. THANK YOU Mike for your incredible expertise and review! Mitch Long
Thanks, great lesson as always! But one question: How do you separate George and John's guitars to that level of exactness? I've listened to every mix of the studio IFF and just can't do it!
Mike, I love your stuff. I've suspected a few things (this and other songs) all along over the years, thanks for bringing it out! (hey, you have a buzz on that Taylor, maybe the D string. I'm a guitar-maker.. ) Thanks for bringing out that "roll" George does on the chorus. Shades of "act naturally" here and there. I call it his "Mohair Sam" phase..
man I love it. so many nuances to it. I can finally play that lick, now to practice the death out of it until I can play all 4 versions. keep them coming mike, great song. I love the older (64-65) beatles rockers. I learn so much from you ,thanks
I just wanted to drop you a line and say thank you for your Clip-Share videos on how to play Beatles songs! I've played guitar for over 20 years and in playing some Beatles tunes, and I realized I wasn't playing them correctly. So, thank you for all your hard work in putting those videos together!
Only just watched it thanks Mike when I want to learn Beatles you’re my go to guy. I just spent my 40th in Liverpool doing the Beatles stuff and capped it off watching a fantastic Beatles tribute act who have a residency at the cavern they blew me away the “John” is hauntingly good. I mean very few can sing like John so it wasn’t like for like but his mannerism his stage presence, humour in between songs and even the way he swayed whilst playing was bang on if you’re ever in Liverpool book tickets in the cavern Friday or Saturday you will not regret it.
Ho Mike, it's amazing to see all your vídeos because you know not only the chords and riffs, solos, links, etc. You know too the history of the song, the equipment they use on each song and the way they play each instrument, that's extraordinary !!!. Thanks for your classes. !!!. I live in México. 😃 🎸
thankyou for making my day, always loved that song and never realised it was so complex , your rendition brought a tear to my eye :) thankyou for posting
Awesome as always Mike. I remember seeing Savoy Brown in Steubenville with The Glass Harp as the opener. Harp ertainly were not the Beatles but they screamed! Bet you were there (under age of course) but the way keaggy and his guitarists wrapped themselves around each other serpentine like was pioneering for it's day. Even the Boys couldn't equal that! Then Keaggy went and created Christian Rock. That is almost as amazing as what you have accomplished. Maybe one day you will tear up John McGlauchlin's version of "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat for us. Amen.
Mike, I love the Beatles videos. You do them great justice, thanks !!! Also, I remember seeing some comments on an unrelated video saying John wasn't a guitar player, lol. John was a great guitar player !!!
Wow, great stuff Mike. Thanks so much. John did claim that this was the very first ever recording of guitar feedback, and defied any one to find an earlier recoding of feedback. So cool!
When John tried to sneak that riff into every song the others would tell him, "You Can't Do That" to which John would reply "Don't Let Me Down" until the band got fed up enough to tell him to "Let It Be".
Excellent instruction showing many of the subtle elements that most others miss. Your performance of the song also was spot on. My band covered this song when it was still on the charts. The opening “feedback” sound can be obtained by lightly touching a heavy pick or fingernail to a vibrating bass string around the 12th fret. So in that respect it isn’t truly feedback. Haven’t tried that method on a six string but on a bass it gives the most accurate recreation of the sound heard on the record. I wonder if there is any video of them doing this in a live performance.
Awesome guitar playing there bra 👌 A great song with an awesome arrangement of notes for the ears, like an awesome painting thats pleasing to the eyes. I'm a Joe Satriani Michael Angelo Batio enthusiast, but I also love George Harrison's music sense as well. Harrison is a vocalist's lead guitarist or singing music so to speak. Then you have guys like Satriani who are a lead guitarist's lead guitarist or instrumental music, but I know he could switch over to being a vocalist's lead guitarist as well if he wanted to because he started out playing in a singing band. I wondered to myself why Harrison never really cared about being a hot shot lead guitar slinger, he was more interested in creating singing music more than anything else, but he had the potential to be a hot shot guitar slinger like Chet Atkins or Scotty Moore, he was very humble with his lead guitarist image but he knew a lot about guitar theory in his young beatle days which would have been rare in those days. His guitar solos are very melodic, which is the most important aspect to me in a lead guitarist, for me melody is more important than guitar technique, because it directs which guitar techniques are appropriate for the composition. I find these days that a lot of amateur lead guitarists think that technique is more important than melody, I guess they'll never be successful in the music industry being like that. People like purchasing music melodies, not guitar technique demonstrations or how fast one can pick guitar strings. Anyway in my opinion, lead guitar is only an extension of the voice...
Hello, Mike. Although I don't play a guitar or any musical instrument, I love watching your videos, mainly because of my love for The Beatles, but also because you are a great teacher and entertainer. If I could recommend a song for next time, Dear Prudence is one of my favourites. Thank you.
Thanks so much for this thorough analysis. The opening distorted note was something that just grabbed me at a teen when it came out, I’d never heard anything like it before, and lead me to immerse myself in learning guitar and the Beatles. 50 years or so later I spent many years in local bands off and on and now I know the ins and outs of this great tune and starting distortion!
I love your guitar playing, instruction, your enthusiasm and stories about the Beatles. Thanks for being you. You're awesome
Yes
Awesome!
Agreed! I just smile when watching your videos - thank you!
Exactly !
James, you nailed my feelings exactly!
Every one of the uploads by Mike shows how much more there is to every Beatles songs to my uneducated ears despite the songs sounding 'simple'. Ty Mike for showing the beauty of the Beatles in your enthusiastic, warm, friendly inimitable style!
"despite the songs sounding 'simple'"
Indeed - and that alone is part of their collective genius !
@Front Row & Backstage on Substack yea they put alot of work in where other bands would have said thats it😃
Even, and especially, for non-guitar players like myself! Without shooting over my head with deep, "inside baseball" guitar-ese, Mike's able to enhance the Beatles' inner workings re: song genesis and the working together they obviously did over even the smallest details!
Thanks Mike, been a Beatles fan most of my life and was often annoyed/frustrated when people said ‘their early songs where basic pop nothing special’ being a guitarist I knew there was more complexity behind it and these small details is what set them apart, no wonder some classical music experts have eulogised over their early creativity 👍💙
their early stuff...nothing else sounds like it, it is a genre all of its own. Think about "If I Fell" what the hell? Nothing else sounds like that and it never sounds boring, each time it seems unique. Wow. I was in a band with a guy and we performed it perfectly, I never got tired of singing and playing it.
they composed hundrets of incredible songs in a row. these guys were out of this world
202 to be exact.
What a great teardown of a great song! I heard "I Feel Fine" it in a completely new way after listening to it for 55 years. Your tribute performance, Mike, couldn't have been more perfect. It is another example of your own genius. Thank you.
A whole universe of music with which we grew up. But what did we know about it, until Mike and the many other teachers told us.
In my sixties now. I remember the “girl next door” had Beatles records. I remember hearing Strawberry Fields Forever on the radio. Like others in these comments, it is only in more recent years that I started to appreciate the complexity of Beatles music. As a Bluegrass guitar player of very limited ability, i can see that the Fabulous Four made it all look so easy and natural. They were just unbelievably talented. They had “the magic”.
I saw The Beatles in person at the Palais des Sports in Paris June of 1965 and they played many of the "Beatles '65" songs in that concert. One thing I'll always remember is right before one song George walked back to one of the tall amps and starting fiddling with knobs. Suddenly the familiar feedback strain alerted us that "I Feel Fine" was coming up. So they had figured out an easier way to produce the feedback since the Oct. 1964 recording session.
to me No group prior to the Beatles was as inventive
Nice observation, and analysis.
Wow, you could actually hear them over all the screaming?
I’m nearly 73 now, and was playing in a band in 1963 when the Beatles music hit middle Ohio. No wonder we had so much trouble finding “the SOUND”! (I knew 5-6 chords on a ‘59 LP Jr.)!🤣We still couldn’t wait for the next record to come out so we could try to cover it. Many THANX for your efforts.
@Herk Haston Ditto here! Maybe we could start a power trio????
I’m 70 also had a band and feel the same way as you
Mike, thanks so much for bringing us back all these great songs in such a clear an enjoyable way. You are amazing and you make my day every time I see one of your analyses. Thanks again and go on please.
Javier, Spain
My pleasure!
That was awesome Mike! When I first heard that song way back when, I was awestruck by the way those guitar parts sounded even though I did not know much about music. Those 4 lads from Liverpool were pure musical genius! BTW, really loved your version of the song. Next to the original, that is the best rendition that I have ever heard! Kudos to you..............👏👏👏👏👍👍👍👍🎸🎸🎸🎸🎤🎤🎤🎤
@Mike Pachelli "No brag, just fact..." Bravo!
Wow, thanks!
It's just a briliant song for that time, 64, 64 times better than most of the songs we have in this days.
"just" 64 times? I'd have guessed much much more times!
BRAVO ! Mike you absolutly nailed it! Who else anywhere around understands The Beatles and their music like you do ? You unlock the key to how they added complex riffs to simple melodies and why other have such a hard time trying to imitate. Someday your work especially as you have done in this video will be the only important historical reference available on how these four guys made those unforgettable songs. Thats important because we already know their music will stand the test if time. This is my first time to view the way you put all the parts together at the end and even the vocals. And wow! what a superb Job. I went to see “Rain” do their Beatle show and frankly was not very impressed . But I was totally amazed at your accurate rendition and even the vocals were perfect ! I could never make them out on their recordings and learned something of great value to me ( because I love to sing along to their music ) I know its alot of work but please make more of these wonderful videos for us. Hope you have many enjoyable and fulfilling days ahead of producing in your new Paris home studio. And you haircut really becomes you. Thanks so much!
I spent 50 years or so playing that riff from the 3rd fret down, including open strings.
That's how I taught myself to play it back in '65 or so.
I only learned the correct way recently from actually watching John play it on videos, and now I know why my version never had the tone of the correct version.
Playing the same notes played at different positions makes a big difference!
You are a gem that I found on youtube
Great lesson! I was 14 when this song came out, and it seems like only yesterday. If you have any arthritis in your hands like I do, it is easier to play the riffs if you put a capo on the third fret and use the barred A shape (index finger on 5th fret) and open A shape for the first two chords. You only have to move your pinky one fret for the moving notes, so you avoid the stretch. The third chord is the open E shape (with the capo barring the other notes), so the pinky stretch will be needed but easier than barring with your index finger. George's parts can still be played as Mike does it in the lesson. Another nice thing about a capo is that it makes it easier to add melodic notes along with the chords and riffs, if you don't have a good voice like Mike does and prefer to let the guitar do the "singing". Thanks again for the great lesson!
A beautiful song. I especially love John’s guitar part and the vocal harmonies of Paul and George. Interestingly, in several clips of live performances of this song, John gets muddled with the lyrics “I’m in love with her/She’s in love with me”; although I’m always astonished and how they remembered half the words in the first place. I’ve listened to ‘Hey Jude’ a million times but I’d struggle to recite the lyrics.
Hey jade is one song I can always remember the words to. Most of it just goes na na na na na na na, hey jade!
Hey man, thought I'd thank you for your wonderful lessons. The Beatles are easily the greatest band to walk this planet I think everyone knows that by now, and I have dedicated myself to learning as many songs as possible by them, and I have learned quite a few from your lessons. You are very passionate about what you teach, and give me insight on The Beatles that I hadn't heard before. Also I Feel Fine is a wonderful tune. Have a wonderful day sir.
One of my favorite beetle songs of all-time
This song is genius - especially the feedback at the start. John Lennon was an underestimated guitarist. The chord changes are amazing
Thr Beatles were shooting stars that we still see the trail in the musical sky, and will remain visible for many more years, and Thanks to people like Mike that show us how complex their perfoemance were. Mike , you,re the best teacher for our beloved music, Cheers
Mike, you really make me appreciate the genius of the Beatles. Thanks for keeping the John and George alive.
My pleasure!
this is just wonderful, Mike. Not only the best lesson out there, but your knowledge and enthusiasm as well! I've been a Beatle fan for 40+ years and would never have known the real genius of them without your extraordinary in-depth lessons of their songs. It is so very much appreciated! Thank you!
A great breakdown of a classic song. Such a simple composition comprised in a latticework of sheer brilliance from The Beatles. Listening to it now, with this fresh perspective, suggests that it would be just as popular if it was a first release, today! And your careful analysis is brilliant. Thanks for posting. 👍😎🇳🇿🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸
Thanks for illuminating all the nuances and details of “I Feel Fine” Mike . Your enthusiasm is infectious. I’ve been working on a set of Acoustic (instrumental) covers of Beatles tunes and your videos have been very helpful - pointing out subtle elements I wasn’t aware of. Always a pleasure to meet another avid Beatles fan.
Hey Mike it’s great to have your back and posting these amazing full song tutorials. By the way your studio in France looks amazing and the production values of your videos, including the audio are through the roof. Thanks for posting and looking forward to more. Cheers!👍👍
P.s. loved your live blues clip from the other day. The band was incredible. Please post more.
I'd bet you'd win a competition among Beatle's songs performers if there was one. You give us so many wonderful twists and licks of their songs, that I for one, would not be able to ever see them, let alone perform. The fact that you also allow us to get the tab sheets, now you also give me the chance to follow and practice. Thank you ever so much.
Mike, I really like your enthusiasm for Beatles music and all it's nuances, really an in depth lesson, thank you very much!
You absolutely nailed the guitar parts and did a great job of explaining them. I always loved this song. Its layers, hidden in plain sight and detailed here, help drive home why this song is great.
Hi Mike. I have been listening to you for s long time now and I really like the Beatles songs you do, both story and chords. Never stop please. I thank you.
Love your channel Mike. Your enthusiasm for the Beatles is so awesome.
Thanks so much!
Love these break downs of songs I have listened to my whole life of my favorite band of all time. I have heard these song played wrong most of the time, more of a 'likeness' of the song. Your appreciation of their skill is huge. This is just brilliant.
More please!
Mike,
Words cannot express my awe and gratitude to you for sharing your artistry, expertise and painstaking attention to detail in all you do! I have always loved The Beatles' music- you have demonstrated the "why"! Many thanks, I am a true fan of yours!
Buddy, from The Left Edge band
Wow, thank you!
Ringo´s dramatic entrance into the song after the riff is absolutely amazing. Can´t give it up enough to Ringo´s contributions. Like George, he was required to and capable of constantly changing gears, modes, and genres to accommodate the ever-changing MacLennan song styles.
As a Beatles fan and guitar nut I thought I got the complexity (and artistry) of George’s beautiful riffs playing off of John’s rocking rhythms and Paul’s melodic bass; but you’ve added a whole new (for me) insight into their varied rhythms and licks and as you call it “rolls” that I never before appreciated-Thanks!
Thanks Mike. Great video. I always knew there was something not right about that riff. Never knew about the different variations. Stay safe👍🇮🇪
I've always loved this riff and play it ok until the G chord--that stretch is for difficult for me! And that opening feedback was, for its time pure genius!! Only John would hear that and think to put that in the opening.
Very good , you make it look easy.
I like the earlier Beatles songs too. Thanks for the tutorials and the end productions you put together. Look forward to the next one 🎸
JJ
Glad you like them! - And please subscribe to my channel.
Probably the best breakdowns there are on who does what on these Beatles lessons. So precise. And part of the magic here is in listening to the individual instrument breakdown and hearing how beautiful each part is. It just flowed out of them. Brilliant songs brilliantly and energetically realized. Just off the charts.
Nailed it! Perfect breakdown! Thank you! Love the enthusiasm too!
Glad you enjoyed it!
This was the Beatle song that made me want to pick up the guitar in the first place. I could not get that "lick" out of my head. Great job, Mike!
Incredible how you hear all those variations. They really make the song that much more interesting!
Love this song, still sounds great after all these years lol TY Mike
I find that many Beatle's songs are an excellent resource for teaching guitar students in the lower intermediate stage to new chord forms, different styles of playing, song composition, and musical harmony concepts. I Feel Fine is a great introduction for students to get a taste of chord/melody style of playing. Whether the students are young or old, they all find these songs fun to play yet varied enough to challenge them as students at that level.
It just shows how inventive the Beatles were and that Mike is a good guitarist to be able to follow them so well . I’ve heard many people trying to do the Beatles songs but he can do the vocals and the different guitar parts / instruments and still sounds like them .
Wonderful analysis of another piece of Beatles genius. Thanks so much Mike.
Thank you for your lessons that actually show how the Beatles really played their music! Your love and appreciation of the music shines through as you bring all the intricate parts together into a understandable and cohesive lesson. I know we agree that the music can only be described as perfect.
Awesome Job Mike thanks for the tear down and de-construction of I Feel Fine..really great cover as well
Hello Stuart! Good to see you here.
Best regards from Berlin to Liverpool.
Frank
Great tutorials, Mike.
Thanks for listening
Such a joy to watch and hear these early songs broken down. Thank you for your hard work and attention to the details.
George - Very kind of you to say and thanks for understanding how long it takes to do one of these lessons!
Thank you Michael. I am a musician and a guitar player, and I know how much effort you put on this to get to this level of details. Your videos can be used as a reference for future generations on how to play Beatles songs.
GREAT NEWS!: Here's how you can simulate the famous "I Feel Fine" feedback note on your acoustic guitar without an amp! Do this:
Put your fretting hand at 12th position, mute strings 1 thru 4, and with your ring or middle finger "pull" the A string downward towards the floor and then release it sharply. It's sort of a side-ways "shearing" pull-off technique. The string will vibrate and in less than one second it will "slap back" against the frets and produce that shrill buzzing sound, emulating the feedback effect. Unplugged feedback on a budget!
I love your videos Mike; keep up the great work!
We tried it by holding the pick against the string. It was easier when we could afford amps.
I always thought it didn’t sound like normal feedback but more a vibrating string with something touching it. Like plucking a string then putting your fingernail against it.
What is awesome is that you divide George 's part , John 's part Paul's part. That's one of many remarkable things you do that totally separates everyone else's technique of teaching these rifts
Just found your channel. Love hove you incorporate history/context in addition to the lesson. Thank you for posting
The last chorus, i had my eyes closed, and it startled me because I was suddenly hearing the actual John singing again ...
I love your voice, thanks for making the song shine Mike :-) How is the South of France life?
enchanted eric - Living in the South of France is like living in paradise - clear blue sunny skies, the mediterranean, the food! etc etc etc!!
Amazing Mike! You are a great musician. You have taught me so much about playing guitar. Many thanks!
My pleasure!
One of my most favorite Beatles songs
Great lesson. Thanks. Just love your genuine love for the genius of the Beatles. I feel (fine) the very same...
I remember being a little boy and listening to this riff for the first time and in that moment I took the decision of playing the guitar, which I still do almost 60 years later. It's wonderful to see all the secrets shown like this. Detail, I never really came to play this song, as my interests changed with time and I'm dedicated to Brazilian music. But your first riff you never forget.
Another great video! I've been playing this since it was first released, badly initially but got better. Interesting to see all the nuances they incorporated, I had not realised John was playing an acoustic. On a live video at the ABC Theatre Blackpool he's playing a Rickenbacker, mind you, I expect it would have been much easier to play live than the acoustic. It's always been one of my favourites along with Hey Bulldog which is great to play along with when you're feeling a bit low. If I ever win on the lottery I'll get myself some decent guitars.
You're fantastic bro, I humbly wanna learn a lot (acoustic) from you… thanks.
Thanks Mike, I grew up with the Beatles and it’s great how you have broken everything down and then showed us how they played it! Great cover and final performances as well!
Mike, this knocked it out of the park; you're battin' a thousand! One of my favorite Beatles tunes, by far!
Off the subject but still in the Beatles train of thought, could you show us "Those Were the Days My Friend"? That was such a pretty tune, thanks!
Hearing that feedback into the riff when it first came out in the 60s was truly mind blowing.
Fantastic ! I was so impressed ! I felt plunged in the past in a live concert of the Beatles. Thanks for the perfect concert ! I love it
Ha ha ha, you're insane Pachelli! I love you man. I learned the Beatles when I was a kid in the early 60s by lifting the hi-fi needle and and playing over and over again. You are a true fan and amazing teacher. I've learned a lot from you and the correct Lennon/McCartney notations and inflections. Just amazing. Thank you!
Congratulations! You do a really great job in bringing these guitars details from such great Beatles songs. Thank you so much.
That was just awesome Mike, the Beatles were truly in a league of their own werent they...
I love Lennon's feel on guitar. When playing 16ths he played them with a swing. Sort of more 16th note triplet feel. Sort of the way Ringo played his fills. Never straight. HELP! is another example of this while Ringo is playing basically straight 8ths on the hihat with a very very slight swing.
Awesome guitar work in this one. Always loved it. Stands the test of time, as so many Beatles songs do. Thanks Mike.
Great job! As for the different ways John played the rhythm at the beginning of the first verse (around 7:00) I have always thought he deliberately did that to add more energy to the 2nd and 3rd ones. Of course, John being John, he may have just missed it and thought so what. Remember though, they loved to do things differently. Great example is how they played the verses with vigor on "I Want to Hold Your Hand", then played softly on the chorus. Everyone knows that is the opposite of what you are supposed to do.
I Listen to a lot of guitar instruction vids, but this was 22 minutes of pure excellence. The breakdown, play variation and information is impeccable. We may never know if John/George (and Paul and Ringo) basically practiced, jammed and then decided which “take” they preferred for the final or if they were all true geniuses (with Martin and Epstein) who did know every note, every strum, every version and they meticulously planned it to be as the final recording ended up. Just WOW!
Incredibly comprehensive Mike. I believe some of the best instructional/educational videos and subscribed. Thanks Mike from Siem Reap, Cambodia
Thanks for the sub!
Muito legal, Mike.
Obrigado ! ✌🏻
Hi Mike, I love your enthusiasm and passion for the wonderful music of the Beatles. Great video many thanks
Love your lessons... I have played most beatles songs all my life (I'm 68) but you always show me something new, love IT!!! thanks!
Truly a teacher. Thank you my brother. Stay blessed. 👍
Simply brilliant. Thank you. Your instruction style is perfectly clear, and the various camera angles, slow repetition of the pattern as well as the narrative are all spot on for this rusty ersatz rock star! 😄
One of my absolute favorite Beatle songs (so much going on in that composition), from the great rhythm/lead fingering/riffs to Ringo's l
Latin accents on the drums! And Paul's movement on the bass! That is the most detailed breakdown of this classic I have ever heard. THANK YOU Mike for your incredible expertise and review! Mitch Long
What an incredible video. I enjoyed it so much. Thanks for all your hard work putting this together. 👏
Thanks, great lesson as always! But one question: How do you separate George and John's guitars to that level of exactness? I've listened to every mix of the studio IFF and just can't do it!
I love your enthusiasm and passion for what you do. It really shows and makes these videos so enjoyable. Thank you!
Fantastic reproductions of great Beatle hits! I have always been intriqued by the Beatle's harmony. Do you ever cover vocals?
Mike, I love your stuff. I've suspected a few things (this and other songs) all along over the years, thanks for bringing it out! (hey, you have a buzz on that Taylor, maybe the D string. I'm a guitar-maker.. ) Thanks for bringing out that "roll" George does on the chorus. Shades of "act naturally" here and there. I call it his "Mohair Sam" phase..
man I love it. so many nuances to it. I can finally play that lick, now to practice the death out of it until I can play all 4 versions. keep them coming mike, great song. I love the older (64-65) beatles rockers. I learn so much from you ,thanks
Love your videos so much! Thanks a lot
Glad you like them!
I just wanted to drop you a line and say thank you for your Clip-Share videos on how to play Beatles songs! I've played guitar for over 20 years and in playing some Beatles tunes, and I realized I wasn't playing them correctly. So, thank you for all your hard work in putting those videos together!
Only just watched it thanks Mike when I want to learn Beatles you’re my go to guy.
I just spent my 40th in Liverpool doing the Beatles stuff and capped it off watching a fantastic Beatles tribute act who have a residency at the cavern they blew me away the “John” is hauntingly good.
I mean very few can sing like John so it wasn’t like for like but his mannerism his stage presence, humour in between songs and even the way he swayed whilst playing was bang on if you’re ever in Liverpool book tickets in the cavern Friday or Saturday you will not regret it.
Ho Mike, it's amazing to see all your vídeos because you know not only the chords and riffs, solos, links, etc. You know too the history of the song, the equipment they use on each song and the way they play each instrument, that's
extraordinary !!!. Thanks for your classes. !!!. I live in México. 😃 🎸
thankyou for making my day, always loved that song and never realised it was so complex , your rendition brought a tear to my eye :) thankyou for posting
Awesome as always Mike. I remember seeing Savoy Brown in Steubenville with The Glass Harp as the opener. Harp ertainly were not the Beatles but they screamed! Bet you were there (under age of course) but the way keaggy and his guitarists wrapped themselves around each other serpentine like was pioneering for it's day. Even the Boys couldn't equal that! Then Keaggy went and created Christian Rock. That is almost as amazing as what you have accomplished. Maybe one day you will tear up John McGlauchlin's version of "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat for us. Amen.
Mike, I love the Beatles videos. You do them great justice, thanks !!! Also, I remember seeing some comments on an unrelated video saying John wasn't a guitar player, lol. John was a great guitar player !!!
This was great! Thanks so much for doing this for us!!!!
Wow, great stuff Mike. Thanks so much. John did claim that this was the very first ever recording of guitar feedback, and defied any one to find an earlier recoding of feedback. So cool!
When John tried to sneak that riff into every song the others would tell him, "You Can't Do That" to which John would reply "Don't Let Me Down" until the band got fed up enough to tell him to "Let It Be".
What ever gets you Through the night!
Here Comes The Pun!
Excellent instruction showing many of the subtle elements that most others miss. Your performance of the song also was spot on. My band covered this song when it was still on the charts. The opening “feedback” sound can be obtained by lightly touching a heavy pick or fingernail to a vibrating bass string around the 12th fret. So in that respect it isn’t truly feedback. Haven’t tried that method on a six string but on a bass it gives the most accurate recreation of the sound heard on the record. I wonder if there is any video of them doing this in a live performance.
IMO, the Beatles' "I Feel Fine" is what happens when power pop meets a bit of garage rock. So different-sounding for 1964.
Perfect!! Awesome lesson; thank you very much, Peace, Sal 💪🏻🎸
Awesome guitar playing there bra 👌 A great song with an awesome arrangement of notes for the ears, like an awesome painting thats pleasing to the eyes.
I'm a Joe Satriani Michael Angelo Batio enthusiast, but I also love George Harrison's music sense as well. Harrison is a vocalist's lead guitarist or singing music so to speak. Then you have guys like Satriani who are a lead guitarist's lead guitarist or instrumental music, but I know he could switch over to being a vocalist's lead guitarist as well if he wanted to because he started out playing in a singing band.
I wondered to myself why Harrison never really cared about being a hot shot lead guitar slinger, he was more interested in creating singing music more than anything else, but he had the potential to be a hot shot guitar slinger like Chet Atkins or Scotty Moore, he was very humble with his lead guitarist image but he knew a lot about guitar theory in his young beatle days which would have been rare in those days. His guitar solos are very melodic, which is the most important aspect to me in a lead guitarist, for me melody is more important than guitar technique, because it directs which guitar techniques are appropriate for the composition. I find these days that a lot of amateur lead guitarists think that technique is more important than melody, I guess they'll never be successful in the music industry being like that. People like purchasing music melodies, not guitar technique demonstrations or how fast one can pick guitar strings.
Anyway in my opinion, lead guitar is only an extension of the voice...
Mike...as a 67 yr. "biggest fan ever".. you are the best showing us the "genius of the Beatles."
Mike I just love the anecdotes too, the secret to the songs is incredible, also what a lovely sounding acoustic you have too
Hello, Mike. Although I don't play a guitar or any musical instrument, I love watching your videos, mainly because of my love for The Beatles, but also because you are a great teacher and entertainer. If I could recommend a song for next time, Dear Prudence is one of my favourites.
Thank you.
Thanks so much for this thorough analysis. The opening distorted note was something that just grabbed me at a teen when it came out, I’d never heard anything like it before, and lead me to immerse myself in learning guitar and the Beatles. 50 years or so later I spent many years in local bands off and on and now I know the ins and outs of this great tune and starting distortion!