Blackbird (The Beatles)
No lyrics here
Copyright rules mean this note has chords and structure only — pull the words up separately (Spotify/lyric site) while you play.
Song Info
- Artist: The Beatles (Paul McCartney)
- Key: G major
- Capo: none
- Difficulty: Hard — the fingerstyle pattern, not the chords, is the challenge
Free Chord Chart
Ultimate Guitar — Blackbird (Chords)
Chords Used
G, Am7, G/B, C, D, Em, G/D, D7 (core set — there are a couple of quick passing chords in the original too)
Song Structure & Chord Progression
- Verse: G – Am7 – G/B – C – D – Em – C – D – G (repeat, twice per verse)
- Instrumental break: similar progression, played higher up the neck
No traditional chorus or bridge — it’s a through-composed verse form; the instrumental break stands in for a bridge.
This one is a classic Travis-picking piece — the chords alone won’t get you there; the right-hand fingerstyle pattern (alternating thumb bass + fingers picking a melody on top) is what makes it recognizable.
Picking Pattern
Constant alternating thumb bass note (usually on beats), with fingers picking a melodic line on the treble strings. Recommend working through a dedicated Blackbird fingerstyle tutorial (Justin Guitar has one) rather than a straight chord sheet — practice it in short 4-bar chunks at slow tempo before speeding up.
Practice Notes
- Can play the chord shapes cleanly
- Thumb-bass pattern is steady on its own
- Can play first half of verse at slow tempo
- Can play the full song without looking
Practice Log
| Date | Minutes | Notes |
|---|---|---|