Note-for-Note Tab Breakdown: Visualizing Every Measure of 'Here Comes the Sun'
By Chloe Bennett
Decades of fingerstyle arrangements published online have convinced many guitarists that Harrison fingerpicked this track using thumb-and-finger rolls. Session documentation and outtakes from the Abbey Road super-deluxe sessions confirm that Harrison played the basic track with a standard medium celluloid flatpick.
A flatpick produces the distinct sharp transient attack heard on the original recording. When you pick downward across the fifth and fourth strings, the pick snaps across the bronze winding with a percussive edge that bare fingers cannot duplicate. Harrison kept his right wrist loose, lightly brushing the bridge pins with the heel of his palm for light muting on lower roots while keeping the high treble strings unimpeded.
If you prefer playing fingerstyle without a plectrum, use the meat and nail of your thumb for the downstrokes on strings four, five, and six. Dedicate your index finger exclusively to the G string and your middle finger to the B and high E strings. This separation preserves the dynamic balance between the steady bass drone and the floating vocal melodies.
Chloe Bennett explores the intersection of pop culture, streaming entertainment, digital trends, and contemporary lifestyle. Her weekly commentary reaches thousands of culture enthusiasts.
