Don’t Let Me Down Guitar Lesson (Beatles)

Today I want to share with you a song that is often considered one of the greatest Beatles songs.

It came about at a turbulent time for the band. It was 1969, the same year that John Lennon informed the other members of the band that he was leaving.

This song was primarily written by John Lennon, and it's a raw and heartfelt plea that expresses his vulnerability and dependence on Yoko Ono.

So grab your guitar and let’s dive into this “Don’t Let Me Down” guitar lesson!

Who wrote Don't Let Me Down?

"Don't Let Me Down" is a song by The Beatles, primarily written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon-McCartney. It was released as a single in 1969, with "Get Back" as its B-side.

The recording sessions for "Don't Let Me Down" took place in January 1969 during the Get Back/Let It Be sessions, which were famously fraught with tension among the band members. Despite the strained atmosphere, the song emerged as a powerful expression of emotion.

“Don’t Let Me Down” was recorded at Apple Studios in London. It features a raw, bluesy sound with a prominent electric guitar riff and a driving rhythm section. The simplicity of the arrangement allows the emotional intensity of the vocals to shine through.

"Don't Let Me Down" received critical acclaim upon its release and has since been recognized as one of The Beatles' standout tracks. It reached high chart positions in several countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom. Over the years, it has been covered by numerous artists and featured in various films and TV shows.

In terms of accolades, "Don't Let Me Down" is considered one of The Beatles' classic songs and has been included in various lists of the greatest songs of all time by music publications and critics. While it didn't win any specific awards, its enduring popularity and influence speak to its significance in the Beatles' catalog and in the history of popular music.

Don't Let Me Down Guitar Chords

You really only need 3 chords to play “Don’t Let Me Down” on guitar, F#m, E, and B7.

Let’s take a look at how to play them.

F#m is played in second position and uses all 6 strings like this:

(Bar chords can be tough for more help on this check out this post)

From there the progression moves to E, which is also commonly played on all 6 strings like this:

And finally, B7 is played from the 5th string down like this:

The main groove for “Don’t Let Me Down” is a 4-bar chord progression. It only uses the chords F#m and E. Each chord is played for 2 bars.

F#m (2 bars)

E (2 bars)

The Bridge section is where the B7 chord comes in. This section is an 8-bar progression and goes like this:

E (2 bars)

B7 (4 bars)

E (2 bars)

What key is Don't Let Me Down In?

“Don’t Let Me Down” is in the key of E major. Let’s analyze the chord progression.

The chords F#m, E, and B7 all relate to each other in the key of E major through their position in the E major scale and the concept of diatonic chords. 

Here's a breakdown:

First, we’ve got to look at the notes in the E Major Scale. The music theory behind chords in a key revolves around scales. The key of E major has its own specific scale, which includes seven notes: E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, and D#.

Diatonic chords are chords built using only the notes within a specific scale. In E major, the chords are:

I (one): E major (built from E, G#, and B)

ii (two): F# minor (built from F#, A, and C#)

iii (three): G# minor (built from G#, B, and D#)

IV (four): A major (built from A, C#, and E)

V (five): B7 (dominant seventh chord, built from B, D#, F#, and A)

vi (six): C# minor (built from C#, E, and G#)

vii (seven): D# diminished (built from D#, F#, A)

So…

• F#m (ii):  is the ii chord (F# minor) in the key of E major. 
• E (I): is the I chord (E major)
• B7 (V): is the V chord (B dominant seventh) in the key of E major 

F#m is the ii chord, a minor chord built on the second note of the scale. E is the I chord, the major chord built on the root note of the scale. And B7 is the V chord, a dominant seventh chord built on the fifth note of the scale, creating tension that resolves to the I chord.

Don't Let Me Down Strumming Pattern

There are many strumming patterns you could use to play “Don’t Let Me Down” but here’s a great pattern to start with. And this will work for playing this song in a band or strumming at home.

Let’s begin by planting down an F#m chord in second position. Hit 2 eighth-note downstrums on the first beat as a bass line. Then on beat 2, play a staccato strum on the F#m chord. This is a short and disconnected strum that frets down the chord but then immediately relaxes after the attack like this:

After that, we’ll play a quick down-up scratch strum on the “and” of 2. This creates a cool percussive sound. Altogether the groove goes like this:

Don't Let Me Down Riffs and Solos

When it comes to playing solos over “Don’t Let Me Down” you want to first think of the key of the song. As we’ve established above, the key is E major. And, because all the chords are diatonic (meaning they come from the E major scale) we can begin improvising by using the E major scale. 

The notes in the E major scale are:

E - F# - G# - A - B - C# - D# - E

Conclusion:

Bottom line, "Don't Let Me Down" is a simple yet emotionally powerful song. Whether you're a die-hard Beatles fan or just looking to learn a new classic tune, "Don't Let Me Down" is an excellent choice. 

So grab your guitar, crank up the volume, and don’t forget to make it your own.

And for more awesome Beatles-style lessons check out this “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” guitar lesson or this “Come Together” guitar lesson next!