Quick And Easy Let It Be Chords & Guitar Lesson

When you find yourself in times of trouble, here’s a comforting song to pull you through.

You see, we all go through seasons in life.  

Seasons of happiness and seasons of pain.  

I believe, wherever you might be right now, playing this song can help. And also, it will level up your guitar playing at the same time. While many think this song is about the Virgin Mary, there’s a twist, and I’m going to get into it below. 

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “Let It Be” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Let It Be?

"Let It Be" was written by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership. It’s become one of the most iconic Beatles songs ever.

It all started with a dream McCartney had about his mother, Mary McCartney. It was during an intense period of recording with the Beatles. In the dream, his mother came to him and reassured him saying, ‘It’s going to be okay. Just let it be.’"

This dream deeply moved Paul, and he channeled that comfort into the song’s lyrics. The line "Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be" refers directly to his mother, not the biblical Virgin Mary as many often think.

The song was recorded in January 1969 at Apple Studios in London during the troubled sessions that would eventually become Let It Be. Tensions were high within the band, and these sessions were famously filmed for the Let It Be documentary. 

Originally McCartney had envisioned the album as a "back-to-basics" project with minimal production. George Martin began producing it. However, after The Beatles had effectively broken up, Phil Spector was brought in to produce the remainder of the album. Spector added orchestration and a choir to some tracks, including The Long and Winding Road, which infuriated McCartney. 

Martin felt betrayed by Lennon and Harrison for asking Spector to rework the tapes. He suggested that the credits read "Produced by George Martin, overproduced by Phil Spector". Spector's input on the album has been widely criticized since its release. 

“Let It Be” became the title track of the Beatles' 1970 album Let It Be. The single was released first on March 6, 1970, just before the band officially broke up. 

There are actually three main versions of Let It Be:

• The Single Version (1970) – Produced by George Martin, featuring a smoother mix.
• The Album Version (1970) – Mixed by Phil Spector, with a slightly different guitar solo by George Harrison.
• The 2003 Naked Version – Released on Let It Be... Naked, a stripped-down mix closer to McCartney’s original vision.

Another interesting point is there are two different recorded solos—one for the single version and a different one for the album version.

“Let It Be” has been covered by a ton of great artists as well including Joan Baez, Ray Charles, Joe Cocker, and more.

Now, you may be wondering…

What is the tuning for Let It Be?

The tuning for "Let It Be”, as recorded by The Beatles, is standard tuning. George and John kept it simple.

Standard tuning for a guitar is spelled out as EADGBE. 

Here are the strings: 

• E (6th string, lowest pitch)
• A (5th string)
• D (4th string)
• G (3rd string)
• B (2nd string)
• E (1st string, highest pitch) 

Next, let’s take a look at the…

Let It Be Chords

To play “Let It Be” on guitar you’ll need to know 4 main chords they are C, G, Am, and F. All of these chords can be played as open-position chords except for the F chord. Let’s take a look at a few ways the “Let It Be” chords can be played on the neck:   

C is played from the 5th string down like this:

G using all 6 strings like this:

Am is similar to the C chord and back to only 5 strings:

Finally, we have the F chord which is the one bar chord and is played like this:

If you’ve struggled to understand the fretboard for RHYTHM and LEAD guitar and want to discover the simplest way. Then get your hands on my free fretboard guide PDF right here now:  

All right! Now that you know the "Let It Be” chords, let’s next talk about…

What key is Let It Be in?

"Let It Be" as recorded by The Beatles is in the key of C major. All the chords fit into the diatonic scale of C major which uses the notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. 

The chords break down like this: 

• C major (I chord) – The tonic (home) chord. This is the central chord of the key and provides stability.
• G major (V chord) – The dominant chord. This creates tension and wants to resolve back to C major. The B note in G (the leading tone) pulls strongly toward C.
• A minor (vi chord) – The relative minor chord. It shares notes with C major (A, C, and E) and provides a softer, more emotional contrast to the major chords.
• F major (IV chord) – The subdominant chord. It provides a sense of movement and often leads to G (V) or back to C (I).

So that’s the theory, next, let’s look at…

What is the strumming pattern for Let It Be?

The main underlying groove for “Let It Be” is a slow 8th-note ballad. In 4/4 time, 8th notes divide each beat into two equal parts, creating a driving, steady rhythm like this: 

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

The numbers (1, 2, 3, 4) represent the main beats in the measure, while the "&" represents the offbeats that add energy and momentum.

When counted out loud, it sounds like: 

"One-and, Two-and, Three-and, Four-and."

This gives a strong and consistent forward motion to the tune. Here’s an example of a “Let It Be” strumming pattern: 

Let It Be Guitar Solo Lesson

As stated above, two different recorded solos—one for the single version and a different one for the album version. Here is how to play the single version note-for-note:

Conclusion

To wrap it up, “Let It Be” in my opinion, just might be one of the greatest songs ever written. It’s resonated with listeners across generations and all over the world.

Keep practicing, and if you want to learn songs faster, better understand the fretboard, and not waste years spinning your wheels with guitar, grab my free fretboard guide PDF right here now:   

Jon MacLennan