This riff is in 4/4 time except for the 2nd measure in which we switch to 2/4 time (only 2 beats).
Notice that the 4th measure mirrors the 1st measure, but with the addition of bends. This is a typical Jeff Beckism. It may be tricky to get it to sound right because it relies on precise bending.
You’ll be repeating this 8 measure chord progression throughout the entire song.
The basic chord progression is G, B, C, Cm, but we’ll throw in a couple of suspended chords with the B and C chords that really add color. During the chorus, it’s played a bit differently, but the underlying chord progression stays the same.
Difficulty: Easy – Intermediate
The song is meant to be played on a 12-string, but you can still play it on your standard acoustic. Also note that there are a few times that you would technically need an electric for the lead guitar, but again you can play this song using only your acoustic. You just may have to alter a few tiny techniques to make it work. (Such as the tremolo dive, a FEW harmonics, etc.)
“Come Together” was released as a single in 1969 alongside “Something” it was also released on the album Abbey Road as the first track. This is the opening riff of the song, and for most is instantly recognizable. This riff is pretty easy and should be a good start for beginners.
Here is a cool riff from Tull that has quite a bit of technique that all guitarists need to know. The ribbon-like symbol in the first and second measure is known as “vibrato.” This is when you rapidly shake the string being played with your fret hand. There are also a few slides, which are performed by sliding your fret hand on the strings while playing at the same time.
