The Beatles - Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight - Guitar Lesson

Abbey Road (Super Deluxe Edition)

2019 3:21

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About Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight

These two linked pieces from the Abbey Road medley sit comfortably in A major at 112 BPM, but pulling them off on guitar is less about raw speed and more about feel and phrasing. The acoustic-flavored chording in "Golden Slumbers" rewards a clean, measured strumming hand, while "Carry That Weight" leans into a bigger, more driving rhythm part that needs real conviction to land. Transitions between the two sections are where most players stumble, so isolating that join with the Practice Toolbar and running it slowed down will pay off quickly. The Beatles treated this as a continuous piece, and replicating that sense of unbroken momentum is the real challenge. In standard E tuning there are no capo tricks or alternate voicings to worry about, so your focus can go straight into dynamics, chord tone clarity, and keeping the pocket solid through both movements. Pop Rock arranging instincts serve you well here: strummed power and melodic sensitivity in equal measure.

• The medley runs in A major in E Standard tuning, so all chord shapes are familiar open and barre positions with no retuning required.
• The shift from the gentle 'Golden Slumbers' feel into the heavier 'Carry That Weight' strumming demands careful dynamic control from the rhythm guitarist.
• Looping the section where the two pieces join, slowed down, is the most effective way to build the confident momentum the transition requires.