The Beatles – In My Life: George Martin Piano Solo Tutorial
The In My Life piano solo is a Bach-inspired counterpoint passage in A major, played as two melodies rather than chords, and is best learned by first pairing the right-hand melody with simple chord roots, then adding fast triplet trills and finally the independent left-hand line.
Key points
- The solo is in A major (three sharps) and uses counterpoint: two melodies, not chords.
- Start with the right-hand melody over simple left-hand chord roots, counting in sixteenth notes.
- Trills are fast sixteenth-note triplets: step down one note and return to the target.
- For the bar-two left-hand trill, use index on C#, middle on B, cross the thumb, and end with the pinky on D.
- Practise hands together very slowly; the final unison A major run can be simplified to a left-hand root.
What this lesson teaches
This lesson from Jason Zac at Nathaniel School of Music breaks down the famous piano (or harpsichord-sounding) solo by George Martin in The Beatles' In My Life. It comes in the middle of the song, after the second verse. It suits pianists who are comfortable with both hands and want to explore a Baroque, Bach-style sound.
The solo is written in a counterpoint style. Instead of chords in the left hand, each hand plays its own melody. The two lines talk to each other, and together they create the harmony and the rhythm, with rests, delayed notes, staccato and legato touches, and ornaments.
Key and chords
The solo is in A major: A B C# D E F# G# A, with three sharps in the key signature (F#, C#, G#). It is almost entirely diatonic. The chords underneath are essentially those of the verse, moving through A major, D major and D minor. Humming the melody over the chords first helps you hear where the harmony pivots.
Step 1: Right hand with a simple left hand
Start by letting the left hand simply pulse the root of each chord. This lets you focus on the right hand. If you cannot yet manage full independence, this version still sounds very good.
- The solo is built in four-bar phrases.
- Count in sixteenth notes: one e and a, two e and a, three e and a, four e and a.
- Bar two uses a rhythm similar to bar one.
- Bars three and four use a pivoting pattern played off the beat. First F# returns on every alternate note, then E becomes the pivot note.
When the four bars repeat, the first three bars are the same. The last bar changes to a very fast descending A major run. Play it with three fingers like a finger exercise, and make sure you end on your pinky.
Step 2: Add the trills
Both hands contain trills, played as very fast sixteenth-note triplets, dividing an eighth note into three. The shape is simple: from the target note, step down one note and come straight back. The first trill is on a C#. There is roughly one trill in every bar. One falls on an F natural. That note sits outside A major, and the trill makes it stand out. Leaving the trills out at first is perfectly fine.
Step 3: The counterpoint left hand
Now replace the root pulse with the original left-hand melody, learning it bar by bar.
- Bar two: the left hand starts the bar. The right hand enters later with its C# trill over the left hand's G. After F# and G comes a tricky trill. Use this fingering: index finger on C#, middle finger on B, cross the thumb under without fail, and you will land neatly with your pinky on D.
- Bar three: fairly easy. Here the two hands sound A and B together, a major second. It may sound odd slowly, but it is beautiful at speed.
- End of the first line: C# and A appear as crotchets. You can keep a toggle going between them, or hold them as two quavers.
- Final line: both hands play the fast A major run in unison. Because it is almost inhumanly fast, you may keep just the root in the left hand and play the scale only in the right.
How to practise
- Listen to the original recording several times. The solo was sped up on tape, so a slow-down app helps you hear every note.
- Learn the right hand over root notes, then add trills.
- Isolate the left hand bar by bar, especially the first two bars.
- Put the hands together very slowly, noticing each point where they meet.
- Repeat over several days until the patterns feel automatic. The solo sounds good well below the original speed too.
Questions about this lesson
What key is the In My Life piano solo in?
It is in A major, which has three sharps: F#, C# and G#. The solo is almost entirely diatonic, with an F natural as a notable exception.
Do I need to play chords in the left hand?
No. The original is counterpoint, so the left hand plays its own melody. While learning, or if you lack independence, you can simply pulse the chord roots in the left hand.
How are the trills in the solo played?
They are very fast sixteenth-note triplets that split an eighth note into three. From the target note you step down one note and come straight back, and you can leave them out until you are comfortable.
Why does the solo sound so fast in the recording?
The piano was recorded more slowly and then sped up on tape, so some notes are hard to hear. Using an app to slow the recording down helps, and the solo still sounds good at a slower tempo.
Practise it
- WoodshedKeep a practice record, set goals and work on songs with tools for looping, changing speed and changing key.
- Piano classes at Nathaniel School of MusicLive online or in Bangalore, with a teacher.
- All free music apps40 practice tools for harmony, rhythm, ear training and more.
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