Paul McCartney - Musicianship

Musicianship

McCartney is largely a self-taught musician. Musicologist Ian MacDonald described McCartney's approach as "by nature drawn to music's formal aspects yet wholly untutored ... produced technically 'finished' work almost entirely by instinct, his harmonic judgement based mainly on perfect pitch and an acute pair of ears ... natural melodist—a creator of tunes capable of existing apart from their harmony". McCartney commented, "I prefer to think of my approach to music as ... rather like the primitive cave artists, who drew without training."