Beatles chords?

[metropolis74]

Its in E, not C. I play it this way. E --------E7(first inversion)---------------A-------------C I'll never -dance ---------------with------another

 

+1

John, Paul, and George played it that way also:)

[majikthise-1]

 

Excellent thread!! I think in the Beatles Anthology documentary Paul mentions something about there being a "French" chord in "Michelle." He talks about how he used to go to parties in Liverpool, wear a black beret, pretend he was French and play that chord. The chicks really dug it, I guess and so it had to go in a song. Voila, "Michelle." I have a feeling a lot of the writing process was like that -- pure genius not necessarily intellectual...

 

 

Thats a great beatles song, musically. I was trying to improv a lead through that song with someone on piano and I was like, ughh what key?. I knew how it sounded on the record, but could not put it together on the spot. whats the french chord? is it the 7#9?

[C-4]

I started playing guitar in 1955 and took lessons in 1930's-40's jazz for many years.

When the Beatles broke out, I was learning their songs directly from records as the sheet music was not as accurate. We played all of their songs, but one of my favorites is "And Your Bird Can Sing" It was originally played in two sections, but not knowing any better, I learned both parts at once.

[Fred Fartboski]

 

I started playing guitar in 1955 and took lessons in 1930's-40's jazz for many years. When the Beatles broke out, I was learning their songs directly from records as the sheet music was not as accurate. We played all of their songs, but one of my favorites is "And Your Bird Can Sing" It was originally played in two sections, but not knowing any better, I learned both parts at once.

 

 

 

"The Beatles Complete Scores" has most of the correct chord voicings used as well as most of all the parts written out. It's pretty thorough and accurate. I'm going blind reading it's rather small print, though. I keep meaning to enlarge all my favorite scores from there but haven't gotten around to it yet.

[Roy]

I learned to play guitar using these richly voiced chords as a youngster with a Beatles songbook. (not some ez version) One of the best things I ever did for myself.

 

That sounds like a fab idea.

[GibsonQC]

 

Now here is a guy who studied the Beatles http://www.icce.rug.nl/~soundscapes/DATABASES/AWP/awp-notes_on.shtml

 

 

 

Regarding the first chord in "A Hard Day's Night" (from the aforementioned site):

 

I've seen better people than myself argue (and in public, no less) about the exact guitar voicing of this chord and I'll stay out of that question for now (what a cop-out, Alan!), and merely state that its sonority is akin to a superimposition of the chords of d-minor, F-Major, and G-Major; i.e. it contains the notes D, F, A, C, and G

[guitarcapo]

I love that chord. Just strum it once and everyone KNOWS the song. I'm not good at chord theory - but this is the chord... 3 5 3 5 3 3 (at least that is how I play it...) Add Macca playing a 'D' in the bass, add something on the piano, and you get one of the most famous chords in rock history... Apparently even with the Beatles themselves there was disagreement over the exact chord played...

 

I think the most accurate recipe is to have an electric 12 string play 353533

and another one simultaneously on a six string play X03213

 

This chord is impossible to play on one guitar. George always described it as "an F chord with a G on top" but it's a lot more than that. Notes involved are: GDFBA and C Wish I knew the name of it.

[jerry_picker]

"The Beatles Complete Scores" has most of the correct chord voicings used as well as most of all the parts written out. It's pretty thorough and accurate. I'm going blind reading it's rather small print, though. I keep meaning to enlarge all my favorite scores from there but haven't gotten around to it yet.

 

The publisher should come out with a standard music sheet-sized folio edition.

[flori]

Many thanks to you all for pointing me to Alan Pollacks amazingly in-depth analysis of the Beatles songs! I've never seen this site before:thu:

 

I have always been in awe of their supreme talent....they were responsible for turning me onto music of all genres at an early age. In fact - as a little toddler in the 60's I used to sit up in bed singing all their latest hits at the top of my voice..much to the annoyance of my mum and dad.

 

Later, as an undergraduate at music college we poured over scores of Mahler Symphonies etc at this sort of level!!

 

Although at first sight his critiques look like some kind of tongue-in-cheek 'spoof' they are pretty erudite and he is the first to admit that the Beatles were almost certainly 'unaware' in the technical sense of the adventurousness or sublimity of their harmonys/voicing/melodies....but you cannot argue that these aren't all somehow just 'there' in the music!

 

He seems to know his (glass) onions!

 

As a newcomer to playing electric guitar I am still knocked out every time I attempt to jam along with or indeed just listen to their music.

 

Pure genius...or at least an unequalled combination of talent/inspiration?

[guitarNed]

 

Where do you hear those chords???? "Ticket to Ride" is in the key of A major and "I Saw Her Standing There" is in E major. I'm not trying to be a jerk, Have you even played those chords along with the songs? I'm going to try it when I get home and see what happens.

I listed the chords as I play them. That means they are adjusted (in key) to match my voice. Changing the key is not an actual, fundamental change -- people change keys all the time to allow themselves to sing well. If I'm trying to play with the record I play in the key the recording uses.

 

The reason I listed the chord progressions was to demonstrate how the song will play properly both with the Beatles original arrangment (regardless of key) and a more conventional 3-4 chord arrangement. The key of the original song is immaterial and unimportant.

[tlbonehead]

I listed the chords as I play them. That means they are adjusted (in key) to match my voice. Changing the key is not an actual, fundamental change -- people change keys all the time to allow themselves to sing well. If I'm trying to play with the record I play in the key the recording uses. The reason I listed the chord progressions was to demonstrate how the song will play properly both with the Beatles original arrangment (regardless of key) and a more conventional 3-4 chord arrangement. The key of the original song is immaterial and unimportant.

Either way, you skipped the change where the I chord becomes a I 7th 1st inversion on the word "dance".

[zigzaguarsnarl]

 

Thats a great beatles song, musically. I was trying to improv a lead through that song with someone on piano and I was like, ughh what key?. I knew how it sounded on the record, but could not put it together on the spot. whats the french chord? is it the 7#9?

 

 

Yeah, i think that's the one... you know how Paul is, a little fruity on these points. Who knows what he's talking about. Have you seen the documentary?

He seems really concerned about who gets credit for what. But

I've had the same problem as you playing that song. Excellent little number though:thu:

[zigzaguarsnarl]

 

Great thread. I've been listening to the Anthology albums quite a bit lately. Anyway, the thing that some don't know or remember (well, not the knowledgeable fans in this thread) is that before they were famous the Beatles were very well versed in standards from the 40s/50s from all their time as a bar band. That's not 3 chord stuff. I think that's part of what made them so unique - they took that knowledge from the "old fashioned" music they played for years and weren't afraid to bring some of that complexity to their own songs. I have a Beatles fake book, and it's great. What amazes me from just strumming through some of their songs is how strongly the melody is implied or enhanced by the voice-leading in some of their chord progressions. Really good, interesting stuff. They never cease to amaze me.

 

 

Not to mention the stuff George Martin tossed into the mix...the so-called 5th Beatle though maybe that title should go to Ringo.

 

(No, I love Ringo's drumming...don't wanna get strung up for that comment.)