Help: Which Beatles lyrics/chord book is the most accurate?

[Mr. Donovan]

I would like to buy a Beatles chord/lyrics book so that I can get a simple overview of each song in one or two pages without getting bogged down in details. I used to own "The Beatles Complete Chord Songbook (Paperback)" until it got lost in my parents' house. I thought about buying another copy of that book, but some reviewers on Amazon have complained that this book is not accurate. This following quote from Amazon worried me.

 

I've been playing beatles tunes since 91 and I have tons of chords books of the beatles. This is not an accurate chord book. One of the good things about the Beatles is that they played beautiful songs with very "simple" chords. And you find here chords like F minor 7 suspended 4 plus A1 and so on. By the price you get a lot but if you can find another book much simpler than this, buy it.

 

 

"The Beatles Fake Book" is also recommended by reviewers on Amazon, but there are still some complaints about inaccuracies. Wolf Marshall

[Lee Flier]

I have the Beatles Complete Scores and anything I've tried from it seems accurate to me. There are always going to be hopeless Beatle nerds who insist on being accurate to the letter and will argue with each other over whether the fact that George's nose hair hit the B string at a certain angle made an extra harmonic happen which wasn't included in the score ... I mean really. I'm a bad Beatle nerd myself but when things get that precious it kinda loses the point.

 

I've seen the Beatles Fake Book and a few others and there are definite, noticable inaccuracies in those. In fact the point of a lot of those books was not really to be accurate to the recordings, but more to provide a good simple arrangement for accompanying youself on guitar or piano. I found the Complete Scores a lot more useful in terms of figuring out any odd chord inversions and such that are on the recordings.

[Phil O'Keefe]

I'm the Beatles nerd that Lee warned you about...

 

Seriously, I have run into a few minor mistakes in The Beatles Complete Scores, but overall, it's a very impressive accomplishment. I highly recommend it.

[LiveMusic]

Beatles Complete Chord Songbook by Rikky Rooksby is my all-time fave fake book of all time. Seems to be perfect to me. And one or two pages per song, with lyrics. I love that book. Except that it's falling apart.

[Mike McLenison]

I've got the Complete Scores, and it's ok as a starting point. You won't learn the real opening chord to A Hard Day's Night from it. But this is the best ever I've come across:

 

http://www.to-a-tee.tv/products.htm

 

Here's some video clips:

 

http://www.to-a-tee.tv/products/beatles2/video_clips.html

 

I've got all three dvd's which gives you every part exactly as it sounds on record. A lot of work and listening went into it.

[lazaraga]

Originally posted by Phil O'Keefe Seriously, I have run into a few minor mistakes in The Beatles Complete Scores, but overall, it's a very impressive accomplishment. I highly recommend it.

 

they do seem to gloss over some of the rhythmic subtleties in the interest of brevity.

 

peace

[Phil O'Keefe]

The other downside is that even though it isn't exactly a small book, everything had to be printed REALLY SMALL in order to fit it all in there... I would have paid extra for a version with larger pages and maybe two volumes so that I didn't have to strain so much to actually SEE everything. But if you're not an old fart like me, with the failing close distance vision, that might not be an issue for you.

[Mr. Donovan]

Thanks guys! I ordered a copy of "The Beatles Complete Chord Songbook".

 

I think the main thing is I wanted to relax and sooth my paranoia. And play some music! For a long time I have been a noodler who learns lots of parts of songs without learning any one entire song from beginning to end. I

[Dylan Walters]

Originally posted by Phil O'Keefe The other downside is that even though it isn't exactly a small book, everything had to be printed REALLY SMALL in order to fit it all in there... I would have paid extra for a version with larger pages and maybe two volumes so that I didn't have to strain so much to actually SEE everything. But if you're not an old fart like me, with the failing close distance vision, that might not be an issue for you.

 

Word. I love this book, but I will usually scan the music and blow it up to make it more readible. Fantastic book, though.

[moonhead]

Originally posted by LiveMusic Beatles Complete Chord Songbook by Rikky Rooksby is my all-time fave fake book of all time. Seems to be perfect to me. And one or two pages per song, with lyrics. I love that book. Except that it's falling apart.

 

+1

[rsowden]

 

Originally posted by Mike McLenison I've got all three dvd's which gives you every part exactly as it sounds on record. A lot of work and listening went into it.

 

 

These look great. I only see two DVD's though. I always thought Nowhere Man and And Your Bird Can Sing used a capo which isn't shown in the 'Complete Scores' book which I own.

[Mike McLenison]

Oops, my bad as the kids say; there are only two dvds. I think I heard there may be a 3rd one in the works though.

[Magpel]

Whichever one The Fab Faux are using, that's the one I would trust. They catch all of Geroge's nose harmonics.

 

No, serioulsy, these guys are the bomb. I've seen them twice now and wouldn't hesitate to go again, and I've never been much for tribute bands.

 

[edit for typo]