The Beatles Bible - Topic: Chord Structure

Gerell on Chord Structure

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 02:46:30 +0000

Jazzy chords,fancy chords and what not. But I do believe that the chords of the Beatles are easier to play and "sounds" just as great, they could progress just as fancy as those.

Funny Paper on Chord Structure

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 23:40:27 +0000

Into the Sky with Diamonds said
Stevie Wonder I completely see.

What would be some James Taylor examples?

just a few examples:

Chanson Francaise:

E6 - A9 - G#m7 - C#9 - G#m7 - C#m7 - F#m9

D9 - E6 - F#m7 - A/B - E6 - A9 - G#m7 - (repeat rest of above)

B(add C#) - F#m9 - Baug - E (add F#) - E6 - Am7 - D9

G#aug - G#7 - C#m - G#7aug5 - C#m - F#9 - A(add B) - D9 - E6, etc.

Only a Dream in Rio

D(add E) - E/G# - A - B - A/C# - D(add ...

Into the Sky with Diamonds on Chord Structure

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 19:32:17 +0000

Stevie Wonder I completely see.

What would be some James Taylor examples?

Funny Paper on Chord Structure

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 04:20:54 +0000

As far as innovation and complexity with chord progressions, James Taylor and Stevie Wonder blow John and Paul utterly out of the water.

Just sayin'.

rcsnydley on Chord Structure

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 22:55:39 +0000

A great book to check out if you'd like to know about the chords the Beatles used in their writing.

The Song Writing Secrets of The Beatles by Dominic Pedler

Rat Salad on Chord Structure

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 07:13:36 +0100

I don't prefer McCartney songs, as songs, at least not the latter ones. I prefer the Lennon and Harrison ones. As arrangements, they are less adventurous but more introspective, moody, angry. But Paul's are more amibitious, more Broadway, more polished, more likely to last, and apparently more copied and appreciated by other performers. They flatter the audience and produce a better show.

As chords, I can anticipate Lennon's and Harrison's. Not Pauls, but I'm no expert. Penny Lane, while not very intersting to me emotionally, is certainly a good and unexpected piece of writing.

meanmistermustard on Chord Structure

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 12:37:52 +0100

Its fine for folks to love Penny Lane ive just never got it and i was actually comparing PL with Hello, Goodbye and With a Little Help, which are incidently from the same time period (not that that was deliberate in any way shape or form), in that i find it ok just nothing spectacular.

Maybe its a family thing as none of my family are big fans of PL either.

And incidently i prefer Love Me Do to She's Leaving Home tho i appreciate SLH far more after hearing the multitracks. John and Paul's vocals are lush fitting together wonderfully and the string score ...

paulsbass on Chord Structure

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:04:44 +0100

Ben Ramon said
It was a positive comparison- I believe he was saying that while he doesn't like Penny Lane much, it's a lot better than Hold Me Tight, which is a fair opinion to hold. Personally I've never had a problem with Hold Me Tight but I think we'd all agree Penny Lane is a better song!

I'm aware that he was saying PL was better than Hold me tight. In fact he was saying it was "not as dreadful and blabla awful" as HMT.

My point is, there's no point in comparing the ...

Ben Ramon on Chord Structure

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 09:20:30 +0100

paulsbass said

meanmistermustard said
Still nowhere as dreadful and spine shivering brace yourself for the awfulness that is Hold Me Tight tho.

How gracious. If there's anything "dreadful" about PL for you, may it be, to each his own.

But why do you name one of the most elaborate, most acclaimed and most successful songs from their creative and commercial peak along with one of the weakest tracks from one of their earliest and weakest albums??

I have no problems with other people having different opinions, but I don't get all of yours...

Thankfully, I don't have to!

It was a positive comparison- ...

paulsbass on Chord Structure

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 06:18:41 +0100

meanmistermustard said
Still nowhere as dreadful and spine shivering brace yourself for the awfulness that is Hold Me Tight tho.

How gracious. If there's anything "dreadful" about PL for you, may it be, to each his own.

But why do you name one of the most elaborate, most acclaimed and most successful songs from their creative and commercial peak along with one of the weakest tracks from one of their earliest and weakest albums??

I have no problems with other people having different opinions, but I don't get all of yours...

Thankfully, I don't have to!

Ben Ramon on Chord Structure

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 23:16:51 +0100

paulsbass said:

And since this thread is about chords, first masterstroke is the change from A to Aminor (original might be in Bb, I just play it in A), and then following chords which are basically Am with F# and then F and then E4 - E

It's originally in B, but I totally agree with you about the brilliance of the chord progression.

meanmistermustard on Chord Structure

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 22:40:20 +0100

paulsbass said

I get the sense that many, if not most, people on this forum think relatively poorly of "Penny Lane."

Interesting. How did you get that sense??

And how and why would anyone think poorly of this song?!

Possibly from me for one. Never got the love-in the song gets, its nice to listen to but stirs up little emotion or anything in me. One of the songs in the 'good track but there is far better aka ho hum' category.

When i listened to the MMT album (which now does not occur since i cut it up in my itunes library) it ...

paulsbass on Chord Structure

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 22:01:41 +0100

I get the sense that many, if not most, people on this forum think relatively poorly of "Penny Lane."

Interesting. How did you get that sense??

And how and why would anyone think poorly of this song?!

For me it's among the, if not the ultimate Beatles arrangement(s).

The start alone with that oh-so-short prelude...

Fantastic, mind blowing instrumentation.

All these beautiful instruments, most of all the piccolo trumpet, of course.

That bass line, starting up high and walking down soooo easily...

That piano, relentless, fat...

That drum sound, as Ringo as it gets, laid back, simple and effective.

These vocals, Paul at his best, with John joining in. I ...

McLennonSon on Chord Structure

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:19:17 +0100

Rat Salad said;

Actually there are 6 chords if count with the suspended ones too.

Analyzing the chord structure is one of my favorite things to do, but analyzing all the melodies is hell of a job. I just recently got the book "The Beatles Complete Scores" where you can look all the correct melodies in the bass, additional drum fills and more, which tends to be an fine book for me.

The chord structure on "All I've Got To Do" is one of the most underrated songs you could analyze. Starting on the mystical chord E+ leading to the chord C#m ...

Ben Ramon on Chord Structure

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:02:22 +0100

I can understand people thinking poorly of Penny Lane but if you ask me it's a definitive baroque-pop classic, lovely instrumentation and a very good case of ammunition against people who think Macca is a poor lyricist or cannot marry music and words in an effective way.