The "A Hard Day's Night" Chord

Message Bookmarked
Bookmark Removed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvxPc5MPEuQ

Randy Bachman has unraveled it.

Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Friday, 12 July 2013 21:59 (twelve years ago)

THIS AGAIN!?

I wanna live like C'MOWN! people (Turrican), Friday, 12 July 2013 22:11 (twelve years ago)

I hadn't seen this video yet. very informative imo!!

crüt, Friday, 12 July 2013 22:12 (twelve years ago)

Isn't there already footage out there of George Martin showing what it is for a documentary or something? I mean, of all people I guess he should know!

I wanna live like C'MOWN! people (Turrican), Friday, 12 July 2013 22:12 (twelve years ago)

Trying to envision what an "F with a G on top, G on bottom and a C next to that G" looks like...

Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Friday, 12 July 2013 22:15 (twelve years ago)

xp
If there is, I haven't seen it. A lot of people say Martin doubled George's chord with piano, but that doesn't appear to be among the sounds that Giles Martin played for Bachman.

Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Friday, 12 July 2013 22:15 (twelve years ago)

eh?

e 3 (g)
b 1 (c)
g 2 (a)
d 3 (f)
a 3 (c)
e 3 (g)

Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Friday, 12 July 2013 22:17 (twelve years ago)

there seem to be a lot of different interpretations: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Hard_Day%27s_Night_%28song%29#Opening_chord

crüt, Friday, 12 July 2013 22:18 (twelve years ago)

Hmm, now that I go back and really listen closely to the original, I can hear some sustained piano in there.

Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Friday, 12 July 2013 22:38 (twelve years ago)

Up until now have just taken Rikky Rooksby's word for it and avoided all this controversy.

Orpheus in Hull (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 12 July 2013 22:43 (twelve years ago)

I hadn't seen this video yet. very informative imo!!

― crüt, Friday, July 12, 2013 10:12 PM (41 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

You ain't seen nothing yet? :P

I wanna live like C'MOWN! people (Turrican), Friday, 12 July 2013 22:54 (twelve years ago)

I can relate to hearing it as a dominant chord, so D would be the bass note. The question then would be - why does the F natural work? How does it function? I guess the way Walter Everett describes it as a "mixture-coloured neighbour" is sufficient. The minor character of the chord is just color and doesn't detract from the chord's dominant function.

timellison, Saturday, 13 July 2013 19:04 (twelve years ago)

I didn't realize this chord was a closely-held trade secret!

The Bachman chord doesn't quite sound the same to my ears. He mentions Paul's bass playing the low D but I don't hear it here

Lee626, Sunday, 14 July 2013 01:17 (twelve years ago)

If there's a D in the bass, plus F, A, C and G, that suggests a Dm7 with an added 11th note

Dr X O'Skeleton, Monday, 15 July 2013 10:38 (twelve years ago)


You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.