Totally wrong here. Randy Bachman gives us the actual guitar notes played after listening to the original multi track. Here it is. George plays an F chord with a G on top and a G on the low E string and a C on the 5th, on the 12 string. John plays a D sus 4 and Paul plays a D on the bass. Thats it.
OMG ! So much debate and argument over ONE chord. Great, Love it. This could only have been created by The Beatles...Ahhh, The magic lives on and on and on and on...........
Sorry, but I need to make a third post to finish my analysis...
I was an avid Beatle fan from the day they starred on the Ed Sullivan Show, and my fellow classmates used to call me a walking, talking, encyclopedia of the Beatles. Knowing them so well, and of all the silly little tricks they liked to play, I wouldn't be surprised if John were playing a G chord, 1st fret, open position, while George, a G11, with a bar on the 3rd fret, Paul on the bass, and G. Martin on the piano with both hands.
I read a few posts here, so I had to listen to the note again. There is a video here on YT at /watch?v=YROx5WDaWno&feature=related that has that opening note about 5 or 6 times, and after listening to it, I have to agree that there IS a lingering bass note in there. Whether it is the bass note on the piano or if it is Paul's bass guitar, I cannot tell, but it definitely is in there.
Was that a mystery all these years? I bought the album in the first week of its release and when I heard it, I wondered, "Why is George Martin playing the piano with the Beatles for ONLY that beginning note?" I could tell, right away, that it was a piano with one or two guitars simultaneously, just for that opening note. And it took a mathematician to figure that out? You're kidding, aren't you?
i love the beatles,and when i listen this chord for the first time,my ears told me it was a Gsus4 with the mccartney bass in D.Just it.It´s wonderful.
I've listened to it over and over through headphones and I don't hear anything but a 12-string guitar. When you do it the notes sound good but there's clearly a piano.
This video sounds right to me.... 12-string: youtube video HqFPcI5_CI8 ... won't let me post the URL.
That's fabulous! A serious Fourier transform of the greatest chord ever played. I'm sure that would nail it. My own theory is that it was the sound of Harrison's hollow body Gretch when it accidentally fell over while tape was rolling, and George Martin realized how fabulous the sound was took it from there.
maybe so all - the chord is based around a simple pentatonic ( conductors must be laffing at this) with an added note or two - don't know what the big deal is.....but the mathematician was right - and Martin was on the track playing piano - most ppl don't know a piano is technically a rhythm instrument......sorry folks !!!!!
and the chord is a F w/ a high G note. George played a G11 on a Rickenbacker 360 /12.
Paul played a D and G Bass notes in synchronization on his Hofner Bass and Ringo struck his snare. And George Martin hit the notes on the pianeo D,G,DF,CGreat ! okay folks here it is, No mystery to it at all . John played his Gibson J160e. there is an overdub of George playing the same chord as John as well. There it is folks Thats it No more Mystery . Now go play it all together and enjoy the Magic of Beatles
@GeorgeGeorge7 I hate to ask, and I'm not questioning your musical ability, but is this something you were able to figure out by playing it yourself, or did you get this from some official source? I figure by now, one of the surviving Beatles or someone involved in the recording has spilled the beans. :p
@Ripplin Can't post a link but if you check Randy Buchannan on youtube you can search this ... He got it from Apple studio recordings via George Martin's son.
Copy the following and past into a youtube search....not sure if the notes all match your notes, but seems everything was done on the guitar.
The Beatles - The REAL First Chord of "A Hard Day's Night"
Nobody thought of just asking George Martin or any of The Beatles? In fact, I think I heard or read somewhere that someone must've 'cause this solution is like the one I heard/read. I think what's still being debated is what to name that "chord."
@GeorgeGeorge7 I'll ask again; what is your take on it? You seem to know what it is, so spill the beans. Saying 'that's very wrong' means absolutely nothing if you don't explain. ;)
George bars the 3rd fret, plays an F with a D and G on top. it's played
5-3-3-5-3-3, not 3-5-3-5-3-3. just bar the
3rd fret, play the A on the 5th fret(the 3rd interval of F) on the low E string with your ring finger, and the C(the 5th interval of F) on the G string with your pinky. then have somebody play a D on a bass, and Bob's yer uncle! you end up with a-c-f-c-d-g(on a 12-string of course). i wouldnt be surprised if George used a capo in the studio on this one, at least on the outro.
Three minutes of yakking and this guy still doesn't tell us what chord(s) the guitar and piano were playing together. Don't forget also that this was the only song the Beatles were ever commissioned to write. The producer told them they needed a song to open the movie with and the next day they came back with this. I had always thought it was a "C" chord.
Rock & roll's most famous and instantly recognizable chord now separates the before-Beatles era from the rest. Someone described it as 'a hijacked churchbell announcing the party or the year.' With some 30 different yet credible possible interpretations, even experts at Guitarist magazine asked "So what IS that damned chord?"
Sure it's not so much of a mystery when someone else already has most of it figured out for you. But imagine all the wanna be musicians in 1964 trying to copy it.
I don't see why this chord is supposed to be such a great mystery. johnc310 has the right chord shape, just double track a 12 string electric...voila!
You nailed it! I had the rare opportunity of meeting the late Norman Smith (chief engineer through Rubber Soul). I asked him about this very thing & he distinctly recalled Geo. Martin playing piano on "the" chord. Also, Smith says HE played the bongos on AHDN because Ringo couldn't quite keep up to speed!!!
Thats brilliant! It makes sense using the piano giving the opening chord a richer sound and more bottom end which is what they were probably looking for in an opening chord being that the chord by itself is kind of vague and tinny sounding but very cool for the song. If you listen carefully its seems as if they also used a piano playing note for note in a lower range along with the guitar on the solo.
Didnt john lennon knock over a guitar at the beginning of a recording and goerge martin thought it sounded great and kept it in? and thats why the chord is so messy? - i do hear the piano in it now come to think of it???
Totally wrong here. Randy Bachman gives us the actual guitar notes played after listening to the original multi track. Here it is. George plays an F chord with a G on top and a G on the low E string and a C on the 5th, on the 12 string. John plays a D sus 4 and Paul plays a D on the bass. Thats it.
alexmcginness 1 week ago 2
OMG ! So much debate and argument over ONE chord. Great, Love it. This could only have been created by The Beatles...Ahhh, The magic lives on and on and on and on...........
ws74rq111 1 month ago
you are ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssooooooooooooooooooooooooooo wrong its 3 notes
martinwilson6000 1 month ago
I aways thought it was some sort of Dm7 up on the 5th fret or something. Nonetheless, maby we should also consider the live versions of the song.
trailkeeper 1 month ago
the chord is an fadd9!!!! Look at nocall911's lesson in it, and Floridaboy7777's video on it
MrLennon231 2 months ago
georgegeorge7 is correct
SydbarF 2 months ago
search for The Beatles - The REAL First Chord of "A Hard Day's Night" this is from Giles Martin listening to the original separate tracks.
plfdjack 2 months ago
This is all BS and it doesn't sound at all like the chord.
horowizard 2 months ago
Sorry, but I need to make a third post to finish my analysis...
I was an avid Beatle fan from the day they starred on the Ed Sullivan Show, and my fellow classmates used to call me a walking, talking, encyclopedia of the Beatles. Knowing them so well, and of all the silly little tricks they liked to play, I wouldn't be surprised if John were playing a G chord, 1st fret, open position, while George, a G11, with a bar on the 3rd fret, Paul on the bass, and G. Martin on the piano with both hands.
Barry1Wade 2 months ago
I read a few posts here, so I had to listen to the note again. There is a video here on YT at /watch?v=YROx5WDaWno&feature=related that has that opening note about 5 or 6 times, and after listening to it, I have to agree that there IS a lingering bass note in there. Whether it is the bass note on the piano or if it is Paul's bass guitar, I cannot tell, but it definitely is in there.
Barry1Wade 2 months ago
Was that a mystery all these years? I bought the album in the first week of its release and when I heard it, I wondered, "Why is George Martin playing the piano with the Beatles for ONLY that beginning note?" I could tell, right away, that it was a piano with one or two guitars simultaneously, just for that opening note. And it took a mathematician to figure that out? You're kidding, aren't you?
Barry1Wade 2 months ago
i love the beatles,and when i listen this chord for the first time,my ears told me it was a Gsus4 with the mccartney bass in D.Just it.It´s wonderful.
waljorge 2 months ago
My take on this chord, is a GSUS4 played with Barre on 3rd fret ring finger on A string (d note)
and pinky on G string (C note) rung out, on a 12 string this sounds like it to moi
GalaxyHorse 2 months ago
Who's on camera and WHY do they ONLY show the sound hole when the guitarist plays the example chords?!? GAAAAHHHHHH
jimaustin007 2 months ago
This video sounds right too... CxEbK2ESwq0 ... beatles live, two 6-strings.
flignar 3 months ago
I've listened to it over and over through headphones and I don't hear anything but a 12-string guitar. When you do it the notes sound good but there's clearly a piano.
This video sounds right to me.... 12-string: youtube video HqFPcI5_CI8 ... won't let me post the URL.
flignar 3 months ago
nope it's Fadd9.
baconandbouser 4 months ago
That's fabulous! A serious Fourier transform of the greatest chord ever played. I'm sure that would nail it. My own theory is that it was the sound of Harrison's hollow body Gretch when it accidentally fell over while tape was rolling, and George Martin realized how fabulous the sound was took it from there.
Cyclist0623 5 months ago
Close but no cigar. Just play and stop analizeing!
zoot2233 6 months ago
the chord is a G7sus4 George Martin even said it himself played on George Harrison's Rickenbacker 360/12c63
nightcrawler511 9 months ago
maybe so all - the chord is based around a simple pentatonic ( conductors must be laffing at this) with an added note or two - don't know what the big deal is.....but the mathematician was right - and Martin was on the track playing piano - most ppl don't know a piano is technically a rhythm instrument......sorry folks !!!!!
AdolfShitlerite 10 months ago
some things should remain a mystery
telecasterbear 10 months ago 2
P.s . Geoff Emerick worked some great tremolo and compression added.
GeorgeGeorge7 1 year ago
and the chord is a F w/ a high G note. George played a G11 on a Rickenbacker 360 /12.
Paul played a D and G Bass notes in synchronization on his Hofner Bass and Ringo struck his snare. And George Martin hit the notes on the pianeo D,G,DF,CGreat ! okay folks here it is, No mystery to it at all . John played his Gibson J160e. there is an overdub of George playing the same chord as John as well. There it is folks Thats it No more Mystery . Now go play it all together and enjoy the Magic of Beatles
GeorgeGeorge7 1 year ago 4
@GeorgeGeorge7 I hate to ask, and I'm not questioning your musical ability, but is this something you were able to figure out by playing it yourself, or did you get this from some official source? I figure by now, one of the surviving Beatles or someone involved in the recording has spilled the beans. :p
Ripplin 1 year ago
@Ripplin Can't post a link but if you check Randy Buchannan on youtube you can search this ... He got it from Apple studio recordings via George Martin's son.
Copy the following and past into a youtube search....not sure if the notes all match your notes, but seems everything was done on the guitar.
The Beatles - The REAL First Chord of "A Hard Day's Night"
taxisteve929 2 months ago
@GeorgeGeorge7
F 13?
74LesPaul 1 year ago
@GeorgeGeorge7 the chord is a g7sus4 george martin said it in an interview
nightcrawler511 5 months ago
@GeorgeGeorge7 its a dominat chord intro more common in jazz
spacepatrolman 2 months ago
Nobody thought of just asking George Martin or any of The Beatles? In fact, I think I heard or read somewhere that someone must've 'cause this solution is like the one I heard/read. I think what's still being debated is what to name that "chord."
12ut5 1 year ago
I think the Mathematician should stick to numbers and leave music to musician's. That's VERY WRONG ! sorry.
GeorgeGeorge7 1 year ago
@GeorgeGeorge7
And what is your take on it, then?
Ripplin 1 year ago
@GeorgeGeorge7 Obviously if you think mathematics has no relation music or music theory, then you clearly don't know much about music!
RogueRotting360 1 year ago 2
@GeorgeGeorge7 I'll ask again; what is your take on it? You seem to know what it is, so spill the beans. Saying 'that's very wrong' means absolutely nothing if you don't explain. ;)
Ripplin 1 year ago
@Ripplin Its G7sus4.. case closed i saw it on an episode of Columbo
dermot51 11 months ago
@Ripplin Search YouTube for "Randy Bachman chord" best explanation I've heard.
jeesh999 2 months ago 4
@GeorgeGeorge7 Music = Math, bro. They intertwine a lot.
PsychoticSikHypnotic 9 months ago
@GeorgeGeorge7 Actually. Music is all pure mathematics.
KillinDaWelfareMCs 8 months ago
@GeorgeGeorge7 Very wrong, why? explain yourself, please.
cwcwful 1 month ago
Excellent analysis.
westfield90 2 years ago
George bars the 3rd fret, plays an F with a D and G on top. it's played
5-3-3-5-3-3, not 3-5-3-5-3-3. just bar the
3rd fret, play the A on the 5th fret(the 3rd interval of F) on the low E string with your ring finger, and the C(the 5th interval of F) on the G string with your pinky. then have somebody play a D on a bass, and Bob's yer uncle! you end up with a-c-f-c-d-g(on a 12-string of course). i wouldnt be surprised if George used a capo in the studio on this one, at least on the outro.
boneypart 2 years ago
Three minutes of yakking and this guy still doesn't tell us what chord(s) the guitar and piano were playing together. Don't forget also that this was the only song the Beatles were ever commissioned to write. The producer told them they needed a song to open the movie with and the next day they came back with this. I had always thought it was a "C" chord.
Lunarmoonbase2 2 years ago
Rock & roll's most famous and instantly recognizable chord now separates the before-Beatles era from the rest. Someone described it as 'a hijacked churchbell announcing the party or the year.' With some 30 different yet credible possible interpretations, even experts at Guitarist magazine asked "So what IS that damned chord?"
Sure it's not so much of a mystery when someone else already has most of it figured out for you. But imagine all the wanna be musicians in 1964 trying to copy it.
lad500 2 years ago
Comment removed
Bentherocker1 2 years ago
I don't see why this chord is supposed to be such a great mystery. johnc310 has the right chord shape, just double track a 12 string electric...voila!
fuzzysting 2 years ago
harrison uses a 12 string thats y u get all those notes the chord i think he uses is a Gm or a Gsus chord
TheBeatlesfan1991 2 years ago 2
wouldnt it have been easier to just ask one of the beatles how it was done? instead of wasting time and resources like that...?
dadi1511 2 years ago
They're scientists. They never do anything the easy way. ;)
Ripplin 2 years ago 3
@dadi1511 George Martin was there and he doesn't even know what the chord was
Donutsmasher1 1 year ago
@dadi1511 Good mathematics well done is never a waste of time.
Cyclist0623 5 months ago
You nailed it! I had the rare opportunity of meeting the late Norman Smith (chief engineer through Rubber Soul). I asked him about this very thing & he distinctly recalled Geo. Martin playing piano on "the" chord. Also, Smith says HE played the bongos on AHDN because Ringo couldn't quite keep up to speed!!!
louienye 2 years ago
There are bongos on A Hard Days Night???
Lunarmoonbase2 2 years ago
Thats brilliant! It makes sense using the piano giving the opening chord a richer sound and more bottom end which is what they were probably looking for in an opening chord being that the chord by itself is kind of vague and tinny sounding but very cool for the song. If you listen carefully its seems as if they also used a piano playing note for note in a lower range along with the guitar on the solo.
MrWabooba 3 years ago
heres a tab for it: 3*5*3*5*3*3 in bar shape
johnc310 3 years ago
12 string rickenbacker with loads of reverb 0:55, right chord...its because its done ON A 12-STRING geeeeez
johnc310 3 years ago
Didnt john lennon knock over a guitar at the beginning of a recording and goerge martin thought it sounded great and kept it in? and thats why the chord is so messy? - i do hear the piano in it now come to think of it???
Maxiwoo1972 3 years ago
Comment removed
Maxiwoo1972 3 years ago
Why don't they show Jason the brilliant mathematician?
kelehb 3 years ago
AHHH I know Jason! yay <3
nothingtosing 3 years ago