Analysis of 'The Chord!'

Rob Taylor breaks down the opening chord to 'A Hard Day's Night'

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• beatles
• hard
• days
• night
• opening
• chord

[StigOHarrison]

Wrong. Guitar chord has a bass G note on the E string.

[tatvidprod]

@StigOHarrison Are you referring to this chording...353533? If so, that chord sounds very well and good by itself, but it's not what they played. Listen to the out-takes between takes 6 & 7 and you can hear George strike the chord by himself. Not to mention, George himself stated that's what he played. What he describes coupled with what can be heard actually match...go figure.

[BeatleSongPlayer]

The chord is played with your thumb on the first fret of the low E string (F), with the A, D, and G open. Put your index finger on the first fret of the B string (C) and your little finger on the third fret of the high E string (G). Paul plays a D note against it on his Hofner. BSP

[tatvidprod]

Along with how it sounds, I tried to provide sources in an attempt to prove how the Beatles played this chord. All it takes is a hint of research to find this out. In addition, which I didn't mention, between takes 5 & 6 of AHDN, you can hear George strike this chord by himself. It's without a doubt the same chord that can be seen and heard in this video.

Are you providing an alternate way that sounds good? 'Cause that's certainly not how the Beatles played it.

[THeMaskedBlogCritic]

I like how you even wore the correct suits for the example.

[allieplaysmusic]

What an awesome chord. If you look beyond the first chord and analyze the entire song, you'll notice it has extensive use of the bVII (subtonic, which is F major in the key of G). Each note of the first chord gives us D-F-A-C-G, which leaves a few possibilities for interpretation. For me, I hear it functioning as a dominant, chiefly due to the bass's prominent D, and with the F maj. add 9 right on top of the bass. Because of its function, I don't hear it as a Dm, I hear it as Fadd9/D

:-)

[BigAlum]

@StigOHarrison

I say we all go ask Randy Bachman what the chord ACTUALLY is...

[horowizard]

Close but no cigar. Really doesn't sound right.

[HarrisonPaniszczyn]

You have to take into account how John used to lower his D string a half step so you would be able to tell the difference between his guitar and George's, although this might explain the different fingering.

[molanda]

Doesn't sound right. Please listen to this: youtube.com/watch?v=AvxPc5MPEu­Q

[jsteelman1000]

Hello great vid I think it's F add G note on E string with pinkie finger first note sounds like a G so I guess he's got A string tuned down to G let me know please !!!

[zefer07]

Also, the ending arpeggiated-riff is based around the Fadd9 chord.

[onderov]

Good job, you nailed it! There´s a lot of rubbish on youtube about this opening chord.

However, John´s fingering is just a little bit different. He plays the chord between takes as well (after take 3???) a what he strums is the same chord as George plays but with open d string xx0213, but that for sure has very little effect on the final result.

Good job!