… the opening chord of A Hard Days Night has been successfully dissected.
In this radio interview with Randy Bachman on CBC’s Guitarology program, RB talks about meeting Giles Martin, son of George Martin, at GM’s private studio at Abbey Road. In the studio, GM has access to digitized copies of all the Beatle’s multitrack source tapes.
After pondering what he would like to hear, RB is provided with solo’d track by track playback of “the chord”. When it is all put together, HE NAILS IT! Give it a listen …
Here is the breakdown he describes:
- Track 1: George on Rickenbacker 12-string GCFACG
- Track 2: Paul on Bass playing D
- Track 3: John on 6-string xxDADG
The notes being picked up are: A-C-D-F-G
- From a G perspective: 1-2-4-5-b7
- From an F perspective: 1-2-3-5-6
- From a D perspective: 1-b3-4-5-b7
- From a C perspective: 1-2-4-5-6
- From an A perspective: 1-b3-4-b6-b7
Closest thing to call it would be a Dm11 or an F6add9. Whatever you call it, you can’t make the chord sound properly with only one hand (chording) and one guitar.
What a sound. This is TOO COOL!!