Beatles Lost Chord

[Quijote]

Here's an article for Michael and PDG in particular, I suppose!
I read it yesterday in The Guardian but it seems to have been taken down, so I tracked it via Google to this link:
http://www.expressandstar.com/news/u...-chord-solved/

[susanwen]

This article makes me ponder how LvB hit upon the opening note of the fourth movement of the Ninth. (Or, for that matter, how he came up with the opening of the Ninth altogether.

[Sorrano]

This article makes me ponder how LvB hit upon the opening note of the fourth movement of the Ninth. (Or, for that matter, how he came up with the opening of the Ninth altogether.

It's interesting how both of those opening moments have some degree of tonal ambiguity. Perhaps the Beatles had some inspiration?

[PDG]

Here's an article for Michael and PDG in particular, I suppose!
I read it yesterday in The Guardian but it seems to have been taken down, so I tracked it via Google to this link:
http://www.expressandstar.com/news/u...-chord-solved/

Hi Philip.

The reviewer doesn't mention the very end of the song when George H is faded out playing single notes contained within his opening chord. I've always played F major add 9 and these single notes fit. I believe George Martin is simply doubling the guitar part on piano (to give it added 'body'). Paul doesn't play on the opening chord and I didn't think John does, either, but clearly now I'll have to go and have another listen...

[Chris]

Hi Philip.

The reviewer doesn't mention the very end of the song when George H is faded out playing single notes contained within his opening chord. I've always played F major add 9 and these single notes fit. I believe George Martin is simply doubling the guitar part on piano (to give it added 'body'). Paul doesn't play on the opening chord and I didn't think John does, either, but clearly now I'll have to go and have another listen...

I believe John is playing the same chord as George (Fadd9), and Paul is definitely playing a D on the bass. The piano seems to have some of the notes from the Fadd9, but I don't know if it's all of them or what's going on there.

[PDG]

I believe John is playing the same chord as George (Fadd9), and Paul is definitely playing a D on the bass. The piano seems to have some of the notes from the Fadd9, but I don't know if it's all of them or what's going on there.

Gosh, this topic is all over YouTube! I hadn't listened to the song in years and yes, of course, Paul is playing a D (although with the ancient recording equipment, certain bass notes could sometimes be confused with piano bass, feedback or general 'hum'). Apparently, John is playing a D sus4 chord, and even Ringo is tapping a hi-hat, although well down in the mix - inaudible to me, I must say. So from thinking just one Beatle was playing on the chord, it would seem all four actually were...

[Chris]

Gosh, this topic is all over YouTube! I hadn't listened to the song in years and yes, of course, Paul is playing a D (although with the ancient recording equipment, certain bass notes could sometimes be confused with piano bass, feedback or general 'hum'). Apparently, John is playing a D sus4 chord, and even Ringo is tapping a hi-hat, although well down in the mix - inaudible to me, I must say. So from thinking just one Beatle was playing on the chord, it would seem all four actually were...

I don't know about that Dsus4 business, but yes, the recorded sound is certainly not making it easy to tell. I don't know if it's because of the older equipment, but I think the fact that they were playing all together in a room does factor in. The instruments were certainly bleeding into the other mics and rattling around inside the drums and acoustic guitars. Difficult for the engineer to manage, but worth it for making it dynamic and spontaneous.

[Quijote]

Hi Philip.

The reviewer doesn't mention the very end of the song when George H is faded out playing single notes contained within his opening chord. I've always played F major add 9 and these single notes fit. I believe George Martin is simply doubling the guitar part on piano (to give it added 'body'). Paul doesn't play on the opening chord and I didn't think John does, either, but clearly now I'll have to go and have another listen...

And hello to you, PDG! I gave this opening chord a listen and hear an added second (which is an inverted 9th). Not a bad opening actually. I'm no Beatles expert like you and Michael, but I did once use their song "From me to you..." for a harmony analysis. That went down quite well, I must say.
One of my Beatles' favourites has always been Norwegian Wood. Maybe you can help me pin it down, but I find some echo of 'NW' in the Strangler's "Golden Brown".

[PDG]

And hello back, Philip.

From Me To You is incredible, really, for a 115-seconds, supposedly 'safe' pop song. So much going on there. She Loves You is even greater (138 seconds!), I Want To Hold Your Hand - greater again, Can't Buy Me Love, and then.....and then....A Hard Day's Night! If you play the opening chord 12 times in a row, semi-drunk, it sounds like Big Ben at midnight on New Year's Eve....

Apart from the time signature, I don't hear any similarity between Norwegian Wood and Golden Brown, I'm afraid. But I'm impressed that you know of the Stranglers!

[Quijote]

And hello back, Philip.

From Me To You is incredible, really, for a 115-seconds, supposedly 'safe' pop song. So much going on there. She Loves You is even greater (138 seconds!), I Want To Hold Your Hand - greater again, Can't Buy Me Love, and then.....and then....A Hard Day's Night! If you play the opening chord 12 times in a row, semi-drunk, it sounds like Big Ben at midnight on New Year's Eve....

Apart from the time signature, I don't hear any similarity between Norwegian Wood and Golden Brown, I'm afraid. But I'm impressed that you know of the Stranglers!

I was taken by the Stranglers' Golden Brown because of its mock 'Baroque' feel (harpsichord plus bass guitar) and play on 3/4 and 4/4 bars. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but one of their songs that knocked me out was for the lyrics "Plastic's real when you're real sick." Priceless!

[Quijote]

And PDG, please explain to an ignormamus like me what a 'safe' pop song is supposed to be. Something by Abba? The Carpenters? Carla Bruni?

[Quijote]

Or even the Monkees ?

[Quijote]

I was taken by the Stranglers' Golden Brown because of its mock 'Baroque' feel (harpsichord plus bass guitar) and play on 3/4 and 4/4 bars. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but one of their songs that knocked me out was for the lyrics "Plastic's real when you're real sick." Priceless!

Yes, it's difficult to find direct links between Norwegian Wood and Golden Brown, but there was something in the melancholia/nostalgia. I'm probably barking up the wrong tree, if not plain barking.

[Quijote]

Something modal?

[PDG]

And PDG, please explain to an ignormamus like me what a 'safe' pop song is supposed to be. Something by Abba? The Carpenters? Carla Bruni?

I meant that after the ground-breaking Please Please Me single, there was (at the time) a feeling that the Beatles were 'playing safe' with this, their third release. It is easy on the ear, yet its 'simplicity' is deceptive...