Here's a Tip: You wanna get better at chords?

[Scott_F]

Pick up a Beatles songbook. There are several that are like big city phone books that have every Beatles song on there. Get the ones that are not fake books, but the actual chords they wrote the songs with.

you wanna get better? Practice these songs. Not only will your chording get much better, your sense of timing will improve as you sing along. I love it when they go from 5/4 to 3/4 time in the same song. You gotta keep up.

In addition, next time you listen to a Beatles tune, listen to McCartney playing bass. It's his bass line that keeps the pocket going, not the drums. He and Lennon were probably the world's two greatest song writers ever, but he's one of the top bass players to have walked this planet IMO.

 

[Curly]

Re: Here's a Tip: You wanna get better at chords?

I like the way they often threw in an unusual chord (for rock at least), such as an augmented or diminished chord to fit the melody. They just had a great sense of harmony.

 

[Biu]

Re: Here's a Tip: You wanna get better at chords?

There's a reason I used to be BEATLEbiu :13:

 

[SoCalSteve]

Re: Here's a Tip: You wanna get better at chords?

I've been thinking about doing just that. Glad to see your recommendation to confirm. I recently read where Dave Grohl said he learned to play by learning Beatles songs. ( off to the store.....)

 

[Spoonman]

Re: Here's a Tip: You wanna get better at chords?

I think george harrison had some of the most melodic guitar parts ever, you know what I mean? like its so melodic you could almost sing it. I grew up on beatles, as my dad is a *huge* beatles fan, I have access to all their music and have heard it since I was a little one.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Here's a Tip: You wanna get better at chords?

be sure to flip through any book you get and look for those weird chords that curly is talking about. if you don't see some bizarre stuff, it's the fake book (easy version).

 

[Falstaff]

Re: Here's a Tip: You wanna get better at chords?

And you are 110% right about Paul's bass playing. Sublime stuff.

 

[Cowboy Dan!?]

Re: Here's a Tip: You wanna get better at chords?

i have a friend who had a huge beatles book with guitar and bass for so many of their songs. it weighs like 500 pounds :laugh2: i gotta bum it from him one day.

 

[philthis]

Re: Here's a Tip: You wanna get better at chords?

Pick up a Beatles songbook. There are several that are like big city phone books that have every Beatles song on there. Get the ones that are not fake books, but the actual chords they wrote the songs with.

you wanna get better? Practice these songs. Not only will your chording get much better, your sense of timing will improve as you sing along. I love it when they go from 5/4 to 3/4 time in the same song. You gotta keep up.

In addition, next time you listen to a Beatles tune, listen to McCartney playing bass. It's his bass line that keeps the pocket going, not the drums. He and Lennon were probably the world's two greatest song writers ever, but he's one of the top bass players to have walked this planet IMO.

McCartney is just musically inclined period. he can write cuz it just naturally flows thru him and he can play guitar, bass, and drums, as well as piano. yup thats him on "hey Jude" He just is a musical giant and after the beatles he still proved he could write with differant people and differant types of styles. he is still performing and performing well at his age playing and singing and doing the occasional show. (I just wish he didnt do that stinky.....say say say thing with Micheale jackson) :beerchug:

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Here's a Tip: You wanna get better at chords?

I went through about 50 songs today. Phat cats in the McCarty into the Bad Cat. Classic beatles tone. I have not appreciated the amp fully until today. It does Vox better than Vox does Vox. The bizarre chords just leapt of the strings.

Try playing "I Will" at full tempo while singing. Just a torture test for the fingers.

Is there anything more beautiful than fingerpicking "Julia"? (no jokes please)

"Across the Universe"?

The lyrics to that song just blow me away.

I was reading the new Guitar Player magazine with the excellent writeup on the Beatles (which prompted me to play 50+ songs) and it really hit me...

in a two year span prior to their break up, the released 5 or 6 albums. And without a doubt, they were in such a groove that those albums are definitely some of the finest music efforts ever. Ever.

What a devastating thing that they broke up and even more devastating that two of them are gone. It's depressing.

And in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make. Peace.

 

[mongrollo]

Re: Here's a Tip: You wanna get better at chords?

Sometimes I thing about the broke up of the beatles and I had reach to the conclusion that it was something that it had to happen. They were composing one of the better albums in music history and people still was asking for more. It had to be too much pressure for them! And add the fact of all the money they were earning, at the end what maked them split was just a money thing. They were just 4 boys that had almost nothing and in a few years they were the richest musics in the world. You have get sick in these situations...

 

[BobbyEarl]

Re: Here's a Tip: You wanna get better at chords?

(I just wish he didnt do that stinky.....say say say thing with Micheale jackson)
I'll bet he regrets it too...since the goober owns his songs now!
The Beatles were the whole reason I picked up the geetar in the first place..a definite lesson in chord progressions!

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: Here's a Tip: You wanna get better at chords?

I think george harrison had some of the most melodic guitar parts ever, you know what I mean? like its so melodic you could almost sing it. I grew up on beatles, as my dad is a *huge* beatles fan, I have access to all their music and have heard it since I was a little one.

George was a fine song writer in his own right. "Taxman", "I Need You", "Something", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", "Here Comes The Sun". It's no wonder he had the 1st #1 SOLO album of all the Beatles....he had a catalog of songs ready to go that never made Beatles albums.

Anyway, you're right on the money Scott. That big white Beatles catalog book of all their scores is the size of a Bible for a reason!!!!

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: Here's a Tip: You wanna get better at chords?

George was a fine song writer in his own right. "Taxman", "I Need You", "Something", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", "Here Comes The Sun". It's no wonder he had the 1st #1 SOLO album of all the Beatles....he had a catalog of songs ready to go that never made Beatles albums.

Anyway, you're right on the money Scott. That big white Beatles catalog book of all their scores is the size of a Bible for a reason!!!!

I Agree, I think George not only was the quite Beatles but the underrated
one aswell. I think many of them cool chord voiceing where his Idea? He
did have some jazz lessions under his belt,And you can hear it in his solo
stuff. I love what he played on `If I Needed Someone' It's a simple, But
tasty chord progression. He added a whole new dimmention to it by
putting a Capo on the 7th fret of his Rick and revoicing the chords.It
adds a whole new sonic texture to the tune!! F***ing Brilliant !!

 

[Artie]

Re: Here's a Tip: You wanna get better at chords?

Good advice Scott. :13:

I still consider "Back in the U.S.S.R." to be one of the greatest pure Rock&Roll songs of all time. With just that touch of defiance thats such an integral part of that genre of music.

 

[tone4days]

Re: Here's a Tip: You wanna get better at chords?

Good advice Scott. :13:

I still consider "Back in the U.S.S.R." to be one of the greatest pure Rock&Roll songs of all time. With just that touch of defiance thats such an integral part of that genre of music.

absolutely .. and the way the story goes, it was written in the studio ... on the fly .. under the influence of multiple mind-altering substances .. and all as a joke to spoof the Beach Boys "I wish they all could be california girls"

long live the beatles! .. rest in peace george .. rest in peace john