Chord Of The Week 1st birthday special 2/8/14 - the 'Hard Day's Night' chord

bigjon

52 weeks ago I started chord of the week on the launch morning of this forum, so this is Chord Of The Week's 1st birthday discussion.

The opening chord of 'Hard Day's Night' by the Beatles is one of the most recognisable chords in pop history, and this is the authentic version, as showed by George Harrison to Gary Moore, who showed it to Neville Marten, who wrote about it Guitarist magazine, where I read it!

G11no3rd: 300011

The absolute key to the sound is to play it on a 12-string, where the open A-string high octave sits in between the open G low-octave and the doubled C on the 2nd string to create a closely-voiced series of extensions to the chord, and where the open G high octave sits just above the doubled F on the top string as the highest note of the chord.

Here's to another year of Chord Of The Week - don't know how soon we'll run out of chords to discuss!

not_the_dj

I'll try that. I've always played it (low to high) 353533

bigjon

Chord Of The Week index updated at http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/598/chord-of-the-week-index

bigjon

not_the_dj said:

I'll try that. I've always played it (low to high) 353533

That probably gives a better approximation of the pitches when playing on a 6-string. The A-note is missing, though - maybe a cheeky tap on the 12th fret of the 5th string?

not_the_dj

Have you heard this clip;

bigjon

I have now! Thanks for finding it! I wonder which is right as to the chord George was playing? If your clip is right, there'd be no A-note in the isolated track, as that comes from the chord John was playing.

mike_l

not_the_dj said:

I'll try that. I've always played it (low to high) 353533

isn't that G7sus4?

not_the_dj

mike_l said:

not_the_dj said:

I'll try that. I've always played it (low to high) 353533

isn't that G7sus4?

I've no idea, been playing that song in our set for years and that's just always what I've payed. I think (but it was a long time ago) I had a tab book with selections from the red/blue Beatles compilation albums and I got it from there.