The End - Mystery Guitar Chord

admin · Post by **admin** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 8:39 am

Agreed James, an approximation may be all that is necessary, however, I am looking for the closest possible sound. At the risk of conducting too fine an analysis, chances are that the chords being played fit within the Key of A.

In addition to learning how to play this song, it still remains exciting to trace the footsteps taken by The Beatles in the recording of this great song.

roadrunners · Post by **roadrunners** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 4:03 am

Sorry Kids...Mccartney Had some memorable things...But All my loving, I feel fine, Dig a pony....(just to name a few) are all just as good as mccartney's solos

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 5:52 pm

JMHO but I thought both Harrison and especially Lennon were much better guitar players than McCartney, listen to Mac's stuff, especially his first solo album in which he played everything, sounds very amateurish without the great production work of George Martin, it's very revealing of his guitar and drumming shortcomings, he had a weak fretting hand, bad vibrato, played guitar like a bass player, and he played guitar like he played drums, they sounded like a cardboard box when he hit them, Ringo had a great drum sound. Lennon had much more soul and rock 'n roll in his playing than either Mac or Harrison to me.
I am a big Mac bass fan BTW, he inspired me to play bass and I still rate him as one of the most innovative bass players ever, but he should have stuck to bass.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 5:54 pm

John Lennon had a Chuck Berry style if that helps at all, he played a lot of two string Chuck Berry style lead breaks with the two string bends on the G and B strings. He was a pure rock and roller.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 7:18 pm

I agree, Bob. I'll add some more fuel to this one:

I was 15 when they hit in Feb '64, and watched it of course on Sullivan's show. Then formed the first of quite a few Beatles-inspired bands.

I always was put off by Mac's mugging and attention-seeking. I did love his happy spirit, though, usually appearing as if he didn't have a care in the World. John, though the darker of the pair, I always felt a kinship with. He seemed to be trying to work things out in his head about bigger issues, while Paul seemes to be cruising and posing and having a good time. John always knew how to take the **** out of all the egos and pomposity surrounding their legend, too.

I remember listening to George's solos in the early days and thinking that, if he'd only had more time to practice. They sounded stilted and raw in a lot of cases.

Compare the Chuck-Berry ripped lick at the beginning to the Beach Boys' "Fun, Fun, Fun", Chick's own similar lick on "Johnny Be Good", and George's on "Roll Over Beethoven". True, different styles, but two sound very technically well-done, while George's sounds like he couldn't wait to get it over with.

(And I think Tommy Tedesco, not the 15-year-old Carl Wilson, played THAT lick anyway...)

Macca was an incredible bass player. His lines still blow my mind when I take time to really listen. I think John was too lazy to learn to be a really great guitar player--he was interested in issues, not practicing. George was the quiet sort who would spend a lot of time alone with his instrument, so to speak.

When I first heard "Ram", I was embarrassed for the poor guy. He seemed to not have a clue as to what was good, always going for "commercial" and sometimes failing. I thought he would have been a great commercial jingle writer. Listen to "Uncle Albert", for instance. How many different themes are there? What holds them together? Same thing for "Band on the Run".

Lots of memorable stuff, whistle-able tunes, but so many themes picked up, tried out and discarded without the development they deserved.

Oh, Ringo? Man, he's a STEAM TRAIN. But where has he been since Yassir Arafat passed on? I think possibly...nah...

...but they DID look alike!

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 11:59 am

Yeah Ringo made those drums sound like a freight train. I love the fills in Eight Days a Week, now that's drumming and no one knows how to play like that anymore. That is one song I like on CD better you can hear the drums much better.
I have to admit that I did like Harrison's Roll Over Beethoven though, I remember listening to it on my 6 transistor when I was 11. I'm a huge Chuck Berry fan too, he was the man, wouldn't be any rock n roll guitar without him. He practically invented rock n roll. Famous quote by Lennon: paraphrased actually. If you were going to give rock n roll another name it would be Chuck Berry.
Actually when i was a kid and everyone had a favorite Beatle, mine was Harrison, he was so quiet and seemed oblivious to it all.
I think Lennon was the genius and driver behind the band though.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 12:56 pm

Now that you mention it, after the Beatles' music has followed me through this life, one song still amazes me so much that I always play it twice when it comes up on one of my CDs:

Nowhere Man

The guitar work (where would it be without that Rick lead and that scrumptious bridge?).

Still sends chills up my spine!

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 2:01 pm

Title: Nowhere Man
Credits: John Lennon - Paul McCartney
Actual writer : John Lennon(100%)
Recorded: EMI Studios, London, 21, October, 1965
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Norman Smith
Locations:
Rubber Soul - track 4
Line- up
JOHN Sonic Blue Fender Stratocaster, Gibson J160E with cappo on 2nd fret VOCAL
PAUL Hofner 500/1 HARMONY VOCAL
GEORGE Sonic Blue Fender Stratocaster HARMONY VOCAL
RINGO Ludwig kit

Sorry Paul, but I think John and George, (who played the lead in unison) were using Strats on the song

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 2:06 pm

I've got the same darned book and my face is red. Why'd you have to break my bubble, Stan?

Anybody got a Sonic Blue '61 Strat for sale?

Now everytime I hear that song, I'll weep. AARRRGGGHHHH.

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 2:18 pm

Don't take it too bad, Paul. I went around for the longest thinking 'Words of Love' had to be a Ric, but it was a Gretsch....talk about AARRGGHHH! Not that I have anything against a Gretsch 6119

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 2:21 pm

I don't always believe those books.

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 2:28 pm

One is from a web site, the other is from Beatles Gear.

admin · Post by **admin** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 3:31 pm

Books aside, I have experimented with both songs with friends and I believe that the Strat is closest for "Nowhere Man" and the Gretsch for "Words Of Love."

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 7:05 pm

Fooled by an overdriven single coil. But in listening, there are some clues that it's a longer scale guitar in the way the notes ring. Does that make sense?

Lovely sound.

Beatles Gear is the book I was referring to, and Andy has done his research exhaustively.

admin · Post by **admin** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 1:14 am

Paul: With regard to Nowhere Man, the lead break is compressed as well.