The definitive answer?...."HDN" opening/closing chord

vynesmusic · Post by **vynesmusic** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 8:59 pm

If I came too late to this party just ignore this post .....there was a string about the opening chord to "Hard day's Night"....a few months ago....I haven't posted on here for a long time, but I was surfing around and found a keen site, TheBeatlesHistory.com....and they had what appears to be the DEFINITIVE answer to the above question:

"Now, what the very interesting opening chord is, has been discussed and dissected many times. So we thought we would go to the source, George Harrison, who discussed that in an online chat on 2/15/2001

Q: Mr. Harrison, what is the opening chord you used for "A Hard Day's Night"?

A: It is F with a G on top, it sounds better on a 12-string, but you'll have to ask Paul about the bass note to get the proper story.

Paul is playing a D on the bass. The closing jangly guitar notes are the same as the opening chord but picked instead of strummed."

WELL, then......I haven't even had a chance to try this on the ol' Rick yet, but I had to post this out of curiosity.....sounds like George hit the chord, his left-hand pinkie on the 3rd fret of the first strings while the other fingers formed the first position F chord, and at the same time Paul plucked a "D" on the bass......it has become my life's work....cracking Beatles code

servant · Post by **servant** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 11:14 pm

I don't know how to make this link jump you right to my old post, but look at the photos in that thread here. Scroll most of the way down the page; I think it's three or four posts from the bottom.

Zurdo · Post by **Zurdo** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 4:20 pm

there's no DaVinci code with that chord, it is a D sus4 (the G note), Minor Seventh (the C note), with a Piano playing a F 13th chord (the G note, and being an F chord, it also rings a F note at a lower octave).

That's why Paul plays a D on the Bass. But George was right, it was also a F chord with a G note on the high E string.

The trick to the chord is the D and the F notes ringing together along with the G notes, a Major 2nd interval from F notes. So you need two instruments to do it.

bigbajo60 · Post by **bigbajo60** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 10:49 pm

I ran across this on the old facebook, and thought it very interesting! Don't know if this has been shared on the forums before, but I don't recall seeing it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvxPc5MP ... r_embedded#!

Zurdo · Post by **Zurdo** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 5:37 am

yes, that's it, I have been saying it all along without the benefit of George Martin letting me hear the original tracks, but indeed there is a Dsus 4 chord over a F9 chord with a D note on the Bass.

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 5:52 am

All of the Beatles' websites and boards can close down now, there's nothing left to talk about...

Zurdo · Post by **Zurdo** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 5:56 am

leftybass wrote:All of the Beatles' websites and boards can close down now, there's nothing left to talk about...

The Dream is over...

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 8:38 am

Zurdo wrote:
leftybass wrote:All of the Beatles' websites and boards can close down now, there's nothing left to talk about...
The Dream is over...

NO! THE DREAM HAS BEEN REALIZED! Now, go forth and conquer -- introducing the next generation to this great music!!!

RobRick · Post by **RobRick** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 9:52 am

No! Now we need to discuss who came up with WHAT note in the chord! I say Ringo came up with the whole thing and showed it to the rest!

egosheep · Post by **egosheep** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 11:38 am

Zurdo wrote:yes, that's it, I have been saying it all along without the benefit of George Martin letting me hear the original tracks, but indeed there is a Dsus 4 chord over a F9 chord with a D note on the Bass.

Haven't you heard the multitrack from Rock Band? It breaks it down...

servant · Post by **servant** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 3:19 pm

I was disappointed that Randy didn't mention what George Martin played on the piano, so the quest continues! (It ain't over 'til it's over!)

winston · Post by **winston** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 3:31 pm

Colin is Randy's keyboard player but he also plays a mean guitar...........it sounded like Randy played the 12 string, Colin played the six string and Mick played the bass. Mick also plays guitar very well and is very proficient on keyboards as well. They are an amazing band live.

I suspect that this was recorded live in the CBC studio in Vancouver. So they did not have a spare set of hands to play the piano part. In any event.........they nailed it.

8mileshigher · Post by **8mileshigher** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 3:43 pm

That is a cool You Tube explanation from Giles and Randy.

It is fascinating how many questions, theories, postings and threads (inlcuding one PhD thesis paper) we have had on this HDN Chord subject over the years and it always gets better !!!

Are there any Ric 12 string players who have not posted at least one time on the various threads on the HDN chord subject ?

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 7:32 pm

Some ephemera on the Randy Bachman interview--transcript with other chatter:

http://www.reddit.com/r/Music/comments/ ... rd_of_the/

kennyhowes · Post by **kennyhowes** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 5:49 am

Does someone have a recording of the opening night of the RIC 75th thing at the Doubletree? Our band did it and it worked.

Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum