How to finger the intro chord of AHDN?

gbogart · Post by **gbogart** » Mon Jun 25, 2001 11:10 am

It was certainly an eye- (or ear-) -opener for me, that when I got my 360/12v64 in 1998, the first thing I played on it was the opening chord to AHDN... and for the first time in my life, the chord sounded as it was supposed to!

(and it's true; the RIC company phone system answers with that chord, and it certainly SOUNDS like a 12...)

I've got Mark Lewisohn's book open in front of me... It drives you crazy; it seems like this is the ONE song where he doesn't tell you exactly what guitar is being used! But on the facing page is that well-known shot of George with the 360/12. Earlier, Lewisohn talks about the 12 being used for the first time on "You Can't Do That", recorded on the 25th of February, 1964. He refers to "what was to become the distinctive 1964 Beatles sound - George Harrison's new 12-string guitar."

Under the listing for April 16, for the recording of AHDN, Lewisoh references "the jangling guitar notes at the end of the song", and quotes George Martin, "...we wanted a particularly strong and effective beginning. The strident guitar chord was the perfect launch."

It's difficult - at least for me - to believe it's not a Rick 12-string I've been hearing all these years!

Cheers,

Gene

gbogart · Post by **gbogart** » Mon Jun 25, 2001 9:51 pm

Here's a follow-up (after digging deeper into my library)... The following is quoted directly from "The Rickenbacker Book", by Tony Bacon and Paul Day, page 40:

* * Harrison's 12-string makes an impressive film debut, both sonically and visually, and perhaps its most famous use on record is for the striking opening chord of the title song, 'A Hard Day's Night,' ringing out in typically jangling fashion. "That sound," Harrison recalled, "you just associate with those early 60's Beatle records. The Rickenbacker 12-string sound is a sound on its own." * *

willem · Post by **willem** » Tue Jun 26, 2001 10:54 am

Thanks for the research Gene,it is certainly haunting. I think we should ask George Harrison. I hope he has a website. Or is Lewisohn somewhere on the net? Or maybe his publisher is willing to forward a question.

rick_harper · Post by **rick_harper** » Wed Jul 04, 2001 2:08 pm

Haven't y'all heard the outtakes of the basic track, before the piano or doubled vocals? There's a 12-string...
Harrison has an awful time w/ the solo...
Yep.

Rick Harper

willem · Post by **willem** » Sun Jul 08, 2001 1:14 am

where can I find this?

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Mon Jul 09, 2001 2:44 am

I recommend seeking out Silent Sea's "Hard Days And Nights" which collects all the available (legit & illegit) outtakes, mono mixes, etc. into one collection over two CDs. This is where you'll find all those alternate takes of 'AHDN'. Highly recommended!
JEFF JERDON contributor for 'Belmo's Beatleg News'

willem · Post by **willem** » Tue Jul 10, 2001 1:54 am

It might take a while before I get these; in the meantime:what is your opinion, Jeff, AHDN 12-string or not?

jeff · Post by **jeff** » Wed Jul 11, 2001 2:33 am

Most definitely the RIC 360/12 on "AHDN". The alternate takes will clearly prove it. And yes, Mr. Harper is correct; George does struggle with the solo in the first several outtakes.

miked · Post by **miked** » Sun Jul 22, 2001 7:06 pm

Hello all; Since 1964 and to this day I've played the Gm7sus4 as described by Mark in his post of 5/21. I think the F that alot of people hear is the one in that fingering, and not a bass F played with the thumb as in another popular configuration of the opening chord. I've just seen another possibility posted on VoxTalks and it sounded viable when I tried it, albeit on a six-stringer.
1-3-(g)
2-1-(c)
3-2-(a)
4-o-(d) } What chord is this?
5-o-(a)
6-3-(g)
Kind of interesting, eh? Best to all.

axel · Post by **axel** » Mon Jul 23, 2001 12:18 pm

From George's own :
"It is F with a G on top (on the 12-string) - but you'll have to ask Paul about the bass note to get the proper story."

from George's own site (allthingsmustpass.com), the interview on yahoo.com, at the time of the 'all things must pass' lp reissue (magnificent song btw, among many many others of his)
axel

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Tue Jul 24, 2001 7:01 am

I hear a D being the bass note, on the record and on the live cut from the Hollywood Bowl show. I have always heard the D as the root...

admin · Post by **admin** » Sat Sep 15, 2001 12:56 am

Mike: That would be a D7(sus4) and it is a contender. How do you like playing that bottom G?

miked · Post by **miked** » Sun Sep 16, 2001 2:03 pm

Hello Peter; I play the bottom G with the third finger and the top G with the fourth finger. Although my fingers kind of naturally want to go to a conventional open Dm type position, I can barely make the stretch to the bottom G with the fourth finger. (My hands are on the small side. It's a real stretch for me to do a standard rock & roll shuffle from a barre postion. The 325v59 really helps me in this respect.) I think I still like the Gm7sus4 better. The F and D notes in that chord create a dissonance and sounds closer to the record than the A and D notes in this D7sus4 chord. However, if it's an F with a G on top, as George has said, (and I really don't hear that. Does anyone else sometimes think that maybe George has forgotten what chord was played?) then the D7sus4 would be closer because of the A notes. What do you think? Best regards.

admin · Post by **admin** » Sun Sep 16, 2001 2:45 pm

MIke: I play the low G with my fourth finger as well. It is a stretch but not so bad on my Rickenbacker 450/12. George is correct in that the ending of the song is played with an F with a G on top. I also like the Gm7sus4 as well and sounds close to the recording.

miked · Post by **miked** » Sun Sep 16, 2001 4:22 pm

Peter; I'm sorry wasn't clear enough. I was referring to the low G as the bottom G. I use my third finger there and my fourth finger on the top/high G. I understand the F w/G on top as the end notes of the song.
"A Hard Day's Night" has always been one of my all time, favorite Beatle rockers. I recall that upon first hearing the song on the radio (I was almost 14) I badgered my mom to drive me to the record store to buy the 45. When I got to the store I was faced with a major financial dilemma: to either buy the single for .79 cents as planned, or go deeply into household-chore debt by borrowing the money from my mom and buying the U.A. soundtrack album, which I did. In order to minimize my indebtedness I bought the mono version of the album which was a dollar less than the stereo. I played that record a few times daily throughout the summer and often after that. That is still the record I play if I really want to hear what I consider to be the best sounding mixes of those songs. Along with "Something New" (also mono) which has the killer mixes of "Anytime At All","Things We Said Today", "Slow Down" and others.
Anyways, I think I got on a roll there! Once again, best to you and all the Rickheads.
P.S. Today I saw an ad for a Rickenbacker 12 string acoustic guitar! It's a beauty! Now if only I can find a dealer who's got one in stock. I don't think I'd want to buy a guitar like this without playing it first. And then of course - the decision - acoustic or electric 12 string?