A Hard Day's Night, the first chord?

[AlohaJoe]

Endlessly debated... and here's the answer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvxPc5MPEuQ

 

[jmac]

How do you finger that 12-string chord? It sounded like Randy was saying:

play G on the bottom E string
play C on the A string
play F on the D string
play A on the G string
play C on the B string
and G on the high E string

An F9 chord, but I don't know how you would finger that voicing completely on the first three frets. I'm thinking that George played i different voicing.

Any insight?

 

[dreadnut]

That's great, AJ, thanks!

 

[lonesome picker]

George himself said his part was and F chord with an added G (first string, 3rd fret). The same chord is used in the fade out at the end. Lennon and McC added thier own bits (and probably G. Martin on piano).

 

[davismanLV]

That was awesome, Joe!! It's like CHORD FORENSICS!!!

 

[walrus]

Very cool!

walrus

 

[AlohaJoe]

How do you finger that 12-string chord?

I'd have to guess that he barred the three bass strings with his third finger and picked up the high G with his pinkie... not easy, but possible.

 

[gilded]

That was really, really cool, but I think there was more to it than that, even. A big piano chord, even Ringo's kick drum was tuned to a 'favorable pitch', if I remember it right.....

Thanks again, though, great fun!

Harry

 

[killdeer43]

Just a great opening chord.
Nothing else like it!

the other Joe

 

[gilded]

Oh yeah, I forgot, Ringo had some cymbal action goin' on, too.

 

[Frosty]

An F9 chord, but I don't know how you would finger that voicing completely on the first three frets. I'm thinking that George played i different voicing.

Any insight?

George knew about Merle and Chet and those American thumb pickers. Travis
would have simply wrapped his thumb to play BOTH the 6th and 5th string. I
can to that on my 1 11/16" 6 string... would be a challenge on a 12 string!

So, with Paul's bass, George's chord and John's chord from bottom to top:

D GCFACG DADG

Interesting exercise to voice George's chord with a capo (left to the
reader).

Yeah, F with added 6 (D) and 9 (G)... with the 6 in the bass.

Really, what I hear, it more of a ringing open 4th, 5th type of chord
because of the voicing. To my ear, a 6/9 chord has a smooth, jazzy
sound - which this chord does not.