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the iconic opening chord from “a hard day's night” by the beatles | ToneDB

a hard day's night

the beatles

the iconic opening chord

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Tone Profile

A famously enigmatic and bright, jangly chord with a sharp attack and complex, sustained resonance, created by layering multiple distinct instrumental voicings.

Signal Chain

Instrument: Rickenbacker 360/12 Electric Guitar (George Harrison)

Amp: Vox AC30 or Vox AC50

Microphone: Neumann U47 or Neumann U67

Other: Played an Fadd9 chord voicing (F-A-C-G). The 12-string's characteristic jangle is a defining element.

Recording Notes

  • Recorded on April 16, 1964, at EMI Studios (Abbey Road), Studio Two.
  • Engineered by Norman Smith and produced by George Martin.
  • Recorded to a Studer J37 4-track tape recorder.
  • All instruments contributing to the chord were likely recorded simultaneously onto a single track of the 4-track machine.
  • The final sound is a blend of these specific instruments and their voicings, further shaped by the studio's acoustics, microphones, REDD series mixing console, and tape compression.

Recreation Tips

  • Layering is essential: record each instrument part separately and blend them carefully.
  • George Harrison's Part: Use a Rickenbacker 12-string (or emulation) playing an Fadd9 voicing (F-A-C-G). A capo might have been used.
  • John Lennon's Part: Use a Rickenbacker 6-string (or similar bright guitar like a Telecaster) playing the same Fadd9 voicing.
  • Paul McCartney's Part: Use a Hofner-style bass with flatwound strings playing a solid F note.
  • George Martin's Part: This is crucial. Use a piano (acoustic or high-quality sample) to play D2, G2, D3, G3, and C4. The low D is key.
  • Ringo Starr's Part: Add a subtle cymbal crash or swell at the very beginning of the chord for attack.
  • Use vintage-voiced amp emulations (e.g., Vox AC30).
  • Keep individual track processing minimal. Some overall compression on the mix bus can help glue the elements together, mimicking vintage tape and console compression.
  • The resulting chord is effectively an Fadd9/D (F-A-C-G over a D bass note from the piano), creating a rich, dissonant, and instantly recognizable sound.

Sources