Q: During the making of Rubber Soul, were you all aware that the music was taking such a dramatic shift?

McCartney: Not as such. People say now, "Oh, the Beatles were breaking all the rules." But we didn't know what the rules were. We had no knowledge whatsoever of music theory. We just did what felt right. The Beatles were always looking forward. Our new album was never nostalgic for the ones we'd last made. I think the Stones were different. At certain points they seemed to be paying too much attention to what we were doing. Like Satanic Majesties, that was their answer to Pepper. In that way, they took their lead from us. But we were just doing out own thing. It wasn't that we set out to make ground-breaking albums. The reason those records were so musically diverse is that we all had very diverse tastes. Also, we'd served our apprenticeship in Hamburg where businessmen would come into the club and say, "Can you play a mambo? Can you do a rhumba?" And we couldn't just keep saying "No," so we had top learn those distinct styles.

-- from McCartney's 2004 interview with Jon Wilde

On Monday, May 9, 2022 at 8:04:47 AM UTC-4, Norbert K wrote:
> Q: During the making of Rubber Soul, were you all aware that the music was taking such a dramatic shift?
>
> McCartney: Not as such. People say now, "Oh, the Beatles were breaking all the rules." But we didn't know what the rules were. We had no knowledge whatsoever of music theory. We just did what felt right. The Beatles were always looking forward. Our new album was never nostalgic for the ones we'd last made. I think the Stones were different. At certain points they seemed to be paying too much attention to what we were doing. Like Satanic Majesties, that was their answer to Pepper. In that way, they took their lead from us. But we were just doing out own thing. It wasn't that we set out to make ground-breaking albums. The reason those records were so musically diverse is that we all had very diverse tastes. Also, we'd served our apprenticeship in Hamburg where businessmen would come into the club and say, "Can you play a mambo? Can you do a rhumba?" And we couldn't just keep saying "No," so we had top learn those distinct styles.
>
> -- from McCartney's 2004 interview with Jon Wilde

The guys have always downplayed their technical knowledge. But come on, they knew SOME theory. You can see Paul calling out the chords to songs in Get Back.

On Monday, May 9, 2022 at 5:10:45 PM UTC-4, RJKe...@yahoo.com wrote:

> The guys have always downplayed their technical knowledge. But come on, they knew SOME theory. You can see Paul calling out the chords to songs in Get Back.

That's much later. They had absorbed some by then.

On Monday, May 9, 2022 at 9:19:32 PM UTC-4, Bruce wrote:
> On Monday, May 9, 2022 at 5:10:45 PM UTC-4, RJKe...@yahoo.com wrote:
>
> > The guys have always downplayed their technical knowledge. But come on, they knew SOME theory. You can see Paul calling out the chords to songs in Get Back.
> That's much later. They had absorbed some by then.

Exactly.

And while they learned to name major and minor chords, it's unlikely the guys knew much beyond that.

David Spinozza, who worked on Ram (and who, truth be known, wrote the music for Yoko's Feeling the Space album) said this:

"Here I am, meeting Paul McCartney, and he played these basic rock'n'roll things: ching, ching, ching. It was embarrassing! He had to sing every note or hit it on his guitar, like the three notes of the major seventh. He didn't even know what the chord was called. He called it 'the pretty chord.'"

The Beatles did a lot with very limited technical knowledge.

On Monday, May 9, 2022 at 9:19:32 PM UTC-4, Bruce wrote:
> On Monday, May 9, 2022 at 5:10:45 PM UTC-4, RJKe...@yahoo.com wrote:
>
> > The guys have always downplayed their technical knowledge. But come on, they knew SOME theory. You can see Paul calling out the chords to songs in Get Back.
> That's much later. They had absorbed some by then.

Remember that moment in Get Back where John is having trouble with "She Came In Through The Window"? Paul physically shows him the chords on the keyboard rather than naming them.

On Tuesday, May 10, 2022 at 8:27:10 AM UTC-5, Norbert K wrote:
> On Monday, May 9, 2022 at 9:19:32 PM UTC-4, Bruce wrote:
> > On Monday, May 9, 2022 at 5:10:45 PM UTC-4, RJKe...@yahoo.com wrote:
> >
> > > The guys have always downplayed their technical knowledge. But come on, they knew SOME theory. You can see Paul calling out the chords to songs in Get Back.
> > That's much later. They had absorbed some by then.
> Exactly.
>
> And while they learned to name major and minor chords, it's unlikely the guys knew much beyond that.
>
> David Spinozza, who worked on Ram (and who, truth be known, wrote the music for Yoko's Feeling the Space album) said this:
>
> "Here I am, meeting Paul McCartney, and he played these basic rock'n'roll things: ching, ching, ching. It was embarrassing! He had to sing every note or hit it on his guitar, like the three notes of the major seventh. He didn't even know what the chord was called. He called it 'the pretty chord.'"
>
> The Beatles did a lot with very limited technical knowledge.
Their journey could rightly be called the saga of the well-placed chord...

On Tuesday, May 24, 2022 at 12:03:36 AM UTC-4, pamel...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Tuesday, May 10, 2022 at 8:27:10 AM UTC-5, Norbert K wrote:
> > On Monday, May 9, 2022 at 9:19:32 PM UTC-4, Bruce wrote:
> > > On Monday, May 9, 2022 at 5:10:45 PM UTC-4, RJKe...@yahoo.com wrote:
> > >
> > > > The guys have always downplayed their technical knowledge. But come on, they knew SOME theory. You can see Paul calling out the chords to songs in Get Back.
> > > That's much later. They had absorbed some by then.
> > Exactly.
> >
> > And while they learned to name major and minor chords, it's unlikely the guys knew much beyond that.
> >
> > David Spinozza, who worked on Ram (and who, truth be known, wrote the music for Yoko's Feeling the Space album) said this:
> >
> > "Here I am, meeting Paul McCartney, and he played these basic rock'n'roll things: ching, ching, ching. It was embarrassing! He had to sing every note or hit it on his guitar, like the three notes of the major seventh. He didn't even know what the chord was called. He called it 'the pretty chord.'"
> >
> > The Beatles did a lot with very limited technical knowledge.
> Their journey could rightly be called the saga of the well-placed chord....

Yeah, I like that.

An interesting book could be written about the respective Beatles' musical signatures.

On Monday, May 9, 2022 at 8:04:47 AM UTC-4, Norbert K wrote:
> Q: During the making of Rubber Soul, were you all aware that the music was taking such a dramatic shift?
>
> McCartney: Not as such. People say now, "Oh, the Beatles were breaking all the rules." But we didn't know what the rules were. We had no knowledge whatsoever of music theory. We just did what felt right. The Beatles were always looking forward. Our new album was never nostalgic for the ones we'd last made. I think the Stones were different. At certain points they seemed to be paying too much attention to what we were doing. Like Satanic Majesties, that was their answer to Pepper. In that way, they took their lead from us. But we were just doing out own thing. It wasn't that we set out to make ground-breaking albums. The reason those records were so musically diverse is that we all had very diverse tastes. Also, we'd served our apprenticeship in Hamburg where businessmen would come into the club and say, "Can you play a mambo? Can you do a rhumba?" And we couldn't just keep saying "No," so we had top learn those distinct styles.
>
> -- from McCartney's 2004 interview with Jon Wilde

McCartney said once that E major was his favorite chord.

On Sunday, May 29, 2022 at 7:55:43 AM UTC-5, RJKe...@yahoo.com wrote:
> On Monday, May 9, 2022 at 8:04:47 AM UTC-4, Norbert K wrote:
> > Q: During the making of Rubber Soul, were you all aware that the music was taking such a dramatic shift?
> >
> > McCartney: Not as such. People say now, "Oh, the Beatles were breaking all the rules." But we didn't know what the rules were. We had no knowledge whatsoever of music theory. We just did what felt right. The Beatles were always looking forward. Our new album was never nostalgic for the ones we'd last made. I think the Stones were different. At certain points they seemed to be paying too much attention to what we were doing. Like Satanic Majesties, that was their answer to Pepper. In that way, they took their lead from us. But we were just doing out own thing. It wasn't that we set out to make ground-breaking albums. The reason those records were so musically diverse is that we all had very diverse tastes. Also, we'd served our apprenticeship in Hamburg where businessmen would come into the club and say, "Can you play a mambo? Can you do a rhumba?" And we couldn't just keep saying "No," so we had top learn those distinct styles.
> >
> > -- from McCartney's 2004 interview with Jon Wilde
> McCartney said once that E major was his favorite chord.
The key of E major is very bright. A number of their songs are written in that key...a few are Helter Skelter, I saw her staning here, I'm happy just to dance with you, Magical Mystery Tour and Please, please me...

On Monday, May 30, 2022 at 12:27:32 PM UTC-4, pamel...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Sunday, May 29, 2022 at 7:55:43 AM UTC-5, RJKe...@yahoo.com wrote:
> > On Monday, May 9, 2022 at 8:04:47 AM UTC-4, Norbert K wrote:
> > > Q: During the making of Rubber Soul, were you all aware that the music was taking such a dramatic shift?
> > >
> > > McCartney: Not as such. People say now, "Oh, the Beatles were breaking all the rules." But we didn't know what the rules were. We had no knowledge whatsoever of music theory. We just did what felt right. The Beatles were always looking forward. Our new album was never nostalgic for the ones we'd last made. I think the Stones were different. At certain points they seemed to be paying too much attention to what we were doing. Like Satanic Majesties, that was their answer to Pepper. In that way, they took their lead from us. But we were just doing out own thing. It wasn't that we set out to make ground-breaking albums. The reason those records were so musically diverse is that we all had very diverse tastes. Also, we'd served our apprenticeship in Hamburg where businessmen would come into the club and say, "Can you play a mambo? Can you do a rhumba?" And we couldn't just keep saying "No," so we had top learn those distinct styles.
> > >
> > > -- from McCartney's 2004 interview with Jon Wilde
> > McCartney said once that E major was his favorite chord.
> The key of E major is very bright. A number of their songs are written in that key...a few are Helter Skelter, I saw her staning here, I'm happy just to dance with you, Magical Mystery Tour and Please, please me...

McCartney's section of "A Day in the Life" is in E major, and the song's famous concluding chord is E major.

On 31/05/2022 4:54 am, Norbert K wrote:
> On Monday, May 30, 2022 at 12:27:32 PM UTC-4, pamel...@gmail.com wrote:
>> On Sunday, May 29, 2022 at 7:55:43 AM UTC-5, RJKe...@yahoo.com wrote:
>>> On Monday, May 9, 2022 at 8:04:47 AM UTC-4, Norbert K wrote:
>>>> Q: During the making of Rubber Soul, were you all aware that the music was taking such a dramatic shift?
>>>>
>>>> McCartney: Not as such. People say now, "Oh, the Beatles were breaking all the rules." But we didn't know what the rules were. We had no knowledge whatsoever of music theory. We just did what felt right. The Beatles were always looking forward. Our new album was never nostalgic for the ones we'd last made. I think the Stones were different. At certain points they seemed to be paying too much attention to what we were doing. Like Satanic Majesties, that was their answer to Pepper. In that way, they took their lead from us. But we were just doing out own thing. It wasn't that we set out to make ground-breaking albums. The reason those records were so musically diverse is that we all had very diverse tastes. Also, we'd served our apprenticeship in Hamburg where businessmen would come into the club and say, "Can you play a mambo? Can you do a rhumba?" And we couldn't just keep saying "No," so we had top learn those distinct styles.
>>>>
>>>> -- from McCartney's 2004 interview with Jon Wilde
>>> McCartney said once that E major was his favorite chord.
>> The key of E major is very bright. A number of their songs are written in that key...a few are Helter Skelter, I saw her staning here, I'm happy just to dance with you, Magical Mystery Tour and Please, please me...
>
> McCartney's section of "A Day in the Life" is in E major, and the song's famous concluding chord is E major.
>

Not to mention, and more to the point, the most fundamental chord on a
guitar.

geoff

On Monday, May 9, 2022 at 8:04:47 AM UTC-4, Norbert K wrote:
> Q: During the making of Rubber Soul, were you all aware that the music was taking such a dramatic shift?
>
> McCartney: Not as such. People say now, "Oh, the Beatles were breaking all the rules." But we didn't know what the rules were. We had no knowledge whatsoever of music theory. We just did what felt right. The Beatles were always looking forward. Our new album was never nostalgic for the ones we'd last made. I think the Stones were different. At certain points they seemed to be paying too much attention to what we were doing. Like Satanic Majesties, that was their answer to Pepper. In that way, they took their lead from us. But we were just doing out own thing. It wasn't that we set out to make ground-breaking albums. The reason those records were so musically diverse is that we all had very diverse tastes. Also, we'd served our apprenticeship in Hamburg where businessmen would come into the club and say, "Can you play a mambo? Can you do a rhumba?" And we couldn't just keep saying "No," so we had top learn those distinct styles.
>
> -- from McCartney's 2004 interview with Jon Wilde

George, meanwhile, was extremely proud of that dissonant chord in "I Want to Tell You."

On 2/06/2022 2:38 am, RJKe...@yahoo.com wrote:
> On Monday, May 9, 2022 at 8:04:47 AM UTC-4, Norbert K wrote:
>> Q: During the making of Rubber Soul, were you all aware that the music was taking such a dramatic shift?
>>
>> McCartney: Not as such. People say now, "Oh, the Beatles were breaking all the rules." But we didn't know what the rules were. We had no knowledge whatsoever of music theory. We just did what felt right. The Beatles were always looking forward. Our new album was never nostalgic for the ones we'd last made. I think the Stones were different. At certain points they seemed to be paying too much attention to what we were doing. Like Satanic Majesties, that was their answer to Pepper. In that way, they took their lead from us. But we were just doing out own thing. It wasn't that we set out to make ground-breaking albums. The reason those records were so musically diverse is that we all had very diverse tastes. Also, we'd served our apprenticeship in Hamburg where businessmen would come into the club and say, "Can you play a mambo? Can you do a rhumba?" And we couldn't just keep saying "No," so we had top learn those distinct styles.
>>
>> -- from McCartney's 2004 interview with Jon Wilde
>
> George, meanwhile, was extremely proud of that dissonant chord in "I Want to Tell You."
>

You'd think that would have been more of a John-thing - dissonance ....

geoff

On Monday, May 30, 2022 at 5:04:19 PM UTC-5, geoff wrote:
> On 31/05/2022 4:54 am, Norbert K wrote:
> > On Monday, May 30, 2022 at 12:27:32 PM UTC-4, pamel...@gmail.com wrote:
> >> On Sunday, May 29, 2022 at 7:55:43 AM UTC-5, RJKe...@yahoo.com wrote:
> >>> On Monday, May 9, 2022 at 8:04:47 AM UTC-4, Norbert K wrote:
> >>>> Q: During the making of Rubber Soul, were you all aware that the music was taking such a dramatic shift?
> >>>>
> >>>> McCartney: Not as such. People say now, "Oh, the Beatles were breaking all the rules." But we didn't know what the rules were. We had no knowledge whatsoever of music theory. We just did what felt right. The Beatles were always looking forward. Our new album was never nostalgic for the ones we'd last made. I think the Stones were different. At certain points they seemed to be paying too much attention to what we were doing. Like Satanic Majesties, that was their answer to Pepper. In that way, they took their lead from us. But we were just doing out own thing. It wasn't that we set out to make ground-breaking albums. The reason those records were so musically diverse is that we all had very diverse tastes. Also, we'd served our apprenticeship in Hamburg where businessmen would come into the club and say, "Can you play a mambo? Can you do a rhumba?" And we couldn't just keep saying "No," so we had top learn those distinct styles.
> >>>>
> >>>> -- from McCartney's 2004 interview with Jon Wilde
> >>> McCartney said once that E major was his favorite chord.
> >> The key of E major is very bright. A number of their songs are written in that key...a few are Helter Skelter, I saw her staning here, I'm happy just to dance with you, Magical Mystery Tour and Please, please me...
> >
> > McCartney's section of "A Day in the Life" is in E major, and the song's famous concluding chord is E major.
> >
> Not to mention, and more to the point, the most fundamental chord on a
> guitar.
>
> geoff
Four sharps on the keyboard...

On 3/06/2022 11:44 pm, Pamela Brown wrote:
> On Monday, May 30, 2022 at 5:04:19 PM UTC-5, geoff wrote:
>> On 31/05/2022 4:54 am, Norbert K wrote:
>>> On Monday, May 30, 2022 at 12:27:32 PM UTC-4, pamel...@gmail.com wrote:
>>>> On Sunday, May 29, 2022 at 7:55:43 AM UTC-5, RJKe...@yahoo.com wrote:
>>>>> On Monday, May 9, 2022 at 8:04:47 AM UTC-4, Norbert K wrote:
>>>>>> Q: During the making of Rubber Soul, were you all aware that the music was taking such a dramatic shift?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> McCartney: Not as such. People say now, "Oh, the Beatles were breaking all the rules." But we didn't know what the rules were. We had no knowledge whatsoever of music theory. We just did what felt right. The Beatles were always looking forward. Our new album was never nostalgic for the ones we'd last made. I think the Stones were different. At certain points they seemed to be paying too much attention to what we were doing. Like Satanic Majesties, that was their answer to Pepper. In that way, they took their lead from us. But we were just doing out own thing. It wasn't that we set out to make ground-breaking albums. The reason those records were so musically diverse is that we all had very diverse tastes. Also, we'd served our apprenticeship in Hamburg where businessmen would come into the club and say, "Can you play a mambo? Can you do a rhumba?" And we couldn't just keep saying "No," so we had top learn those distinct styles.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -- from McCartney's 2004 interview with Jon Wilde
>>>>> McCartney said once that E major was his favorite chord.
>>>> The key of E major is very bright. A number of their songs are written in that key...a few are Helter Skelter, I saw her staning here, I'm happy just to dance with you, Magical Mystery Tour and Please, please me...
>>>
>>> McCartney's section of "A Day in the Life" is in E major, and the song's famous concluding chord is E major.
>>>
>> Not to mention, and more to the point, the most fundamental chord on a
>> guitar.
>>
>> geoff
> Four sharps on the keyboard...

Yes, that's a bit inconvenient. But dictated (maybe dictated a bit too
strong) I guess by being fundamentally a guitar-band.

geoff