Major & Minor Chords

This site is for music students and their teachers

Practicing scales, as well as lead parts was something that Lennon, McCartney and Harrison had lots of opportunity to do -- in Hamburg, Germany in 1960. Allan Williams booked them into Bruno Koschmider's Indra club in Hamburg for a season of bookings starting on 12 August 1960, but said that he was not impressed with them as a musical group, and hoped to find a better act to follow them.

Little did he know what they were capable of. Their use of scales is often in their vocals. It is also in their guitar work.

Depending on the chord used, an appropriate scale was usually readily available. And the Beatles, themselves, weren't just restricted to these scales. They could also make use of minor scales.

Even though the Beatles did not always know the names of the scales they played, they knew the corresponding chords and how they functioned in relation to each other.

Use of Greek Modes

Paul McCartney's song Eleanor Rigby makes use of modes. The song is a prominent example of mode mixture, specifically between the Aeolian mode, also known as natural minor, and the Dorian mode.

Scales Chart

The following chart lists some common scales and their respective scale patterns.

Starting on the 5th fret (A string), one can play a C major scale. As shown on the fretboard, the first note, C is the root (1) note. On a written music staff, C E G and C form C major.

Relative Major and Natural Minor Scales

The following chart lists relative major and natural minor scales commonly used in compositions.

Guitar & Piano Notes

Every guitarist should know where middle C is in relation to each of the open strings. At times, one can even tune a guitar from a piano. There are, however, better ways to tune a guitar.

John and his Mother Julia

In July 1958, John Lennon's mother was killed by an off-duty policeman as she walked across the road in Woolton. Her sister lived at 251 Menlove Avenue in Liverpool.

Despite having purchased 20 Forthlin Road, the childhood residence of Paul McCartney, the National Trust showed no interest in acquiring the property on Menlove Avenue, claiming that, unlike McCartney's home, no Beatles' songs had been composed at Mendips. However, McCartney recalls at least one song, "I'll Get You," being written there.

John Lennon lived with his Aunt Mimi from 1945-1963 (far left). By the time the Beatles became famous, he moved out for security reasons. His mother, however, did not live at Mendips.

John Lennon's mother influenced his use of guitar chords, as he did not always employ standard fingering. His use of banjo fingering and three finger chords influenced his rhythm guitar parts. For a while, Julia even joined him when he was part of the Quarrymen. Even eventually those who were part of the Quarrymen changed their name to the Beatals in April 1960. By August, they were known as the Beatles.

Discover some new chord progressions.