ROCK
This month Jon Bishop examines this groundbreaking group’s heavier side, from early rockers up to their later, more experimental work. From moptops to rock gods!
The aim of this lesson is to learn and apply some of the concepts behind the rockier side of the three guitar-playing Beatles. With a body of work as iconic and influential as theirs, studying and learning from their approach can benefit your own musicianship no end. The Beatles were rockers first and foremost, with influences like Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Scotty Moore and Carl Perkins. Blues and R&B were also key elements for their music. All three guitarists in The Beatles (John, George and Paul) went onto become fine players and their individual musicianship is often overshadowed by the sheer enormity of the group’s success. Paul, although nominally the bass player due to nobody else wanting the role, was a guitarist at heart and played some of the band’s best solos, such as Taxman (Revolver) and Good Morning Sergeant Pepper). John was famed for his electric and acoustic rhythm work, but his lead style took centre stage on tracks like Get Back, Yer Blues, and The End jam.
George’s official role in the band was as lead guitarist, contributing memorable solos on songs like his own Something, plus All My Loving, and Happiness Is A Warm Gun.
As a vehicle for our studies, we have recorded five contrasting performance tracks complete with full tablature. These are all in guitar-friendly keys, and the chord progressions are moveable to any key once you have them under your fingers.
Our first track is inspired by John and George’s rhythm guitar work on songs like Paperback Writer and I Saw Her Standing There. Example 2 takes a look at Paul’s lead style on numbers such as Taxman, and also draws inspiration from classics like DriveMy Car and I Saw Her Standing There, with example 3 nodding to John and George’s rhythmic interplay on Come Together and I Want You (She’s So Heavy).
Our fourth example examines Paul’s lead work on tracks like Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and his and George’s slide guitar on Drive My Car and Run For Your Life. In fact all three of The Beatles’ guitarists recorded slide guitar parts at one time or another, and George more or less made a career out of it, post Beatles.
Our final example takes its influence from George’s electric 12-string Rickenba
