The Beatles – The Songwriting Secrets of The Beatles (2010)

This work examines the actual songwriting techniques of John, Paul, George and, occasionally, Ringo. Packed with examples of The Beatles’ music, it explains the chord sequences, structures and harmonies that created one of the most influential sounds of the 20th century.

Download The Beatles’ complete sheet music songbooks from our Library, including jazzy versions of their songs.

More than thirty years after The Beatles split up, the music of Lennon, McCartney and Harrison lives on. What exactly were the magical ingredients of those legendary songs? why are they still so influential for today’s bands? This groundbreaking book sets out to exlore The Beatles’ songwriting techniques in a clear and readable style. It is aimed not only at musicians but anyone who has ever enjoyed the work of one of the most productive and successful songwriting partnerships of the 20th century.

Author Dominic Pedler explains the chord sequences, melodies and harmonies that made up The Beatles’ self penned songs and how they uncannily complemented the lyrical themes. He also assesses the contributions that rhythm, form and arrangement made to the Beatles unique sound. Throughout the book the printed music of the Beatles’ songs appears alongside the text, illustrating the authors explanations. The Songwriting Secrets of The Beatles is an essential addition to Beatles literature – a new and perceptive analysis of the music itself itself as performed by what Paul McCartney still calls ‘a really good, tight little band’.

From humble beginnings in murky, Liverpool clubs in the early sixties, four songwriters emerged who would change the course of popular music forever: The Beatles. Within only a decade they created an arsenal of songs which set the template for all popular music that followed, and, over half a century later, their music still beats with the same vitality, pangs with the same melancholy and grips with the same fervour.

How is this possible? What mystical components were fused to create these extraordinary emotions? Why are they still so influential today?

The Songwriting Secrets of The Beatles sets out to answer these questions. Chord sequences, melodies, harmonies, rhythms and structures are all examined in a clear and readable style, unlocking the musical secrets within – not just for advanced musicians, but anyone who has ever felt the power of these songs for themselves.

Printed music and lyrics feature within the text and in this Omnibus Enhanced digital edition, audio tracks accompany many of these examples, allowing rhythms, melodies and instrumentations to jump directly out from the pages.

The Songwriting Secrets of The Beatles is essential for any musician who has marvelled at The Beatles creative intelligence; a new and perceptive analysis of both the most enduring and captivating songs of our age.

Browse in the Library:

Best The Beatles Songs Collection – The Beatles Greatest Hits Full Album 2021

00:00 – Let it Be 03:18 – Hey Jude 08:03 – A Day in the Life 11:46 – Yesterday 13:55 – Here Comes the Sun 16:54 – Strawberry Fields Forever 21:02 – In My Life 23:59 – Something 27:04 – Here Comes the Sun 30:04 – Strawberry Fields Forever 34:03 – Penny Lane 37:30 – Let it Be 40:55 – A Day in the Life

Want to play along with The Beatles? Now, it is possible with our Play Along series (PDF + background MP3 tracks).

Yesterday – The Beatles For Jazz Piano with sheet music