A Hard Day's Night

Harmonic Analysis Worksheet (RMA/HA)

Published: 31 Oct 2023 Updated: 31 Oct 2023Visits: 0Code: ULHA-YB-100

Category: Harmonic-AnalysisInstrument: Any Subjects: Beatles • RMA • Theory • Progressions • Harmony • Analysis

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A Hard Day's Night


Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: A Hard Day's Night by the Beatles.

A Hard Day's Night

Released: 10 July 1964 (UK), 26 June 1964 (US)

A Hard Day's Night is a song by the English rock band the Beatles. Credited to Lennon–McCartney, it was written by John Lennon, with some minor collaboration from McCartney. It was released on the film soundtrack of the same name in 1964. It was also released as a single in the UK (with "Things We Said Today" as its B-side), and in the US (with "I Should Have Known Better" as its B-side.)

The song featured prominently on the soundtrack to the Beatles' first feature film, A Hard Day's Night, and was on their album of the same name. The song topped the charts in both the United Kingdom and United States when it was released as a single. The American and British singles of "A Hard Day's Night", as well as both the American and British albums of the same title, held the top position in their respective charts simultaneously for a couple of weeks in August 1964, the first time any artist had accomplished this feat. (wikiwand) ·

The song's title originated from something said by Ringo Starr, the Beatles' drummer. Starr described it this way in an interview with disc jockey Dave Hull in 1964: "We went to do a job, and we'd worked all day and we happened to work all night. I came up still thinking it was day I suppose, and I said, 'It's been a hard day …' and I looked around and saw it was dark so I said, '… night!' So we came to 'A Hard Day's Night.'" (wikiwand) ·

A Hard Day's Night is in the The Daily Ukulele 365 Songs for Better Living book.

Strum a different song every day with easy arrangements of 365 of your favorite songs in one big songbook! The Daily Ukulele features ukulele arrangements with melody, lyrics and uke chord grids and are in ukulele-friendly keys that are particularly suited for groups of one to one hundred to play and sing.

Chords

C F Gm Em Am G

Theses and many other chords where covered in the Learn A Chord A Day series of lessons.

C Tuning Chords

Starting Melody Note and 1st Interval

  • Start on P5 ↓ M3.
  • INTERVALS: Root=note that begins a scale of the starting key; C is C, D is D, Am is a, Em is E, etc... m=minor; M=Major; P=Perfect; D=Diminished; A=Augmented. • ↑ is up/ascending; ↓ is down/descending;

    Harmonic Analysis (HA)

    A Harmonic Analysis (RMA/HA) and its worksheet are intended to show the function of the chords, the harmonic principles used, the keys and tonalities the song explores. And, can be used for scale selections and chord and scale substitutions.

    A Harmonic Analysis Worksheet is NOT intended to be a leadsheet and minimal roadmap information such repeats, fines, D.S., D.C., codas have been used in preparing the worksheets to somewhat mirror the leadsheet in the Daily Ukulele book..

    Sections, Verse, Chorus, 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks …

    The worksheets will show 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks, etc. as in indicated the Yellow Book. You should start to recognize that 1st endings typically always return to a previous or verse or section. With a 2nd ending, a transition to a different section, a or chorus. Harmonic Principles are used for these repeats and transitions.

    If turnbacks chord are not indication for the these 1st, 2nd Ending will indicate recommended chord(s) in parentheses or as an alternate harmony in Red . Typically the last measures or turnbacks will be a chord that resolves to and harmonically leads you to the next section or turning you back to the same section.

    Reference Key

    This is the key of the source leadsheet.

    Harmonic Principles Used:

    Harmonic Analysis (HA) Worksheet

    Visit the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection series of lessons for information on creating a Harmonic Analysis Worksheet

    C
    F
    C
    Gm
    C
    I
    IV
    I
    IVm
    I

    G: Dorian

    C
    F
    C
    Gm
    C
    I
    IV
    I
    IVm
    I

    G: Dorian

    To Coda
    1.
    F
    G
    C
    F
    C :||
    IV
    V
    I
    IV
    I
    2.
    C
    C
    Em
    Am
    I
    I
    III
    VI
    Em
    Em
    Am
    F
    III
    III
    VI
    IV
    D.S. al Coda
    G
    G
    V
    V
    C
    C
    F
    C
    C
    F
    C
    I
    I
    IV
    I
    I
    IV
    I

    Nashville Number System (NNS)

    Nashville Numbering System always uses four bars/measures per line, no bar lines, and default is each number of the number of beats per bar/measure based on the time signature. If multiple chords in same bar then they are underlined. It can be as simple as convert the Roman Numerals above to Arabic number.

    Scale Selection

    Once a Harmonic Analysis has been completed then scale selections can be made. These scale selections can be either vertical and horizontal choices. And, really only needed if you are going to take a solo or embellish the melody with added notes.

    Scale Abbreviation Legend

    Traditional Scale Names: Maj: Major, Dim: Diminished, WT: Whole Tone, Pent: Major Pentatonic,
    Scale Mode Names: Ion: Ionian, Dor: Dorian, Phrygian: Phrygian, Lyd: Lydian, Mix: Mixolydian, Aeol: Aeolian, Loc: Locrian

    Scale Abbreviation Legend

    Traditional Scales: Maj: Major (Ionian), Dim: Diminished, WT: Whole Tone, Har Min: Harmonic Minor,
    Contemporary Scales: Minor Pent: Minor Pentatonic, Pent: Major Pentatonic, Blues,
    Scale/Mode Names: Ion: Ionian (Major), Dor: Dorian (Minor), Phrygian: Phrygian, Lyd: Lydian, Mix: Mixolydian (Dominant), Aeol: Aeolian (Natural Minor), Loc: Locrian

    Checkout LESSONSeries : Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection or download the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection book. And the QuickStart Series of Scale and Arpeggio books.

    RMA book cover QS1UKES book cover

    Performance Notes

    Opening Chord

    The opening chord was performed by multiple Beatles and George Martin. George Harrision play Fadd9 (F A C G) on a Rickenbacker 360/12 12-string guitar and George Martin double that on piano. Paul play a D bass note. John Lennon the same Fadd9 on a Gibson J-600E 6-string acoustic guitar.

    With possible names for this chord ( G7add9sus4 , G7sus4 , or G11sus4 ).And, it being played on multiple instruments. The option in your uke group to to have different players all playing parts of this chord. Or , one player playing a G7sus4 to get close.

    Spread It Across You Uke Group

    The notes are: G B D F A C .

    • Fadd9 for a High "G", C Tuning: 0 0 1 0 and/or 0 5 3 3
    • G7sus4 : 0 2 1 3
    • Bass plays a D at fret (10).

    Links & Resources

    Sign-IN — it's FREE — to view, un-blur any additional content for this lesson.

    End of Lesson - Thanks, Hope You Enjoyed It!

    Related Lessons, Videos, Lesson Series, Songs, Books & Reference Charts, Resources & Assets, Workshops are below.

    Related Lessons

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    ULHA-YB-19

    All My Loving

    Updated: 03 Apr 2023

    Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: "All My Loving".

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    Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

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    Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da".

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    The Daily Ukulele a.k.a., The "Yellow" Book Song Index

    Updated: 12 Apr 2023

    Index of the songs in The Daily Ukulele book. 365 Songs for a Better Living.

    Related Lesson Series

    Related Lessons Series for A Hard Day's Night.

    Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection

    Updated: 09 Jun 2023

    Harmonic Analysis (HA), also known as the study of chord relationships, is the method used to identify the harmonic role of chords within a chord progression or song. A chord progression refers to a sequence of chords, with each chord having a root note and belonging to a specific chord type. The function of a chord within a particular scale's tonality is determined by its relationship to that scale.

    The Daily Ukulele a.k.a., The "Yellow" Book

    Updated: 17 May 2023

    Individual Harmonic Analysis worksheets for the songs of The Daily Ukulele book.

    Related Songs

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    Updated: 05 Dec 2022

    All My Loving is a song by the Beatles, written by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon–McCartney), from the 1963 album With The Beatles. Though it was not released as a single in the United Kingdom or the United States, it drew considerable radio airplay, prompting EMI to issue it as the title track of an EP. The song was released as a single in Canada, where it became a number one hit. The Canadian single was imported into the US in enough quantities to peak at number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 1964.

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    Eleanor Rigby is a song by The Beatles, originally released on the 1966 album Revolver. The song was primarily written by Paul McCartney, although in an interview conducted by Playboy magazine in 1980, John Lennon claimed that "the first verse was his and the rest are basically mine." Pete Shotton, a close friend of Lennon who was present at the time, said "Though John (whose memory could be extremely erratic) was to take credit, in one of his last interviews, for most of the lyrics, my own recollection is that 'Eleanor Rigby' was one 'Lennon-McCartney' classic in which John's contribution was virtually nil."

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