Published:
2023-10-31
Updated:
2023-10-31
Learning Ukulele with Curt
A Hard Day's Night
Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: "A Hard Day's Night" by the Beatles.
Author(s): Curt Sheller Publisher: Curt Sheller Publications Code: ULHA-YB-100
Main Category: Harmonic-Analysis Main Instrument: Any
Subjects: Chords
2023-10-31
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.
Ukulele Chords
These and many other chords are covered in the Learn A Chord A Day series of lessons.
C Tuning Chords
In the Daily Ukulele series of book the chords are actually listing in their order of appearance. And, are always the basic open position chords when possible.
Starting Melody Note and 1st Interval
Intervals Legend: 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) Worksheet
Visit the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection series of lessons for information on creating your own Harmonic Analysis Worksheet
The 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.
NOTE: A Harmonic Analysis Worksheet is NOT intended to be a lead leadsheet.
Minimal roadmap information such as repeats, fine, D.S., D.C., and codas has 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 indicated in the Yellow Book
. You should start to recognize that 1st endings typically always return to a previous verse or an 
section. With a 2nd ending, a transition to a different part of the song, a 
or chorus. Harmonic Principles are used for these repeats and transitions.
If turnback chords are not indicated for these 1st and 2nd endings in the original Yellow Book leadsheet, recommended chord(s) will be indicated 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. Typically a V or direct substitution of that next chord.
Reference Key
This is the key of the source leadsheet.
Harmonic Principles Used:
These are the harmonic principles used in A Hard Day's Night.
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 converting the Roman Numerals above to Arabic numbers.
At its simplest you simply replace the roman numbers with Arabic numbers. e.g., I becomes 1 , II becomes 2 , etc. The only exception is the bVII7 chord becomes 7 as this borrowed chord from the Mixolydian tonality is so common and the VII (half-diminished seventh) in a major chord is so rare (actually never). And, you could go as far as saying all the modes are numbered: I II III IV V VI VII — just as in the major scale. So calling it a 7 is not that far out.
Check the definitive book Nashville Number System
Scale Selection
Once a Harmonic Analysis has been completed, scale selections can be made. These scale selections can be either vertical or 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), Nat Min: Natural Minor, 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
Altered Scales: Mix+4: Mixolydian Plus 4 / Lydian Dominant, Mix-2-6: Mixolydian flat 2, flat 6
Checkout the Lesson Series: 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.
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).