The Beatles Complete Chord Songbook
by The Beatles
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Book Reviews of The Beatles Complete Chord Songbook
Book Review: The Beatles made simple
Summary: 5 Stars
This book, though not quite complete, is indispensable for the rhythm guitarist trying to demystify the Beatles. Unfortunately you don't get the songs that they've covered, nor "Flying", for some reason. Songs that are driven by alternate instruments, like "Within You Without You" and finger-picking based songs like "Here Comes The Sun" are not fully represented, but again, this book is for the rhythm guitarist. However it does utilize different chord formations to economize on hand movement so that you're not running up and down the neck with chord changes. Its an added bonus that teaches you different forms of the same chords. The only caveat is the binding. Its a softbound binding where it really needs to be spiral-bound. I took it to a jam session last night and it took a bulldog clip AND my sister to keep it open.
Bottom line, is this book worth it? Definitely. For guitar players who can only read tabs and chords (as John and Paul were/are), it more than pays for itself before you get to the "B" section. There's never going to be a definitive book giving you note-for-note transcriptions of the Beatles recordings, but this book gives you a good, solid base for learning the songs.
Book Review: There are too many good things about it to downplay how good this book is!
Summary: 5 Stars
I just have to start out by saying that the one for "blackbird" in this book is astonish. It's amazing, the exact chords on the recording and i reckon you can even use it to fingerpick! :-)!
Ok now to the main point, this book might be a bit big and you can't put it standing up perfectly on your music stand, i know i know. With that in mind, I would suggest you be careful with it... because i kinda made a little tear on a few pages already. But this shouldn't downplay the book's intellectual and "inside of the cover" qualities, after it's a book...
So on to the next pro. I know you can go on the net and get lots of tabs, but i guarantee you mate, this is the best! It's really in the exact keys as on the recordings!
Be aware that if you want to play the songs on PLEASE PLEASE ME, you won't find "Baby it's you" "Chains" and a few others on there. That's for the reason that those songs were covers. The Beatles didn't write them. Hence if they didn't write them, they really can't have it on your sheet music catalouge...
OVERALL, this book is great mate, get it if you're a beatles fanatic like me and many others out there. GOODLUCK WITH THE FAB FOUR!
Book Review: ALMOST .... perfect
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a GREAT book for rhythm guitarists to strum along with, and a great tool for singers to have the lyrics uncluttered by staff notation. Very useful at impromptu parties and unplugged gigs !!!
PLUSES: All the songs are in the correct keys, unlike many Beatles songbooks. And the chord diagrams really help illustrate some of those weird fingering positions, but fill in those magical Beatle passing chords that make the songs great.
MINUSES: The physical format. As noted in many other reviews, being it is obviously geared to rhythm guitarists, the book should be able to lay open and flat, but the binding prohibits that. MY SUGGESTION: do what I did and take it to an office supply store, have then peel the hard-binding and insert a spiral binding. It makes navigating through it a breeze (it's in MOSTLY alphabetical order, with a few songs swithched around a slot or two) and it will lay open on any flat surface or stand.
The only other "minus" is that it's missing some of the songs the Beatles did not write, but released as cover versions.
Book Review: Great book -- but why are several songs out of order?
Summary: 4 Stars
This book advanced my piano and guitar playing more than several years of lessons; it essentially taught me how to play by chords vs. sight reading. I do, however, recommend a few improvements:1) Eleven songs appear out-of-order [check out the Amazon pages above]. Here's a list:
Dear Prudence (off by 4 pages)
Golden Slumbers (off by a whopping 36 pages)
I Am the Walrus (off by 14 pages)
I've Got a Feeling (off by 24 pages)
Long, Long, Long (off by 12 pages)
Maxwell's Silver Hammer (off by 4 pages)
Old Brown Shoe (off by 24 pages)
Rain (off by 3 pages)
Sun King (off by 14 pages)
The End (off by 2 pages)
You'll Be Mine (off by 8 pages)
[Perhaps the songs should have been listed in order by album/recording date?]
2) The binding is poor, and cannot be used on a music stand.
3) The key transposition (on songs where the capo is recommended) is a bummer... to play the songs without a capo requires a re-transposition [not too easy to do on-the-fly].
Book Review: Great Reference for Guitarists
Summary: 5 Stars
First off: excellently selected chords. The guy shows you exactly which chord shapes and fret positions they are using in each song. The Beatles sometimes used the same chord (ex:D) played in open and barre position within the same song. Makes a difference.
Second: ALL songs in the correct key! Fire up the cd player and play along! If they tuned a semi- or full tone lower, you'll know with this book. Really fun for skipping around from song to song. Much better than so much of the free stuff on the Net!
Third: all lyrics are there.
I wish there were books this great 40 years ago when I began picking!
A simple book with no tab but still a great reference. The Beatles employed many cool styles ... you'll get your rhythm chops down well with this one. Plus you'll be learning some of the best popular music ever written. Timeless tunes. Higly recommended song book at a bargain price. Nab it now and keep it for life.