4 Chord Tricks The Beatles Knew (and you should too!)

Subscribe to the channel for more content like this x
🔷 FREE PDF: Major and Minor Line Cliches in 2 Positions: how-to-write-songs.ck.page/dd...
George Harrison's song 'Something' contains 4 exquisite chord moves - once you know what they are and how to use them, you can use them in your own songwriting to create some of the same harmonic sophistication that characterizes so much of The Beatles' music.
🌶 Hot New Course! "The 5 MOST POWERFUL SONGWRITING EXERCISES... REVEALED" - 3 hours of perfectly sequenced learning, with demonstrations, examples, and 18 downloadable resources - all for LESS THAN $40 - www.udemy.com/course/the-5-mo...
🔶 Join our international Songwriters Community - get access to free workshops, live feedback sessions with Keppie and Benny, and more: howtowritesongs.org/community/

[@Giant_Meteor]

I kinda wish I had found your KZbin videos about thirty years ago.

[@JMorg2116]

Right!?

[@janet.osmonson7451]

Agreed, wouldn't have wore out so many turntables haa

[@brucemillar]

Yeah, you and me both. But, all things being even, no one could.

[@scottkaczor2065]

About 50 years for me.

[@saxMD2008]

Amen to that!

[@YourFavouriteColor]

another thing about line cliches that's useful is, they don't always have to happen on the minor 6. that's the most common version, like in C major, you'd do the line cliche on A minor, but another Beatles song shows a totally badass line cliche on minor THREE! "and your bird can sing" incorporates a minor line cliche on the minor 3. This is so cool because it then has the extra result of tonicizing the 5. in other words, it momentarily makes B sound like "5," because when the line cliche resolves to the C#major, it sounds like a "2," but it's actually a major 6. This goes up to E, which is the tonic! But in this context it now sounds like 4. only after it goes up to F#m, the 2 of of the original E major, that you reorient yourself in E. "Tonicization" isn't the same as modulating. It doesn't actually change tonal center, it just makes it sound like it. Very cool trick. the Beatles do it often. Anyway, try line cliches in unusual spots. Another example of an unorthodox on is the "james bond" line cliche where you take a minor, and climb the 5th up chromatically, to #5, then to 6, then back down to #5. In They Might Be Giants "birdhouse in your soul," their prechorus uses the james bond line cliche on the minor 6.

[@Bigfoot-px9gj]

Oh, Thank You for making me remember Mr. Hanson, my 4th grade music teacher. That was 1966, two years after the Beatles came to the US. We were talking about "Modern Music", and someone brought up the Beatles. Mr. Hanson got all riled up about that and yelled at the class that the Beatles only knew four chords. I made the comment that it might be true that they only know four chords, but I'll bet you they're going to make a million dollars off of each one. He got mad and sent me to the Principles office. Looking back now at how rich they eventually became, boy was I ever wrong about it _only_ being a million dollars each. It's more like a _Billion..._ :)

[@bartfeather6176]

I’ve seen several, if not many, KZbin guitar tutorials-mostly about jazz-mention secondary dominants. You’re the first person I’ve ever heard mention the relationship of the secondary dominant to the target chord. Thank you! thank you! thank you! They make so much sense now.

[@marcusvdsn]

A 19 minute video that took me 45 minutes to watch, because it's so good that make me take notes. Best channel on youtube about songwriting! Keep the good work! :)

[@rhllnm]

Just stumbled in and I agree.

[@johnlagreca6288]

45 minutes, ha. I spent 2 hours playing after just watching the first 10 minutes!

[@LKDelahunty]

Thank you so much for putting all this on KZbin. I've been watching hours of your very helpful info over the last week or so! I'm so glad you came into my algorithm! :)

[@ProfGura]

Wonderful examples and explanations. I much appreciate your enthusiasm and the joy in your own learning and involvement in music. THANKS!

[@petrieberries]

I recently found your channel and I want to say thank you for delivering gold in every video! I feel called to songwriting, and although the tips in this particular video is too complex for me to understand right now, I know I’ll circle back to it someday when being more experienced! You’re a life saver and I appreciate how you give such detailed advice 🫶

[@glennmorrissey2529]

This is fantastic, thanks for your time doing the video, wonderful!

[@zekoormate3030]

Great how you explain complicated chord progressions in an understandable way. Thank you so much!

[@BigTwinRiver]

Just fantastic information, thank you. Enough information right here to keep one busy for months trying new things. You also sing wonderfully I love your tone. Cheers.

[@andreistrogino1974]

Amazing! Thank you, subscribed! It's great! All of it - the info, the presentation, the way you play it on the guitar, the choice of songs and the group! I love it all!

[@TheTom5150]

What a tremendously useful video. Very articulate and easy to follow. This one is definitely getting bookmarked and it’s concepts applied to my own compositions. Thank you for sharing

[@silvertongues2]

Great episode, I’ve been doing most of these without knowing what I was doing, especially the major cliche, and recently I’ve been playing Gmaj key a lot and have been dropping in the Fmajor… that I can now call the magic chord, awesome! many thanks it’s enlightening!

[@meeno_the_man]

Really daring, really brilliant lesson. Keep this stuff up. It’s so juicy. Well done.

[@mickcrovo5238]

This is so good. I've been writing songs for a long time and I learned a lot just from these simple tricks. You are really good at explaining.

[@danielhixon5121]

Thank you for making understanding these concepts easy! Wonderful!

[@MrCian83]

You’re amazing! Thank you for all these videos, and your personality in presenting 💙

[@gisellechacon7081]

Just some super chord structure ideas here! I have found gold here before as well. Thanks for a great channel! Also, I really love your voice, it's really cool and gutsy! ☺️

[@JoelBursztyn]

Great video! You are a great teacher!! I could not stop watching you. Your passion is magnetic and the information is gold. The way you explain is so simple and good. Really thank you!!

[@mjholiday557]

Keppie Coutts is absolutely AMAZING !!! This is the best & most helpful channel on songwriting I have found. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for all you've done for me and soo many others! Please keep em' coming !! 🎸🎶

[@josephr.lejeune4539]

You’re such a loving and caring teacher! Thank you! I’m a fan.

[@jimsteele9559]

This was really insightful. Appreciate when someone pulls away the veil and let’s us all in on the trick.

[@yuriserafin9047]

I'm having a great time watching you here. I really like the way you speak, you seem to be excited about the subject all the time. it is the opposite of being boring!

[@nelsonaranha7471]

I've been a songwriter for my entire life, I wrote several songs through the years, but I discovered your channel now and I learned a lot, so I just loved it. Thank you! I'll be following your channel from now on!!! Cheers!

[@jemwand2530]

i have really enjoyed your "enlightening" technique to teaching musical concepts, it's broken down so well that it is neither codescending or mind bogglingly brain numbing. Thank you.

[@SimonMorelguitar]

This is absolutely brilliant Keppie. Loved it. So well put together!

[@HarryVerey]

Very helpful tutorial and excellent video production , articulate and with a very solid understanding of harmony. Great work!

[@michaelricks1618]

Wow!!! That's how to create an instructional video and make it so easy to understand and so super-inspirational too! Thank you so much for sharing.

[@iandevlin_Ibanez]

This is so good. Absolutely brilliant, very clear and concise.

[@EngRMP]

What a great lesson. I'm not at all interested in writing music... But I'm absolutely interested in understanding music. These lessons work just as well for me. Love your enthusiasm, clear and concise examples... and, I love your voice. Thanks so much.

[@tomref4001]

Been 'away' from the guitar for so long since my slightly older friend, and teacher [sic] and me moved on about 1976 time. He was a quick and competent learner and in turn thrived off an older family and cultural connection to many and varied instruments and how important music was. He was inspirational in the way he unlocked the inspirational - you'll know what I mean cos you do that! You are a natural, enthusiastic teacher even surpassing my encyclopedic childhood friend-I had other goals to supersede my musical 'education' (I think even my own musical family connection thereby eschewed it me, perhaps given as they thought of its possible corrosive influence on me in that pursuit), and that full, oftentimes stressful, career in the healing profession has yet confirmed how much music feeds us and our souls. Please keep up the inspirational work. Yours, A child of the music of B Wilson, Donovan, Mitchell, McCartney, Motown, Bolan, Richards, Simon, Clapton and Bowie, and many many others through to most recently (thanks to remastering) Elman (Mischa)-getting old? 😇😎

[@wizardoftoys]

Wonderful expression of theories ! Thanks alot! ( Beautiful voice as well 😊)

[@The-End-Of-The-Line]

Superb lesson! I’m going back to some of my songs that aren’t quite “doing it” for me, and try these ideas. Thank you so much, you have a great channel.

[@dougsmith8430]

I have never written my own Songs… but after discovering this outstanding teacher/ site, I must give a try! I came across this because I was delving into George Harrison‘s music… He is one of my all-time favorites, and this lesson not only explains how to write songs in a beautiful manner, it helps me to understand the songs I love so much, and therefore helps me to understand how to play Guitar with more FEEL! Thank you for this great look at song writing and theory!

[@johnlagreca6288]

Great compositional ideas. The 2 chord secondary dominant has a lot of sauce in it when moving to the tonic dominant. It has the 4th and the 5th and that nice little leading tone.

[@distrustfulmonkey2832]

You should have more subs! Probably the most useful and digestable info I've ever found crammed into such a short space of time! Thanks very much for your work here.

[@muddycube-theboringytchann9036]

Wonderful lesson and how it was presented in this video is top notch!

[@barryjmccormack]

I agree with others who have posted.This is one of the best channels on youtube. The material you post and the way you articulate it is fantastic.

[@stephenraybrown]

I have been writing songs for many years and trying to understand the process to improve my tunes. There is always more to learn, and this is a great place for it. Cheers!

[@barryregan2241]

This is great, it helps me understand so much!

[@maxxblack1525]

this was fabulous and the best explanation ive heard on you tube!

[@GraffitiPhysical]

Love your style. Thank you for making life a little easier.

[@DennisSheaPRM]

Excellent! Stuff I "knew" in the back of my mind but when you explain the mechanics of it, it's like "I could have had a V8!" Thank you.

[@teegleason8044]

You Girl are absolutely Awesome. I am 56 and dove back in to theory about 7 years ago when I started playing again. I cant tell you how your channel helps. Just Fantastic!!!

[@codylyon9517]

Thank you 😊 love your work ♥️ and a beautiful voice 🌟

[@robtoc]

Great lesson, and very interesting...thank you!!!!

[@rayfoster4338]

You are so good appreciate every minute thank you and Merry Christmas

[@toddpacker4683]

Great video. I love watching breakdowns of chord progressions, I wish more youtuber did this

[@charlesalamatto7035]

I’ve just found your channel and although I don’t intend to write any songs I am a George Harrison fan and do play the guitar some. What I enjoyed most is the sound of your singing voice.

[@TKelly-js3os]

Great information! Thanks sooo much for sharing this!

[@angrybuzzy]

Amazing explanations!

[@shawnkintz1538]

She's taken my songwriting to the next level. Thank you so much!

[@priceamp]

Another newbie to your channel. Besides your expertise in music theory etc., you have an awesome voice.

[@jtbkilmartin9110]

Great voice and clear lesson. Thx

[@FMorgigno1]

Really brilliantly articulated. Thank you!

[@HanValen]

I watch a lot of guitar instruction but this lesson is so very good. Thank you!!!

[@christianlacheze3323]

Excellent, many thanks!

[@SohailSiadat]

Fantastic, Thanks for sharing them. Only one of them, I had kind of noticed the pattern ( the first technique of ascending/descending semitones, also used later by Sid Barret & fella). But the two others were new and I need time to digest. Thanks for sharing them.

[@jh58]

Thanks for the music lesson. Just deep enough to tap creativity without paralysis from analysis.

[@ABunnyVTuber]

great video! Definitely going to use these

[@GuitarguyRichard56]

fantastic. This is incredibly insightful. Thank you!

[@JAMZ1960]

Wonderful & your performance was outstanding. Thank you

[@schoontube]

You explained this so well. Thx!

[@jtbjr58]

Great presentation and you have a BEAUTIFUL voice.

[@Alex-no3co]

Great tips! Thanks very much Keppie.

[@wooggeek]

This is the first video I've seen of yours and it was wonderful. The information and delivery gave me a skylight from my underground theory bunker... Yes, Here comes the Sun... 🌞

[@reillynaul153]

Well done . Such a concise and well presented lesson , kept me focused right to the end. ❤ now a subscriber...

[@vacationrichard974]

Great lesson. Absolutely love this.

[@stephendukes]

I learned more here than I have in years. Thanks for the breakdown. Your awesome.

[@tjcint]

True inspiration, born of a musical gift, is where great songs come from. This and this only. There are no 'tricks'.

[@bertbotha8419]

Excellent teaching, thanks.

[@SyntagmaStation]

Great walkthrough. Probably the cleanest explanation of how to change keys that I’ve heard

[@GeorgeSaer-dr1dm]

I think you’re absolutely wonderful, and brilliant as well. A great teacher, funny too!

[@patrickkoenigsfeld1253]

This is awesome! Go figure ive been doing this for years without knowing what i was doing technically. Fun to learn how my ear has been driving the bus for so long!❤ ty for an excellent breakdown!

[@scenesfromamemory118]

Beautiful voice and interpretation singing Something

[@dratuagreg]

your channel is absolute gold!

[@delmayer6559]

You know you're the first person on line I've seen who knows your stuff, says it straight and you're fun!!!

[@helenlizzystewart4908]

always so very informative and helpful

[@JackWard66]

My favourite line cliche that got me into it was "If" by Bread. It's a beautiful sequence throughout the entire verse structure. I took that lesson and wrote a song of my own actually two.... and it's been valuable!

[@HFox-qh7jj]

I make music since more than 30 years and that was the most important lesson I ever had. I knew the key changes of the Beatles but never realised that system with that magic chord. Thank you so much.

[@jimbaker2565]

Great channel guys, learn loads

[@DanielinLaTuna]

Fascinating! Thanks for sharing 🤗😊

[@adrianevans1764]

Happy Heart and Can’t take my eyes off you - good examples of line cliches as well.

[@mattbarr7050]

Thank you for this excellent lesson!

[@JimmyBComputerGuy]

Very nice. Thank you!

[@terrybostock1775]

You are something else. Thank you. ❤

[@musicproductionvideos5019]

This is great info! I've been thinking about making a mind-map of all these various ways to step out of diatonic-land. I would like a handy tool to keep around when writing musical parts... whenever I want to deepen a simple chord progression a bit. It's hard to memorize so many and use them as a bag of tricks.

[@joeyraymond1168]

Thank you so much! You’re a great teacher I learned a lot in this vid

[@vancegodin4149]

brava. thank you. good stuff!

[@james-gang]

cool refresh!

[@frankcruz8068]

Wonderful lesson! Thank you.

[@gustavojmata]

Great job!

[@charliemcgrain]

Great work, mate. Many thanks.

[@rainfieldmusic]

gold for this self taught musician 😊 Thanks & regards

[@andydinesguitar]

Brilliant, just discovered your channel - thought I had a decent grounding in harmony but did not know about pivoting via bVII👌😊

[@Josh31891]

Great vid, one thing i thought was going to be at least mentioned is the intro/transition of F/Eb G/C. I know it doesnt fit into secondary or backdoor dominants, but the ascending chromatic line is nice leading to the tonic, especially as the verse uses descending chromatics. Thank you for the video, loved your explanation!

[@khalidboussif8850]

Wouaw Blowin up my mind. Thanks

[@lastname6584]

Excellent lesson

[@mcmc5335]

I wrote a song that had that magic chord but I didn't know why it sounded so good until this video. Thanks to your explanation, I will hopefully be able to summon that magic whenever needed.