The Beatles Complete Chord Songbook

by Hal Leonard

Product Features

• Features 194 Songs from the Beatles
• Specially Transcribed for Strumming Guitarists
• Includes Chord Symbols and Lyrics
• Playing Guide and a Full Discography
• 400 Pages

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B000VZVT5Y
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #33,395 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments)

Product Description

This great collection features all 194 songs written and sung by The Beatles, specially transcribed here for strumming guitarists, from the actual recordings, in the original keys. Each song includes chord symbols, guitar chord boxes and complete lyrics. Also features a helpful playing guide and a full discography.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Have Beatle Songbook, September 19, 2007

By 

Jerry Valenti (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Beatles Complete Chord Songbook

If you play guitar this is the one Beatle songbook to own. Every song is really chorded ACCURATELY (with some very small and minor exceptions) from the original recordings. This includes some songs that open with guitar riffs picked out of chords. The text is only lyrics and chord markings (with chord patterns at the top of the page). However, since they follow the recordings you can learn the songs by listening and playing along. I'm surprised somebody did not published such a book twenty years ago. I would have bought it then!!

2.0 out of 5 stars Beginner fake book, not for intermediate or advanced, June 25, 2009

By 

James E. Carroll "James E. Carroll" (Black River Falls, WI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Beatles Complete Chord Songbook

This isn't the real deal. Looking at the price, in retrospect, I should have realized before I ordered it that, as we've heard before, "If it sounds too good to be true..."

In the book's introduction it says: "...chord shapes have been simplified whenever possible..." "...The Beatles made frequent use of barre chords...easier shapes have sometimes been substituted". This band had three phenomenally talented and creative guitarists, and their voicings have been completely ignored in favor of first-position "cowboy chords".

If that's what you want, go for it. Most of the changes are correct, and a really advanced guitarist with a good ear could figure out the inversions, extensions and voicings pretty well for him/herself. If you know a little bit about Beatle tunes and the guitar, this book might reinforce what you already know, but if you're past that stage, give this book a pass.

I guess this is one place where a visit to a brick and mortar bookstore or music store might have been advisable, to actually look inside the book at the chord charts.

Certainly someone has transcribed the chord voicings more closely to the originals. I'm going to keep looking.