The Beatles: Complete Scores

by The Beatles, Hal Leonard Corporation (Editor)

This special music book contains every song written and/or recorded by The Beatles (including covers), transcribed exactly as played by the Fab Four. Scores include all instrumental parts (even drums!), guitar, and bass in both notation and guitar tab, plus chords, and complete lyrics. 212 songs. 1,136 pages, hardcover in deluxe slip case.

Genres: Music, Reference, Nonfiction

1136 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 40th Birthday gift.... the ultimate in such gifts for an absolute Beatle nut!

There are very few Beatles songs that I do not love.... perhaps "Why don't we do it in the road?", "Revolution 9" and "Blue Jay Way" come the closest to accomplishing that task.

But as for my favourites... where do you start and when do you end?

Penny Lane, Hey Jude, Eleanor Rigby, I'm Only Sleeping, Michelle, I Am the Walrus, Hello Goodbye, Two Of Us, For No One, Got To Get You Into My Life, The End, The Fool On The Hill,I Feel Fine,Strawberry Fields Forever, I'll Be Back, Rocky Raccoon, Lady Madonna, In My Life, Oh! Darling, She Said, She Said, Your Mother Should Know, Things We Said Today, You Like Me Too Much, Ask Me Why, Yesterday, We Can Work it Out, Across the Universe, The Ballad of John and Yoko, Something, Dig A Pony, Let It Be, Sun King, etc, etc, etc....

...well... that's a few of my favourites...

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible book. Sure, it's got a lot of inaccuracies in the transcriptions - piano parts especially seem to be heavily simplified - but it's close enough to help you figure it out. This is a book I will treasure and refer to for the rest of my life. Vocals, harmonies, rhythm guitars, lead guitars, bass, drums, percussion and orchestral parts all included.

The only thing that lets it down slightly is the presentation, it's not the easiest to read (especially guitar solos) and overuses 'repeat' marks and very odd chord boxes. Spend a bit of time with what you want to learn, though, and it all comes together.

I wish books like this existed for more artists! It must have taken a long time to put together.

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an amazing reference. You could spend hours just browsing it with guitar in hand. Very well-notated.

Re-rated: some occasional inaccuracies in the transcriptions.

[Randall Reese · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have probably actually "read" almost this entire book over the last 20 years. Maybe one of the most remarkable works on the Beatles I have ever seen. Written pre Anthology and Free as a Bird, but a monumental accomplishment. Those four Japanese guys who transcribed this should be getting much more credit than they do.

Does not have all versions of all songs (single vs. album version of Let it Be for example), but as close to complete as you could possibly dream.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm forever grateful to the mad genius who created this book. The scores are incredibly detailed with only rare inaccuracies. I'm wowed every time I look in and find a riff or lick that eluded me. A larger format with a coil spine would be nice though.

[Bobby · Rating 5 out of 5]

How did they get such accurate transcriptions? As far as I can tell they're dead on.

The only fault I can find is that some of the guitar chords they chose are very strange.

[Matty Doherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the time of buying i couldn't play a note on any instrument. I read the scores from cover to cover and was absolutely hooked.

[Curt Granger · Rating 5 out of 5]

When The Beatles are your favorite band...

[Maurizio Codogno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vidi per la prima volta questo libro nel 1990, in Giappone dove ero andato a una conferenza. Il negozio però non accettava carte di credito e non avevo yen a sufficienza, così lo lasciai là e mi morsi le dita per quattro anni. Poi la Hal Leonard acquisì i diritti per gli USA, e subito mi affrettai a pagare gli allora 60$ necessari per farlo mio.
Il libro, se volete, rafforza lo stereotipo dei nipponici: quattro tizi, con tanta pazienza, si sono messi a trascrivere le canzoni dei Beatles - c'è persino Revolution 9 - con tutte le parti di ciascuno strumento. Ci sono degli errori, alcuni anche marchiani, ma il risultato è strabiliante. Ho provato a suonare qualche brano a partire da queste trascrizioni, e vi garantisco che è una gioia. (sì, probabilmente occorre fotocopiare le pagine ingrandendole: ma è appunto un reference book)

[Eric Stefani · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book contain just about every notes of music the Beatles ever recorded. It amazing but hard to read such small print and being the book size I'm a little clumsy handling such a large book. The paper is thin paper like you'd see in a Bible. Yes all the drum parts, vocals and even guitar solos to trumpet parts. I've worked through a dozen songs with this book but still don't know if the music is rubbing off into my playing. They were a great band with great personalities and songs. Simply the best.

[Scott Golden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so let's say that you have a band and you want to play Beatles songs. THIS is the music book for you! That said, there are a number of significant 'mistakes' -- mainly, chord diagrams that show the correct chord name, but are NOT diagramed the way that the Beatles played them. However, used in conjunction with a viewing of the numerous surviving videos of The Beatles playing live, this book serves as an invaluable guide for recreating some truly wonderful musical magic.

[David Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

A treasure for musicians that are influenced by the Fab Four. I mainly used it to reference those complex chords that I would hear in their music, but couldn't figure out which pretzel-like shape my fingers should make to recreate it. Includes both the musical staff and tablature versions of every song in their catalog...even Ringo's parts.

[Michael Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hal Leonard is shameless with repackaging the same material under "different" titles - and publishing bad piano arrangements of rock music - but they redeemed their souls with this book. These are note for note scores - with correct instrumentation - of the complete Beatles catalog, as recorded. Astonishing!

[David Franklin · Rating 4 out of 5]

For Beatles fans who play a bit of music, its an amazing piece of work. The reason for it being rated a 4 and not a 5 is the actual format and size of the hardcover book is such that you could never use it as a score. In the end, I use if mainly to clarify instrumental elements in a song rather than as the main guitar reference (although, it does help with bass lines).

[Brianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though the Beatles sometimes played variations of the chords listed on higher frets (which you can tell by watching their TV performances), this book was a Godsend. I toted this book around everywhere while I was learning the guitar.

[Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book isn't a five. It's a six. The best way to learn the songs of the Beatles ever. In addition, you learn some good, vintage guitar licks along the way. If you play guitar, go get this book. You'll know what I mean once you give it a try.

[Thomas Cavanagh · Rating 5 out of 5]

great reference. Accurate but not perfect. Essential to anyone who wants to analyze the beatles song writing

[Pjtibbetts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Notation for every instrument, every song.
Essential for all musicians, even if you're only a mild Beatle fan.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

For any Beatles fans who can read music, this book should be your Bible.

[Dustin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great for analysis but not exactly a "Real book," in other words: hard to make photo copies and too large for any regular music stand. It's pretty much a pop theory book.

[Kiof]

the terrors of small print

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most accurate transcriptions, so I've been told. Essential for any musical Beatlefan.

[Beatles1964 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant effort. Only small error is 'When I'm Sixty-Four' transcribed in C Major rather than C# Major(use a capo).

[David Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must have for devout Beatles fans, every note, every chord. Check out The End to see who plays which guitar solo at, well, the end.

[Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Together with Andy Babiuk's Beatles Gear, this volume should have a sticker on it reading "For freaks only".
Only Japanese patience could habe done this book, thank you, thank you.

[Joel Ungar · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to play The Beatles on piano (or on Hammond organ) this is the book you have to get.

[Mark Showalter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic resource for the music of this great band. Some mistakes throughout but the sheer volume of the information makes the goofs excusable.

[Bruno B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should've been 20 different books.

EDIT: changed the rating after I noticed the bird on the staff for Blackbird.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

not nearly 100% accurate but still a nice book to own, and the music is (of course) wonderful.