Paul McCartney’s Secret Technique for Beautiful Chords
Paul McCartney’s “Blackbird” is not only one of the most iconic songs of all time, but it’s also a masterclass in how simple chords can create sophisticated sounds on the guitar. In this post, we dive into the secrets behind the song’s beautiful two-note chord voicings, explore the concept of 10th intervals, and share practical tips to help you integrate these ideas into your own songwriting.
This article is a summarised transcript of our video “Paul McCartney’s Simple Chord Formula Every Songwriter Needs to Know!”. Click here to watch the video for more details, explanations and examples.
Understanding Basic Guitar Chords
Most of the basic chord shapes which guitarists learn are known as triads. This means that the chords only have 3 notes in them. On one hand, minor chords have the notes 1 – b3 – 5, whilst major chords have the notes 1 – 3 – 5. For many of the basic chord shapes, notes are doubled, resulting in a fuller sound – ideal for strumming. Here are some examples below:
In the case of “Blackbird”, Paul McCartney uses only two note voicings in order to imply chords. However, he doesn’t use just any two notes. He specifically uses the 1 and 3 of each chord in order to imply what kind of chord they are. This works because out of the 3 notes in a triad, the interval between the 1 and 3 is what defines a chord’s quality. For example, major chords have a major 3rd, whilst minor chords have a minor 3rd.
Click here for our PDF with graphic illustrations of the chords in Blackbird and 2-note voicings in every key for use in your songs:
Introducing 10ths
When Paul McCartney used two note voicings, he arranged the notes in such a way that there is an interval of a 10th in between them. A 10th is the same as a 3rd, but placed an octave above. This can be seen more clearly if we take a look at the first two chords in “Blackbird”:
The image on the left is of G Major, whilst the image on the right is of A minor. If we lay out the notes, we’ll see that the distance between G and B is a 10th, and the distance between A and C is also a 10th. This directly corresponds to the 1 and 3 of G Major, as well as the 1 and 3 of A Minor.
By using these two note voicings, we are able to achieve a very clear and uncluttered sound, thus leaving room for other musical elements. These voicings are not only clear—they are also extremely movable. Whether you’re playing in the key of G, D, or any other key, the small, intimate shapes allow you to shift positions on the guitar effortlessly.
Using Tenths in Your Songwriting
The first thing you should do is pick a key, and lay out the chords in the key as two note voicings. Then, experiment with playing those two note voicings across both the fifth and sixth strings. To demonstrate this concept, here are two versions of the progression G Am Bm played as two note voicings:
An easy way to differentiate the major and minor chords is through observing their different shapes when played across the fifth and sixth strings respectively. When played across the sixth string, minor chords are straight lines, whilst major chords are slanted lines. On the other hand, both major and minor chords are slanted lines when played across the fifth string. The difference is that the major chord slant spans 3 frets, whilst the minor chord slant spans 2 frets.
After selecting your chord voicings, you should then decide how to play them. It’s to be noted that these voicings won’t sound good strummed, as that would cause clashing strings to ring out. The most effective way to play these chords is to use your thumb and finger to pinch the strings. You can either choose to pinch the strings at the same time or in an alternating manner.
Once you’ve decided on a rhythmic pattern and your chords, you could experiment with including non-diatonic chords to create a chromatic pattern. An example of this in “Blackbird” is when Paul McCartney uses the progression C C#dim D D#dim Em. The chords C#dim and D#dim are both not within the key. However when used, they create a pleasant ascending chromatic pattern.
Lastly, consider that some keys lend themselves better to the open strings being activated compared to others. For example, you can allow the B and high E strings on your guitar to ring out if you were playing in the key of E. This is because both of those notes are diatonic to the key of E. You can also hear this in “BlackBird”, as Paul McCartney plays the chords by allowing the other strings on his guitar to ring out, rather than pinching only two strings.
Conclusion: Paul McCartney’s Secret Technique for Beautiful Chords
Paul McCartney’s use of two-note voicings in “Blackbird” is a brilliant example of how simplicity can be powerful. By reducing chords to their essential intervals, you achieve a level of clarity and movement that full voicings might obscure. Whether you’re a seasoned songwriter or just starting out, exploring these techniques can help spark creativity and transform the way you approach guitar and songwriting.
If you would like more details, explanations and examples, then be sure to check out the video now.
