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Author Topic: Northern Songs Beatles sheet music: key signatures...  (Read 6218 times)

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Xose

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Northern Songs Beatles sheet music: key signatures...
« on: August 13, 2011, 09:07:14 PM »

As we all know, the published Beatles songs by Northern Somgs along sixties were, in many cases, in "wrong" keys, a decission probably due to the "easiness" of those keys for amateur piano players (=please, do correct me if I'm wrong...)

But some songs do not seem to "agree" with this hypothesis, and one of them is 'And I Love Her'. It was published by Northern Songs in July 1964, if I'm not wrong, and in the key of Eb, i.e., with three flats on the key signature.

Probably you could agree with me that Eb is not an "easy" key for amateur piano players, so... what?? Perhaps the transcribers at Northern Songs were working with a record player that lowered the speed down to a semitone??

I would lime to know your opinions about this subject...

Best!! ;)

Xosé
« Last Edit: August 13, 2011, 09:09:28 PM by Xose »
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peterbell1

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Re: Northern Songs Beatles sheet music: key signatures...
« Reply #1 on: August 15, 2011, 09:37:41 AM »

I wonder if that particular piece of music was transcribed for brass or woodwind instruments.
Not sure about all of these instruments, but I know that Bflat and Eflat are popular keys for saxophones, and Bflat is the main key of the trumpet.

Perhaps there are sheet music versions in the real key of E (for piano and guitar players) and the transposed key of Eflat for brass/woodwind players?
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Xose

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Re: Northern Songs Beatles sheet music: key signatures...
« Reply #2 on: August 15, 2011, 12:20:27 PM »

Yes: that could be a reason...

But please: have a look at this link.

We all know that transcribers working for publishing companies worked with reel-to-reel tapes those days to do their work. A paragraph from the link provided says:

"...When the Beatles signed on with Capitol in late 1963, the reel to reel tape was the only tape alternative to vinyl. Professional recordings were made on reel tapes (as some still are today). These were reproduced at one half or one fourth of the recorded speed for the public..."

A professional transcriber from those days, who worked for some publishing companies in the USA, told me that:

"...When I was doing takedowns, transcriptions, arrangements, etc., one problem that occasionally surfaced when given a tape (usually an open reel) was, 'what speed should this be played at?'..."

So..., wouldn't have faced with the same question the transcribers working for Northern Songs by those days??

And..., did The Beatles by those times (=for example, for the sessions dated February 1964) tune their guitars in A=440 accurately??

Doubtlessly, Northern Songs had their own transcribers back in the sixties to do the work. if that song (=as many others) was published in E flat instead of the original E, was due to one of the following reasons:

1) The reel-to-reel tape was played at slower speed

2) The Beatles didn't tune their guitars in A=440, but ca. 415

3) Dick James didn't want to publish a song with four sharps (=for commercial reasons...)

It would be very interesting to find who were the transcribers working for Northern Songs by those days...

Best!! ;)

Xosé
« Last Edit: August 15, 2011, 12:23:45 PM by Xose »
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Xose

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Re: Northern Songs Beatles sheet music: key signatures...
« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2011, 01:56:42 PM »

A question for the British people here:

On the 'And I Love Her' sheet music published by Northern Songs, there is a code at the bottom of the first page: "...TEM 1687-8...". I guess this could be the deposit copy number.

Any clues??

Thanks in advance and best wishes!! ;)

Xosé
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Xose

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Re: Northern Songs Beatles sheet music: key signatures...
« Reply #4 on: August 19, 2011, 10:31:02 AM »

A question for the British people here:

On the 'And I Love Her' sheet music published by Northern Songs, there is a code at the bottom of the first page: "...TEM 1687-8...". I guess this could be the deposit copy number.

Any clues??...


This is an acetate of Dick James Music Limited demo of 'From Me To You/Thank You Girl' (=the last demo before Dick James Music became Northern Songs):



The serial number on the disc is TEM.1687/8 1610/1035, so it's clear that the code I'm looking for is not the deposit code number...

Xosé
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Xose

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Re: Northern Songs Beatles sheet music: key signatures...
« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2011, 10:31:48 AM »

Another acetate with the same code:



Xosé
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Xose

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Re: Northern Songs Beatles sheet music: key signatures...
« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2011, 10:57:37 AM »

On Chazz Avery website, there is this reading under the Dick James acetates section:

"...22 June 1964
[E53175] A (remix)
E53121 on the job sheet
And I Love Her (RM2) B..."


Please: what does "...on the Job sheet..." mean??

Thanks in advance and best wishes!! :wink:

Xosé
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Hello Goodbye

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Re: Northern Songs Beatles sheet music: key signatures...
« Reply #7 on: August 20, 2011, 12:09:59 AM »

I don't think it's a unique serial number for the recording, Xosé.  The same code TEM.1687/8 is stamped on both labels.  The song name is typed.

Maybe TEM stands for "template" and how the disc was pressed.  Anyway a good source for the exact meaning of these numbers and the phrase "on the job sheet" would be Chazz Avery himself.  He does provide an email link on his website and I'm sure he would be happy to explain it all to you.

Barry
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Xose

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Re: Northern Songs Beatles sheet music: key signatures...
« Reply #8 on: August 20, 2011, 09:30:35 AM »

Thank you very much, Barry!! ;)

The fact is that code, TEM 1687/8, is stamped in all Dick James Music items, both acetates and sheet music. So..., perhaps the registered number for the company??

I emailed Chazz Avery. I will let you know when he replies me...

Best!! ;)

Xosé
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Bobber

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Re: Northern Songs Beatles sheet music: key signatures...
« Reply #9 on: September 05, 2011, 09:27:12 AM »

Chazz used to post on this forum some time ago. Unfortunately he stopped posting. But Barry's right, he probably will be happy to share his knowledge.
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Xose

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Re: Northern Songs Beatles sheet music: key signatures...
« Reply #10 on: September 05, 2011, 02:59:44 PM »

Thank you very much, Bobber!! ;)

I didn't have any reply from Chazz Avery so far...

Xosé
« Last Edit: September 05, 2011, 03:34:08 PM by Xose »
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