SOLVED: Noel Gallagher's Unplayable Chord From All Around The World 

This is the definition of passion and research, well done James. Oasis memory lives through fans like you❤

It’s a G#m7 with the bass playing a F# that is the 7th. It is not supposed to be played with only one guitar.

so excited for the new chris buck video covering the chord from All Around the World that he'll uncover in a few months.

Okay, here's a geeky explanation...😅 If anyone wonders why Noel uses the G#m7 in this part of All Around the World, it's simply because the verse chords were originally written one semitone up, so that G#m7 would then be an Am7 with a G base note, which is easy to play on guitar and is a very popular chord (I use it in various of my own songs). Because AATW has the key changes later in the song, Noel needed to transpose the opening verse chords down one semitone, in order to make those later key changes work, and not be too high, vocally. The verse chords, when Noel first came up with the song, will have been C, G, F, Am, G (sing it over those chords and you'll see what I mean). Then the 'Take me away...' section is Dm, F, Am, Am7 (with G bass note). Because the final version of the verse has all these chords brought down a semitone, that's why it's all weird bar chords instead of 'standard' open chords. 😎

That's why the bass player is there for, to play those notes

It was nice to see your ‘Solved’ video for the mystery chord in DLBiA proved correct with Noel’s recent interview on the ‘That Pedal Show’ channel. I’ve seen another video since it came out showing what the chord is as a result and I was like, ah Mr H already had that covered mate. Good work! Keep em coming 👍🏻

I’ve always played this song tuned down a half step to E Flat. The chord I play at that exact moment is a CMaj7/G fretted like 332OOO But this really shows how important a bass player can be in a band, they allow unplayable chords to be orchestrated amongst multiple players.

Drop D. The G# minor to F# bass is just 666444 to 464444. You don't lose any open notes, you just play the main chords slightly differently, eg the intro chords are just 999700 to 444300 to 222100.

i love these types of videos , thank you. you should do more breaking songs down track by track , maybe on SOTSOG or heathen chemistry !

Love these videos. Keep em coming

Great job James! I think what is actually happening in the recording is a "A Hard Day's Night" intro chord situation. Where the sum of different chords sum into what we hear. So maybe one guitar is capoed, one is playing bare chords (not doing any change maybe?), then we have the change in the bass or something like that.

A way to play it is to use a drop D tuning. The chords are then a bit tricky to play, but with a bit of work it is possible.

I remember watching that, video of you with Noels magic chord, when I was a kid, I learnt from you. Thanx.

Be here now as a album. Sounds very simple strumming album. But in truth it's a very progresive chords album. Noel is and was a very underated guitarist.

I’ve had a look at that awkward chord, and played it as: EADGBe 2X1444 Still a bit of a stretch though, as I’m using middle finger to fret low E and mute A, index to fret 1st fret D, and pinky to bar across G, B, and high E.

I didn’t even know this was a thing,I’ve always played that chord,You just stay in the same position and take the pinky off,I actually thought everyone knew this,

Another brill vid James bud 👍🎸🎶

Great video, man!

If this was a Steely Dan fan channel, James would have to do a video like this for every track in the catalogue.

While it's not ergonomic for the chords following it, I devised this fingering. Think of the open Am shape and then move the three notes on the D, G and B strings down and take your finger off the A string. There you have a partial G#m chord. Then add the F# on the bass. So it would look something like this: 2-x-1-1-0-x.

Its almost like the bass player is necessary in a band 😊

Using a capo would also make things difficult when the song changes keys to C Major and then D Major! All those nice easy open chords in those keys would be unavailable due to the capo. Unfortunately for myself (a baritone/bass vocalist), I can't sing "All Around The World" in the original key so I've always brought it down a 5th to E Major (and F and G major for the key changes) Another great video as always James! 👍

Good work i really enjoyed that 👍

Love this as usual mate, reckon as a next task you could work out the solo at the end of Take Me Away? Its just a strange one

Thanks a lot,! it means a lot how you manage to please oasis fan base once again , cheers from Argentina!

Loving the passion for music from the greatest era!

wait there's bass on be here now?

Awesome video as usual! I have another mystery for you to solve: While the rehearsal video from the Boardwalk is claimed to be from 1992, Noel is playing the Epiphone Les Paul he bough after they got signed (according to Tony's book), Liam is confidently singing with the techniques he developed during the Live Demonstration recordings, and Bonehead has significantly less hair than on any photos from '92. I'm quite positive that this video is from late '93, but there's a good chance it's from early '94. They use the exact same gear and look exactly like they did in Gleneagles and Glastonbury and The Word.

Another great video.

The best approximation I've found is 22110x, with ring and pinky fingers on the 2nd frets of E and A strings (for F# and B), index and middle fingers on the first frets of D and G (for D# and G#), B string open, and high E muted (ideally by squeezing the neck and using the fat of your palm to deaden it). The trade-off is that you lose the high notes, particularly that D# that rings out on the 4th fret of the B string (in a normal G#m chord). You would need to deliberately soften the higher notes of the G#m in order to make the transition less jarring, as you'd then descend two steps instead of six. But that's incongruous to the vibe of the song, which is very bright and shimmery and now you're inserting a dark, brooding jazz chord into the mix and castrating one of the most impactful chords to make it slightly less unappealing. I say, if lifting off one finger from a bog-standard G#m is good enough for Noely G, then it should be good enough for all of us. 😜

Vocals on point here james 🙌

Hey James, could you tell me what all the background voices in the opening of Columbia are saying? Is your signature guitar still available?

Great work James! Can you also check out “Stop Crying Your Heart Out” on the the 2nd Hold On, many transcriptions say ‘Asus’ I reckon it’s closer to a “D major in second inversion(D/A) what do you think🤔 All the best!🎸

I don’t know if it’s necessary to throw in the F# as the bass note for the guitar chord as long as the bass guitar pedals it like it is. AC/DC threw in oddball combos like that all the time that had countless garage band guitarists playing chords wrong for decades - especially in songs from Highway to Hell through For Those About to Rock. It’s the combined sound of both guitars and the bass at the same time that makes it work. And the differences are so subtle between the three but make such a difference to the ear when played right vs. wrong (tab book style). Cheers! Awesome series on the mystery chords of Oasis!

That's amazing. It's a beautiful chord. The G#min7 is close, but yea....need that F#. What a conundrum....

Another mystery chord Solved Againish!? Could you please do a Reconstruction of or Play the Live version of Fade In Out at Gmex? Cheers again 👊

Bonehead was the bar chords guy while, Noel played the open chords. In the evidence you give, they don't use capos, so maybe the chord we can hear is a combination of bonehead and Noel playing different two chords that really fit among them. I can get from your perspective that you want to get the same exact sound from one guitar. I understand from other videos from you that the wall of sound was in part favored from multiple guitar layers, so we are hearing a resultant sound. Great research.

Have a look at the "Glider GLX1 Capo" or "Spider Capo Open Tuning Capo" style capos. Not sure if the timing to switch will work and I can't see Noel using something like that, but you never know.

"And it sounds sh!t." 😂 got me.

I don't play guitar much anymore but if I did, I would just play the easy F#. ;-) Love these analysis vids though. Meant to say James, I watched a video of Oasis playing My Big Mouth at Bridlington in 2009 and they changed the chords and how they played it compared to the original. Have to say though I always found that song had a tricky rhythm pattern to it especially using major and minor chords.

This is amazing, i love that i know this now

nice one. what about Fort Knox? the part ''you gotta get yourself together'' gem looks playing a sequence of chords while noels hand is stuck in one...would be interesting 🎉🎉🎉

It’s a lot easier than you think. It’s just a B Major 6th chord with F# on the bass. You can either just use Noel’s shape but then mute the low E string and let the bass guitar do the rest, or just play a simple B major 6th chord with just your 3rd finger on 4th fret, while muting the A string, and playing F# on the low E string. The only problem with playing it with the Ab on the low E string is that it clashes with what the chord wants to be, so playing it as a B Major 6th with F# on the bass will give you the correct intended sound

Ok, here goes. Do a B6/f# with the thumb covering the bass note and index/middle finger to barre the rest of the notes. Then Index finger on the R hand "taps" the C# note on the A string. You now have your G#m7/F#. Then strum with your available thumb. Maybe not the best way but it is a way.

Could you do a full lead guitar tab for All around the world? Ideally a live version from 97/98 like at the Gmex. Can’t find anything online so I’ve tried to transcribe it myself purely by watching Noel and I’m missing some key things lol. Thanks

James, could you do a video commenting about Noel's gear presented on the pedal show? That's be awesome! Cheers.

Y’know, I tend to forget about things like how All Around the World was played as far back as that pre-signed Oasis clip, a couple BHN songs being played at Knebworth '96; an entire year prior to BHN's release. Yet, Noel claims he "went on holiday with for the sole purpose of writing the entire Be Here Now album" or something to that effect. I think he is slightly exaggerating. So, James, how much of BHN was already written before Noel claims to have taken an entire vacation to write the album? In other words, which songs were brand spanking new and written on said holiday? I'm dying to know this and you're the man to ask. Cheers!

Is it the same (or a similar) chord to the one played at the end of Hitchin a Ride by Green Day? Might be mistaken but i've definitely heard it at the end of a GD song

Alright James. This is how I play it👍(Detune Top E to D) E--(4)Index.......(4)I B--(4)Index.......(4)I G--(4)Index.......(4)I D--(6)Pinky.......(4)I A--(6)Ring.........(6)R D--(6)Middle.....(4)I .....(G# m)..........(G# m7/F#) _____________ Other Chord Fingerings..... E---X...................X.........X........(0)........(0) B--(2)Index.......(1)I......(3)P.....(0)........(0) G--(3)Middle....(2)M....(1)I......(8)I.......(1)I D--(4)Pinky.......(3)P.....(2)R.....(9)P......(2)P A--(4)Ring........(3)R.....(2)M....(9)R.....(2)R D--(4)Thumb....(3)T.....(2)T.....(9)M....(2)M .....(F#).............(F).......(E7).....(B).......(E) Cheers James

On the perspective of a band, there´s no problem if you don´t play the F bass note on the guitar, because the bass is already playing it. It´s not unnusual to play reduced chords when you are playing guitar or even other instrument with a band. Actually, that´s sometimes desireble, because it sounds better in therms of harmony. Besides that, when you remove the pinky finger, you´re playing the F note an octave higher and that´s corretc in the terms of the triad.

Just tried this out and it can be played if you use the John Mayer Massive Hands technique, but yes for 99% of people this is impossible. Brilliant video James! Edit for Explanation: Thumb on the F# Index finger barres first four strings at 4th Ring finger 5th string 6th fret

What about that chord in let there be love. Not impossible but nasty to play all the same! Great video again James

If we can tune the low e to d and alter your fingers accordingly, that would work but at the expense of the open e ringing out. Does this count?

Press the F# with your nose ^____^

The closest I can think of is tuning to drop d. Then you control the bass notes with your thumb and middle finger

Nice Job James. Personally I'd stick to the Noel original's chord from his acoustic version G#m7 which contains the F# on the 3rd string anyway. Still sounds great.

Interesting video. I’d never realised this subtlety and just played an F# chord. I’ve got quite long fingers and often use my thumb over the top of the guitar neck to fret bass notes like Jimi Hendrix used to. Seems you “lay down the gauntlet” as you put it, I gave this a try. I am able to play the G#m using my thumb to fret the bass note, then move it down down frets to the F# note, while adjusting my fingers to achieve the chord change to the 7th. It’s not ideal, it’s not exactly convenient. But it can be done! Keep up the good work. What do I win? 😆

What if you just put the capo on 2nd but don't have it on B or high E?

I think Kent Nishimura may be the only guitarist to solve this he seems to find a way to fit everything in on every arrangement he makes.

you're the best james

Love the devotion but we’ve been playing Gm7 since ‘97 and it’s still Gm7 but with the bassist playing F#.

Got me intrigued. I hear 243424 (C#7/F# ) Playing the fat E-string '2' by wrapping thumb around. The 2 on the B-string is almost impossible to finger, so I've always played 2434X4. Edit - I see that's not correct though! You could try 2x1444 barring the 4's with little finger. ;)

I’m amazed so many videos have been made about this off the back of that appearance. It wasn’t some great mystery chord that only Noel Gallagher, Paul McCartney and Roger Waters knows. Fair play if it’s getting traffic to peoples content but it’s hardly some Augmented, diminished 13 jazz chord.

G#m7 and B major share basically the same top notes (f#, b, d#) So what about playing that top part of B major but with an F# in the bass? In this way the chord would look something like 2x444x You would lose the G# in the bass, but the bass guitar plays an F# anyway, so why not mixing up the two chords together? What do you think about it?

Noel really did totally forego any real, audible basslines on Be Here Now, didn't he?!

James have you ever considered doing a video on the Johnny Depp solo on Fade In/out, and could you do a cover, its a good slide solo

Can't wait to watch Chris Bucks video about this in 3 years time 😜

F# 2nd finger, 2nd fret E string A string muted D# 1st finger, 1st fret D string Pinky bar 4th fret for G, B and E

Overthinking a little. The bass just picks out the dominant 7th of the G#m7 chord creating an inversion so to speak. Either works as they are all related..No one listening at the local Dog & Duck would even notice.

Noticing that test pressing peeking about behind you.

Cant play the drums or horn parts on one guitar either

How about, from the low E down - 2X1444. Not a perfect inversion of the chord, but it's fairly close! Great vid as always 👍🏼

can't you use one of those capos that you can move?

chord shounds so pretty with the capo and not playing the G# note

Chris Buck will be doing a video on this in a couple of years time. Lol.

Drop D tuning, you still have the open B and E strings, all your bar chords are playable, you just move the root two frets higher and you can also play the Gm7/F#. I also realized after watching the video that Yellow is stolen from Oasis.

I managed to play the chord on its own as 264444 by using my index on the root, pinky on the 6th fret A string and then barred the 4th fret across using the top side of my middle finger. Although it was awful to play and I’m sure would not be possible to transition into it did make the correct sound ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-fGAbCVv2fcI.html

Drop D tuning for the chords? Gives u the open b&e

I don´t think they recorded or played this song with capo on 2nd fret! The F# is made by the bass, and the guitar sound, you can get by lifting the pinky finger, and that´s it!

Thank you so so much for doing this. You are a true legend. ❤️

This is crazy effort, but it makes you shiiiinnne!

Looking forward to Chris Bucks follow up video to see if you actually got it right 😉👍

Sorry but I didn't get how Noel actually does it, at the end...did you mean him and Bonehead were playing two different chords that combined gets what you are searching for?

“stem splitter“ would make a cool band name 😂

Hi James, Hope you are doing well! I would really like to thank you for your videos (especially "Slight Return"). Brilliant stuff. I know this is a bit 'off topic' but would you please consider transcribing "Hey Now!", given that all the videos on YT are not very good or don't have a tab to play along with? That would be very appreciated. Thanks and Kind Regards! Marco

Bar 2nd fret with 1st finger, 2nd finger gstring 3rd fret, 3rd finger A string 4th fret, Pinky D string 6th fret. That works bit of a stretch like haha

Is it about time at Noel is finally honoured for services to music. Still no honour in the king'sw birthday honours list. His MBE is long overdue. The same goes for Jarvis Cocker too.

You the man

you could try drop D tuning with some work arounds I guess

You're late mate, Chris Buck did a video explaining this mysterious chord yesterday

You solved it already here at 4:00. It's just a G#m7 chord. It's only the bass that creates that dissonance with that F# and that F# note is in the G#m7 scale already. Nirvana's Krist Novoselic does that kind of thing only in fifths. It's not rocket science, it's music theory. 😄All in all, it's just a G#m7 guitar chord with the bass playing F#.

Play the G#m7 and use your pinky to play the F# on the 2nd(B) string.

Could Noel have actually pulled a Beatles? (I’m thinking along the lines of the opening chord of “A Hard Day’s Night”.)

well done

Yes, play it like you heard it in the demo, sacrifice the F# in the bass, as it is not played on guitar, it's played on bass guitar

You get the F# bass note when you play the G#m7. Only an octave higher. That's not a huge sacrifice I think.

How good does Liam sound on these clips ?

Have a friend who presses the F#. Sorted. 1 guitar. U didn't say how many people

I’ll just wait for that Welsh guy to post his video about it.

The only way I could do it was to sit on my bed and use my big toe on my left foot to play the f# 😂