Five hidden hacks: Em7, G, Dsus4, A7sus4, and a capo (on 2).

noel gallagher's biggest talent is making his guitars on record sound huge respect

Good stuff, James! We’re eating GOOD with these songwriting related videos. I would also like to add a hack #6 to write like Noel: using the minor pentatonic scale for vocal melodies. In most of his Oasis classics, he almost exclusively uses the minor pentatonic scale to give his melodies a cooler and laddish sound. Then, in the highest or lowest point of the melody, he taps the 2nd or the 6th as passing notes to get a more emotional sound. For instance, in the chorus of The Masterplan he avoids singing the 2nd and 6th notes of the A minor scale, until he sings “All we know IS (6) that we don’t know.” The “About YOU (2) now” in Wonderwall is another example. He uses his and Liam’s voices like an electric guitar.

That major 3 chord is actually the V of the next chord. In she's electric, we see the G# as the V of C#minor. You can put the V of literally any chord you like before it, and it has that effect. Same with the B7 on the Importance of being idle.

James, please do some deep dives for Revolver and Rubber Soul era Beatles! Vocals techniques, guitars / bass used, production etc 🙂

Always instantly watch your videos when they come up. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻Nice one mate cheers.

This is precisely what I’ve been studying with looking into the Oasis Archives👀 Ty m8!

IT'S COMING HOME JAMES! 🦁🦁🦁(nice video btw)

Really interesting, another great video. Thanks James.

Brilliant video - really insightful - thanks James.

The chorverse ones are something like the AABA structure of old days, "over the rainbow" and so on.

Wow Grant Lee Buffalo mentioned!! Never would've thought they'd come up. I know all the Oasis lore but somehow never heard Noel reference Fuzzy... super cool!

2 things: the bridges leading to the chorus are called "Pre-chorus" here in the States 2nd on NGHFD's newest album, Council Skies the song "Think of a Number" is totally David Bowie's "Ashes to Ashes" (verse) and especially "China Girl" on prechorus on the bridge/pre-chorus (China Girl lyrics in parentheses) "The girl on the television (I'll give into your visions) She got her magic eye on you (I'll give you eyes of blue) She'll sell you a dream (But I'll give you a man who wants to rule the world) But she's trying to fool the world"

Cheers, James. This video quite literally couldn't have come at a better time. The channel Professor of Rock put out something today himself on Wonderwall, and the comment section is pure vitriol against Oasis. Need more lads who are mad for it as an antidote

Great video, very inspiring... Thanks!

Superb analysis, thanks for putting this together 👍

Another brilliant video and so well detailed while remaining an easy and pretty quick watch. James Hargreaves you’re brilliant. Noel Gallagher is brilliant. Oasis are/were brilliant I liked this a lot and felt inspired. So much so I’m off for try to write my versions of the new Definitely Maybe and WTSMG for about the 99th time… Have it! 👍👍👏👏

Awesome video. Thanks, James. I've always wondered his songwriting process. It would be a cool piece of content to get interviews with Liams' current songwriting team as they seem to have captured some of that magic

A master class! Thanks James. None of the obvious points here.

Brilliant video

The constant use of 'Away'. That's a favourite. Probably inspired by Yesterday.

This is great, thanks!

i hope you continue this as a series 'how to write songs like ___' , absolutely top stuff.

james you should post oasis covers with just you and an acoustic, i could listen to them for ages!

Love the major 3 change, it’s my favourite change by a mile

For me the major 2nd chord is the single most Oasis-y thing - more so than the major 3rd. The major third is used much more often even by other artists because it's the dominant of the minor 6th, so it naturally creates tension and leads to that minor drop without sounding out of key; but I don't think the 2nd is used as a major chord by many other pop artists, it does have that uniquely Oasis sound, at least for me.

I didn't even watch the video but I already liked it. That's the type of content I'm up for. I love writing songs, and I do believe I kinda have some similarities with noel

You sound good doing champagne supernova and I really enjoy your videos thank you James Hargreaves

Hack # (somewhere in your other 45)… become ‘mates’ with a Liverpudlian band called the Real People who kind heartedly want to support you - making sure you figure out they’re perhaps a bit too easy going and trusting, and so less likely to sue you or have any evidence to support sueing you. Base your song structure, strumming rhythm patterns and song personality around theirs. Go and write ‘Rockin Chair’ and ‘Don’t Go Away’ as 90% exact copies of the Real People’s own originals. Disown them as you get successful and threaten consequences to anyone who ever mentions them again

I just picked up my guitar and thought about writing a song then I see a notification for this... its meant to be

Good video James

I like how he uses internal rhyme patterns(A A B). He has also said he tries to put positive sentiment in his songs (hope, celebration etc) and write about universal ideas

Great video JAmes. Noel definitely did steal some bits but its how he put them together to make new songs that was genius - if its was just a case of stealing/ripping off everybody would do it but they cant!!!

Another great video James, but...! We also wanna see your comments on Liam's DM Tour.

Another example of the major 3 is in Don’t Look Back in Anger, first appearing on the words “know you might”

I think the hardest part is finding good melodies. They say melodies fall from the sky and you just have to catch them, but there are so many other songwriters who are better catchers than me...

Find a Beatles songbook or an old coke advert and off you go. That's only 2 hacks

that Lowden sounds ace!

By the way, James is perfect pitch. He's hitting all the right notes. Respect 🔥

Noel Gallagher was and still is a massive fan of dance music and has work with the chemical brothers.

Top video really enjoyed it. Did you go and see Liam on the dm tour

Noel’s process: Hears a tune he likes and thinks “I’ll have that!”. Thanks, James. Very informative.

Been watching these videos for a while now and more and more I'm noticing slandering of new "techno and dance" music and the idea that 90s British music is somehow superior. While I do like the 90s Britpop era, I think the aim to try to bring it back is just derivative and tends to come out just as bland as a lot of the dance music you slander. I also think that EDM can be just as engaging and musically fulfilling if you open your mind to the idea of it and look for the right stuff, as opposed to just sticking to the old-head idea that it's intrinsically worse because it is made electronically when electronic sounds are just a tool that can be used for making music and can be used well and poorly just like a guitar. I also feel like the comparison of your music taste to EDM is kind of apples and oranges as EDM serves a completely different purpose in some cases, like allowing yourself to just get immersed in a production and rhythm which works especially in a live setting. I do enjoy the videos and the topics discussed, but I think as a music fan it can be important to not even necessarily actively listen to everything, as not everything is for everyone but at least open your mind to sounds and styles that are different to what you may have grown up with

Superb as always, James do you subscribe to the view noel doesn't know chord names theory or do you think he keeps this' all private?

i like it when he said their not mine i just pull them out the sky

Hey James. Could you do a video about the second chord in the chorus on Let There Be Love?

James, how do you think, did Noel Gallagher know this theory of chord progressions based on major scale from which we can extract chords or not? And also, How do you think personally, was in that time (90s) it was usual and essential to know this particular theory I mentioned to play songs, I mean making them?

1) find an old song that only people over 40 remember 2) rip the main riff and change a few notes a wee bit 3) get your talentless brother to get in front of the mic 4) record 5) release

Found this interesting :)

😮absolutely no way he is a legend absolutely fantastic have a wonderful weekend ❤😊

1) incredibly gifted. 2) pure cocaine .... 3) lifting great melodies from other acts .... All kidding aside, excellent video.

An extension of using 'away' constantly, is the use of the 'ay' sound in general. So, you've got it in All Around The World's 'You know it's gonna be OK' refrain. Once again, probably inspired by Yesterday.

When writing oasis lyrics, make sure you get the word "SHINE" in there.

He also tends to use chromatic runs, mostly descending, in the verses.

What make is that guitar?

What happened to your cover of Cast No Shadow? It’s been taken down!

I’m alwayse having trouble finding a chord that matches what music is in my head. I know Noel doenst even know chord names and LennonMcartney are an encyclopedia. What do you t’écopent for the mind - guitar playing coordination.

For Digsy’s dinner, i’ve always played a C#7 as the second chord, always sounded better to me 😂

I really liked the video. I find it actually very accurate, but all these tendencies are not found in all the songs. For example, in don't look back in Anger (my favorite song), in the bridge there is a clear formation of tension by using that Fminor in the fourth grade, and then with the G, that G# Noel chord, that I found super dominant and after It resolves in the sixth grade before playing that G and F anf again G to create more tension. What I am trying to say is that he clearly creates tension to break it up I'm the middle of the bridge, but he is capable to create again that tension with the subdominant and dominant before entering the chorus (C). I think that that bridge is probably one of the best things ever written by anyone, taking into account the gorgeous melodic line. Sorry if I had lots of grammatical mistakes, I'm from Spain. Thanks a lot of making this Type of videos, I Enjoy them a lot!!!

Check out Elevator Up by Fountains of Wayne. The most Oasis , non Oasis song ever. You can almost hear Liam Gallagher singing it.

I like you m8. Very Very well explained.. Subscribed 😊. But ..what you didn't say is that is art. It's always been inspired by Others thank B O D !! (SORRY DAMAGED CHILD FROM THE 70S 😊

What about In a little while?? Did he borrow the lyrics from somewhere ??

Take someone else's chords and song, and then rip them off again and again, hoping people won't notice and if they do then pay them off ?

You should try and get Chris Karloff on- I’d love to know his story! 👍🏻👌🏻😀🔥

Noel seems to use implied harmonies, as in he tends to hit notes outside a chord. Like a 9, or flat third

Capo 2nd fret, G, C, Em etc etc....

Live forever and whatever have ABAB song structure rather than the modern verse chorus structure

Correction: Noel Gallagher wasn't the greatest British songwriter of the 1990's. He has been the greatest British songwriter SINCE the 1990's.

Wonderwall seems to break some of these rules, with Em appearing in the verses, bridge and the choruses.

Whats happening with your record label stuff and the indie comp you were on about a while back

I really like this channel but the cut always to stock footage is so annoying

You probably know this already but "Genre swapping" is formally know as modal interchange.

Serious musicsians 😂

Im big believer of the magic, if theres no magic feeling in your stomach when your writing it, bin it, its probably shit.

Listen to Slade ....

That Major 3 chord is hardly new, see "Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out" as performed by Eric Clapton on the Layla album, "Deal" by Jerry Garcia. There's more, that's been floating around forever.

lol James I KNOW YOU KNOW Stay Young is in D, not C. Why you play it in C 😭😭😭

Oasis don't just use hacks. They are living, breathing hacks.

Noel Gallagher is the greatest British songwriter of just the 1990s? Naw, he's the greatest British songwriter of all time. He took some old songs and made them better.

In short some people have some don't, watched this and learnt not a thing, stuck on a few chords and forever will be, maynbe that is why I prefer to watch and listen to music

"How to write songs like Noel Gallagher" Steal everything possible from The Beatles. Ready.

Oh no no no James... you are off on She's Electric. You're saying the bridge is BOTH "and I want you to know" and "cause I'll be you and you'll be me"??? C'mon mate that's silly lmao. That is clearly the bridge then the chorus, and it has normal verses. Your overall point is fine but on this song you are stretching sir

His technique is a bit like lee mavers then?

Do you mean 'how to write lyrics like Noegl Gallagher' because the music is usually just a rip off of other bands?

Who the deuce wants to write songs like oasis...?

He pinches other people’s melodies all the time. 😂. As a songwriter, I would hate not to strive for originality always.

🙄

Step 1: Rip-off songs that already exist.

Just copy The Beatles.

Jason Pierce had much better songs than Noel in the 90s, and now for that matter. They’re not even in the same league.

Rip off other songs and repeat lyrics throughout.

Simply rip off every tune you've ever heard.