1. Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)
From The Wall (1979)
Introduction:
This anthem of rebellion became Pink Floyd’s most commercially successful single. Written by Roger Waters and produced by Bob Ezrin, the song is memorable for its children’s chorus, disco-influenced groove, and biting lyrics: “We don’t need no education.”
Chord & Arrangement Commentary:
Built around a D minor tonality, the chord progression cycles through Dm – G – C – F , creating a modal mixture that balances minor moodiness with moments of brightness. David Gilmour’s blues-influenced solo (pentaonic and Dorian) on top of this groove adds a layer of expressive tension. The simple progression gives plenty of space for atmosphere, vocal layering, and the famous chorus chant.
There's also an massive in-your-face-bass part on this that guitarists should learn too. It's also great fun to actually have a bass which has the E string detuned to a D, for that opening note following the lyric 'we don't need no, ed-u-cation' , BOOOOOM!
2. Money
From The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
Introduction:
“Money” stands out as one of Pink Floyd’s most rhythmically unique tracks. Written by Roger Waters, the song opens with the iconic sound of cash registers and coins before launching into a groove in 7/4 time—an odd meter for rock music.
Chord & Arrangement Commentary:
The main groove follows a B minor blues format but played in 7/4 time, giving it an angular, funky feel.
The 8 note phase over the 7/4 rhythm is essential to master, and it's a great learn point for counting rhythm, as it's highly likely that ones own ear is not used to the 7/4 beat. There's also the swung couplet or pergaps trilet on beat 2 of the bar, which is always a good discussion point for rhtthm theorists
The riff is based on the chords: Bm – Em or E7 and F7, but with rhythmic displacements (triplet figure with the missing note of the tri-(p)-let !) that make it feel “off-kilter” and slightly menacing.
The saxophone solo (by Dick Parry) and Gilmour’s guitar solo occur over a transition into 4/4, shifting the feel to a more straightforward blues-rock jam. The band returns to 7/4 for the final verses, showcasing their progressive tendencies while keeping the blues-rock soul intact.
We can learn the key access points to both via a Bm pentaonic, or dorian scale.
My favourite part of this song isgetting the effects on the 3rd guitar that just plays a Bm fragment through a tremolo and delay/echo pedal combination. It's fun trying to get the jaggedness of that sound.
3. Comfortably Numb
From The Wall (1979)
Introduction:
Arguably one of Pink Floyd’s most emotionally resonant songs, “Comfortably Numb” is a collaboration between Roger Waters and David Gilmour, or at least Gilmour wrote the solo! and now, Gilmour’s guitar solo is frequently cited as one of the greatest in rock history.
Chord & Arrangement Commentary:
The verses are set in B minor, following the progression: Bm (with a BmSus2 in there too) – A – G – Em – Bm The chorus, however, modulates to D major: D – A – D – C – G, creating a dramatic lift—like a brief escape from the emotional void (check out the song's video from the film, The Wall). The orchestration is pretty lush, lots of right hand keyboard arpeggios that can be translated to the guitar, with layered strings, soft synth pads, which also can be emulated on a second guitar as a harmony). Gilmour’s solo uses slow phrasing, sustained bends, and vocal-like phrasing to evoke a sense of the character 'Pink's' profound yearning and catharsis, and his increasingly ruptured sense of sanity.
This solo is all over the internet already, so i think it's fairly crucial to understand the 'why' of the solo, and play one's own interpretation, rather that trying to emulate Gilmour, who, to be fair, is unique.
That being said, the solo has a lot to teach us in regards to very tasteful chord tones and argeggios and how much one can do with solo-ing in a consonant way over the harmony.
