Echo Beach (Martha and the Muffins) Guitar Lesson with Backing Tracks + TAB

In this Guitar Lesson, you’ll explore the clever key shifts and chord movements in Echo Beach and learn how subtle harmonic twists create its signature sound - Try it with Backing Tracks!

Echo Beach | TAB

Let’s go through the various sections of Echo Beach. We’ll start with the intro:

This could be in the key of C or G, meaning the Am is either Aeolian or Dorian. The ambiguity here gives the part a harmonic edge.

In G, the progression is II – V – IV; in C, it’s VI – II – I.

The Am9 contains the minor 3rd, 9th, and b7th. The D chord lacks a 3rd. The C chord starts as a maj7, then moves to a regular C—this is the only variation in the riff.

Next is the section that later returns as the outro. It’s a clever bit of songwriting—they’ve planted a musical seed.

We’re now clearly in the key of A minor, so the movement is VI – V – III – IV – V.

Here’s the verse. At this point, we’re in the key of G, making Am the II chord. The progression moves V – IV, then II – V – VI. Moving form Am being VI to Am being II is called a modal interchange.