onewilyfool Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 I experiment finding the right key by singing WITHOUT the guitar. When I can sing it comfortably I grab the guitar to actually figure what key I'm in….lol…..I try to get the chords from Chordie.com or some place like that, then I change them to suit my arrangement. THen I practice the chords til I have that down pat. THEN I try to learn and remember the words. I actually find this the hardest part…lol. Then when I have the words and chords down,, and comfortable with the arrangement, I start to throw in some embellishments, base runs, sometimes little leads between chord changes, intro, outro, etc. Then ready for open mic or cafe. About 100 reps (estimated) for one song…..How do YOU do it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaiser Bill Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Its been a long time since I heard a song that was worth learning...JMHO What I USED to do is write down the lyrics...this makes me remember them. Learn the song in the recorded key...then (if I had to) transpose it to whatever key was most comfortable for me to sing it in. That was my method. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwalker201 Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 I experiment finding the right key by singing WITHOUT the guitar. When I can sing it comfortably I grab the guitar to actually figure what key I'm in….lol…..I try to get the chords from Chordie.com or some place like that, then I change them to suit my arrangement. THen I practice the chords til I have that down pat. THEN I try to learn and remember the words. I actually find this the hardest part…lol. Then when I have the words and chords down,, and comfortable with the arrangement, I start to throw in some embellishments, base runs, sometimes little leads between chord changes, intro, outro, etc. Then ready for open mic or cafe. About 100 reps (estimated) for one song…..How do YOU do it? I do the same as you.. I listen to a song many times to get the words and tune down. After several hundred times I go to the guitar and go from there. I don't know if I'm the only one but I'm particular what songs I want to learn. Now about the open mic night, not gonna happen here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajay Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 If I care enough about song to learn it, I usually already know the lyrics. then, I get the first chord, make sure that it's the coolest sounding version ofbthe chord, and go from there. i very seldom go to Chordienor ny of those chord n lyric websites. I usually ed up with better sounding version thn h ones that are posted. The only timethat I use the chord/lyric websites are if it' anreally cool song th I hears for the second or third time. I usully know right away if it's a song that I want in my bag of songs. Some songs hit me like an axe in the forehead they're so awesome.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly campbell Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Nice to here the methods used by you seasoned veterans since I am still learning the guitar myself thanks for the input much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Lately I've been using CAPO on my IPhone for the chords. CAPO will transpose it or lay it out for a different stringed instrument very quickly Learn it in the same key and then nail down any riffs or solos Try to grab the lyrics off the net Practice it a few times then hope someone else will sing it for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig_no Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 The drive from my home to the train to work is exactly one song long. I sing along to a CD until I've got the lyrics down, THEN learn to play it. It takes a few days this way, but singing on the train is not an option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbiii Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 I just begin by learning the lyrics. Being a geek, this is my forte. I keep about 400 songs in my head. When I am first learning a song, I use the story line to help me with the lyrics. I just use mental techniques which I apply when I have down time -- it usually takes me 2-3 days to get it down. I always get the melody on two or three hearings -- unless it is weird. I generally set the key to match the sweet spot for our harmony. This is not trial and error -- I know where it is as soon as I know the high note in the song. I generally find the key so the high note on the melody is a G. To find it, I just play the melody once on the guitar and find the high note. For most of the stuff we do, the chords are obvious. After I have the melody and the words, my wife and I sing the chorus together and set the harmony -- usually without accompaniment . Of course if this is a full duet, then she has to learn the words. The third member of our trio can pretty much find the open note on the fly. When we sit down to play with the band, we just do a verse and a chorus for the band and then turn them loose. Then we iterate a couple of times to smooth out the bumps. We all are pretty experienced at lead breaks, so they are pretty much automatic from the start. These will evolve with time as the song becomes more familiar. We generally do about a song per month. Some songs are so straightforward that it may take only a few minutes. One we like that we picked up in ten minutes and it is still a really good song is "heaven light is shining." It is a great hard driving gospel that lets the lead players show off, the harmony screams, and the words are obvious. Others we piddle with for years -- not that we don't know them, but we can't find a good arrangement for us. Let's pick, -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northcntryblues Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 I don't often sing, maybe only a couple times a year around a campfire, so the vocals/lyrics rarely come into play when learning a new song. When I learn a new song these days, its usually one that I enjoy listening to but was far too difficult to learn when I was first playing guitar 25 years ago, but one that I probably knew I would like to play some day. For instance, this past week I have been working on Clapton's Unplugged version of 'Walkin' Blues'. It's a song, a guitar piece I have always, always loved. First, I make sure I have a correct tab of the song. Then I will try to work through the song using the tab. Usually there will be some parts that are problematic, or difficult to figure out. What I do then is to study the tab without the guitar in hand to "hear" the notes that need to be played in the difficult parts. When I go back to the guitar the next time, I am almost always able to learn those difficult parts more quickly because when I am reading the tab, I am able to hear the notes that I need to be playing on the guitar. It's a great way to see the patterns in the song. In 'Walkin' Blues', it helped me figure out the different patterns Clapton used for the intro parts vs. the verse parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Dave f... Thanks for the CAPO tip... Typically a song crosses my vision, and I decide I want to learn it. Maybe it's a Ray La Montage song that I heard on Sattelite Radio, or more typically I come across the song after traveling down a rabbit hole. Someone recommends an album, and I stumble across the song. I typically can hear the chords in my head and know how to play the basics before I pick up the guitar. I do have an ear; I just don't have the technique to master. I just get 85% there, and that works for me. I usually get the lyrics to memorize, if I don't already know the song, on the Internet - like AZ lyrics. Then I just play along to the song a few times. i am rambling... But anyway, great thread and thank you OWF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT Hurley Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Listen to it. Get out the guitar, play along until I have the chord progression. Then sing along with it. Rinse, wash, repeat... Until memorized. Then play it out in public as soon as I can to really work out the bugs. Nothing gets it into my head better than the pressure of performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 When I was working with a band I burned a CD of songs we decided to do and sang along whenever I was in the car. Might be one or two tunes, might be a half dozen. As I learned the melody and phrasing I worked on them nights with the guitar and when I was ready with my parts I took them to rehearsal. Now when I find a tune I'd like to learn I go to YouTube and listen to a few artist's takes to get a feel for variety, settle on the approach I like best and grab the chords off one of the many sites that have such info. Put the two together for as long as it takes to be happy with the performance.........voila! And these days I don't really try to hang on to a tune once I've done it. Not having to do them over and over again in some venue makes long term retention unnecessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 Dave f... Thanks for the CAPO tip... Typically a song crosses my vision, and I decide I want to learn it. Maybe it's a Ray La Montage song that I heard on Sattelite Radio, or more typically I come across the song after traveling down a rabbit hole. Someone recommends an album, and I stumble across the song. I typically can hear the chords in my head and know how to play the basics before I pick up the guitar. I do have an ear; I just don't have the technique to master. I just get 85% there, and that works for me. I usually get the lyrics to memorize, if I don't already know the song, on the Internet - like AZ lyrics. Then I just play along to the song a few times. i am rambling... But anyway, great thread and thank you OWF. Sal, FYI CAPO will take any song you have on your phone and breakdown the chords for you. From there you can easily change pitch or instrument or place a capo and it will transpose. It also has a slowdown function for breaking down riffs. Pretty handy tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 I'm a plodder. Having found a song I like - I try out different versions and select the one I like on iTunes or YouTube. I then get Chords&Lyrics for a few versions printed and pick the one that seems closest to the version I like. I use each versions chords and lyrics for a couple of runs to get a feel for it, and select the best one. I then pull out sheet paper and write down the melody note by note in the selected key. I really need to understand when there are melody variations between verses and see them in writing. Then, I plop the vetted chords on top of the melody and write in the lyrics and I have everything on one sheet. I memorize the lyrics as a process of learning to sing the melody while playing the chords. By then, I know it well and, later, if it falls off the back of the turnip truck - it is relatively easy to refresh by digging out the music sheet I labored over. I'm not talented enough to hear a song 3 or 4 times and then be able to noodle with it 3 or 4 times and have it down. Never was, never will be. But I have settled into this process and enjoy it. Good thread OWF! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted April 30, 2015 Author Share Posted April 30, 2015 I'm a plodder. Having found a song I like - I try out different versions and select the one I like on iTunes or YouTube. I then get Chords&Lyrics for a few versions printed on lone and pick the one that seems closest to the version I like. I use the chords and lyrics for a couple of runs to get a feel for it, but then pull out sheet paper and write down the melody note by note in the selected key. I really need to understand when there are melody variations between verses and see them in writing. Then, I plop the vetted chords on top of the melody and write in the lyrics and I have everything on one sheet. I memorize the lyrics as a process of learning to sing the melody while playing the chords. By then, I know it well and, if it falls off the back of the turnip truck - it is relatively easy to refresh by digging out the music sheet I labored over. I'm not talented enough to hear a song 3 or 4 times and then be able to noodle with it 3 or 4 times and have it down. Never was, never will be. But I have settled into this process and enjoy it. Good thread OWF! You are WAY ahead of me…can't read a note of music! I think that, plus a little music theory would be a big plus! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 You are WAY ahead of me…can't read a note of music! I think that, plus a little music theory would be a big plus! At its simplest, being able to read music makes it far easier to pick out melody lines. The basics aren't that hard to learn, and it will open your eyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted April 30, 2015 Share Posted April 30, 2015 At its simplest, being able to read music makes it far easier to pick out melody lines. The basics aren't that hard to learn, and it will open your eyes. Agreed! Learning simple music is way-y-y-y way way easier than learning guitar! BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splake Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 I first learn the tune by either listening to the song my entire life and knowing it, or listening to it a million times in a week. Then I go straight to You tube. Its a great tool for me. Its hacky but it works. Kids are lucky today. In the old days I had a Mel bay songbook and I had to try to figure it out. Which I never could do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretplay Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 If I like a song I listen to the versions on You Tube then get the chords off the net and see if I can strum and sing it. If it is too high or low for me to sing I use a capo to decide the key to suit my voice then use a chord changing site to transpose the song. Put it into Word so I can make changes and I'm away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 I figure out what key it's in and play along with it until I figure out where the 1, 4 & 5 are, lol. (That's a blues joke) If there's other chords, my head starts to hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajay Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 I used to find the first chord and just find the chords that fit in. Nowadays I'm getting lazy. I go to YouTube, and punch in the song title and the word "Lesson". There seems to be a lesson for nearly every song that I love. Lazy, Yes. But very effective, and time saving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted May 3, 2015 Author Share Posted May 3, 2015 In the old days….I had to listen to these songs on a vinyl record player…raising the needle every few seconds to scribble down the lyrics…..now THAT was a waste of time…..but we had to do it. Some groups helped a lot, when the printed the words to the songs somewhere on the album cover. Then the chords..trying to figure the chords to the original song, even if it wasn't in my vocal range….then transposing…..You are right Youtube is a god-send! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pesh Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Normally a combo of tab, and watching videos of live performances if there is no tab, to see if I can figure out positions, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 These are good - Shut Up And Play: Angie (Stones): Rain Song (Zep) - I would learn this next, but it is a big call doing a special tuning just for one song, but this is worth it: BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerohead Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 These are good - Shut Up And Play: Angie (Stones): Rain Song (Zep) - I would learn this next, but it is a big call doing a special tuning just for one song, but this is worth it: BluesKing777. That guy has the best lessons on YouTube. I even made a donation for his Goin to California lesson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.