Learning new (to you) cover songs

[Tman]

I'm 50 and have been playing for a long time. I get together with my band 3-4 times a year to play a gig of mostly covers in various places. I'm learning some challenging songs now both from a dexterity standpoint and a sound standpoint. My day job requires repetitive task completion on a computer so I typically do about 5-10 cases then pick up my guitar in the office and try to learn something new. With the internet, everything has changed.

2 days ago I learned Message in a bottle from Andy himself and a U2 song from youtube and Josie off a video lesson site.

Pretty fun stuff overall. By ear it would take me a while, especially complex cords like Donald Fagan comes up with.

 

How do you learn new-old stuff to play if you do covers? I thought it would be interesting to see and hopefully (invariably) learn something.

Cheers,

T

 

Sorry about the long winded question.

[NeoConMan]

Find the rhythm part or bass line to create the "box" for the song.

Figure out if basic power chords cover things, or if complex chords are needed.

Same with arpeggios, find what chord they are based on.

Fiddle with different guitars to see which one closest represents the tone.

 

Listen closely to the lead parts - decide to let one of my buddies play them.

 

 

My old cd player allowed me to create short loops of a song.

From a couple seconds to entire songs, I could repeat sections I was working on over and over, back to back.

[Tman]

Find the rhythm part or bass line to create the "box" for the song.

Figure out if basic power chords cover things, or if complex chords are needed.

Same with arpeggios, find what chord they are based on.

Fiddle with different guitars to see which one closest represents the tone.

 

Listen closely to the lead parts - decide to let one of my buddies play them.

 

 

My old cd player allowed me to create short loops of a song.

From a couple seconds to entire songs, I could repeat sections I was working on over and over, back to back.

 

Great advice thanks. Back in the day I used to slow down the albums from 33 1/3 to 16 and it would bring it down an octave. Learned Stairway's solo that way. What you're describing sounds to me like some CAGED theory as well, I think learning the arpeggios by rote would be good for me. I need to figure out how to loop mp3's on my computer.

Thanks

[FirstMeasure]

Like Neo said, find the Bass Notes, then chords. That will give you the Key.

 

Once you have the key it's a matter of hitting the changes and dynamics, also known as the Arrangement.

 

Now, the part that doesn't have anything to do with your guitar. Burn the song onto a CD, and listen to it so much you go to sleep and wake up with it in your head. You have to internalize it to the point that it's second nature.

 

Lastly, pick out the the fills and solos.

 

But you have to be willing to have a song stuck in your head. That's the down fall of many cover players, they don't like getting songs stuck in their heads.

[surfpup]

I came from the rewind the tape many times generation! Nowadays, however, I generally look up a tab off the internet as a starting place and use my ear to fix the parts the author of the tab messed up. This saves a lot of time from the old way. YouTube can be helpful as well. Although it can be painful to sift through the crappy versions to find a good one.

[NeoConMan]

Yeah, play it in your vehicle while commuting, let it absorb while you're working if possible.

You have to know it if you're gonna LEARN it, and not rely on sheet music or tab.

 

I remember something profound from some guitar god in a magazine years ago;

He whistled and hummed along to solos he was trying to learn.

 

If you can't hum it, you can't play it.

 

Sounded good to me anyway.

[surfpup]

I think you also have to decide whether you are shooting for an accurate cover or a "version". I'm more a fan of the "version" approach myself. Maybe that's because I lack the patience to cover it perfectly! I like to get the gist and then have fun from there.

[Tman]

Completely agree - I have the song list on the ipod and listen over and over and over again. Actually my wife is cool with it and even plays it when we're in the car :blink: I agree about youtube surfpup. I found Andy Summers' teaching message in a bottle which was pretty cool but you have to wade through so much crap to get something good all in an effort to save some time. Ought to give them ABC ratings like restaurants in L.A.

[damian]

Well T-man, I do all of the above...The internet has changed everything; so much more to help with learning. If a cover song is really complicated, I'll try to read the actual music note per note, but I've got ADD which kills that quickly. TABs are great...takes patience...These days I'll play along with concert DVDs on a huge LCD T.V., and I'll do that over and over until my playing comes close...I don't think it's needed to get cover songs down pat, but some do; twenty odd years ago when I played literaly at least 4-12 hours a day, I was able to play live with bands many Steely Dan solos pretty much note per note; I'll never be that proficient again !! If I want to learn a song these days I'll do some combo of what all the others here say, and I don't sweat it much anymore..

[Shnate McDuanus]

Despite technological advances, I find that the best method for me (or at least the most satisfying one) is to sit down, listen to the song over and over again, and play until what's coming from your hands is close enough what you hear on the recording to be an adequate "version" of the tune--whether you want to go for a cover which is strictly adherent to the original, or you want to do your own thing within the basic structure of the song, this method works either way. You listen for the key, listen for when the changes are, and deduce what the changes might be from there. I find that, when I don't work it through myself, I tend to forget how to play the song as soon as I look away from the chart. When I learn a song once on my own, I can usually remember how to play it from that point. I also find that it helps to listen without playing, and then to work on it with the guitar in your hands, and then listen to it without playing again, and to alternate, stopping and rewinding/replaying certain parts as you see fit. This way, you can work in from general framework to specific detail, and this method can also help you understand why, theoretically, the song is the way it is. Yeah, it takes a ton of work, but I like the process of figuring out songs from recordings. It's satisfying when I can do it right.

[NeoConMan]

I know I've nailed the part when I crank my stereo and play along with it - loud.

When I don't hear any of the original part from the stereo, I know I've effectively doubled it.

 

Then I'll get onstage and play it without reservation.

 

I'll qualify it again though, by saying I play primarily rhythm and riffs.

Every good guitar player I know can SMOKE me on leads, so I rarely bother to learn them precisely.

[duane v]

If I know the song, I can figure out by ear rather quickly

[charlie brown]

I'm still (Stubborn) old school, "by ear." Just listen to it,

over and over, if/as needed, then I'll do what's been mentioned

above, with regard to finding the bass note, and/or basic chord

structure, then work out the more subtle stuff. I don't really

worry (too much) about replicating the sound, exactly..as I'll

never be the original artist, and I like to put my own "stamp"

on cover songs, anyway. If all else fails, then...I'll go to

Youtube (unless I'm totally unfamiliar with the song, to begin

with), and/or "Chordie," or some other on-line chord/tab sight.

 

It's fun, later...to go to the YouTube teachers, or even the original

artists videos, to see how close I came. If I'm Way Off (rarely), then

I'll learn it, their ("right") way.

 

CB

[duane v]

I hear ya CB

 

After playing just about every rock chord progression over the last 30 years thousands of times, there's nothing that surprises me anymore.... I pretty much know where a song is going to go before it gets there.

[Big Bill]

I hear ya CB

 

After playing just about every rock chord progression over the last 30 years thousands of times, there's nothing that surprises me anymore.... I pretty much know where a song is going to go before it gets there.

 

I would love to have that problem. :angry:

[rocketman]

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones who has nearly perfect pitch. I remember driving my music teachers crazy becuase most of them didn't have it. My 9 year old is pretty good at it too (I play a note and about 80% time he gets it right).

 

So I can pretty much envision the notes in my head when I hear a song. Of course some of the faster runs I need to slow down to hear them well enough, and some of the parts take me a very long time to get right from a technical point of view. But getting the notes is the easy part for me.

[duane v]

All my music teachers had perfect pitch...

 

My high school band teacher, junior high band teacher, and my trumpet teacher could read a piece and sing it perfectly in key.... I didn't perfect perfect pitch until I was a sophomore in high school.... It took me five years of hard work to get it....

[damian]

WOW !!! Lots of good advice T-man...I'm about your age, and I LOVE reading about players still doing the gigging thing...I'm just getting back practicing with a passion...Can't gig though...Good choice on the Black Label Chorus...Been thinking; The strat will work on many Police songs, but your Firebird will work on some as well...Funny that you would mention Cambell's BBQ; I'm within 1000 feet of it...Did you ever do the Suburban Slim Blues jam at Duff's garage ? Good luck on learning songs....Best regards; Damian..As a hobby, there is no better than doing music for those who are inclined to do so.

[Tman]

If I know the song, I can figure out by ear rather quickly

 

 

I hear you (pun intended).

 

The challenge for me now is that after my long hours day job and an upcoming gig where I want to do a really good job, I'm trying get faster at learning covers. After all the years of relative inactivity some songs just don't come to me as easily as it sounds like they do to you. Like Josie for instance. The chords are hard. I could spend a whole night (or two) trying to figure it out and maybe I can, but why not take advantage of the technology that's there? ivideosongs' version of Josie by Steve Rieck is brilliant and saved me hours - I like to sound close to the original and it cost me $2.99.

 

I guess what I'm asking as an old fart, any other suggestions for increasing my efficiency in learning with all the cool stuff out there that I probably don't know?

Half the songs are new (about 12 new songs) to learn in the next month.

[Tman]

WOW !!! Lots of good advice T-man...I'm about your age, and I LOVE reading about players still doing the gigging thing...I'm just getting back practicing with a passion...Can't gig though...Good choice on the Black Label Chorus...Been thinking; The strat will work on many Police songs, but your Firebird will work on some as well...Funny that you would mention Cambell's BBQ; I'm within 1000 feet of it...Did you ever do the Suburban Slim Blues jam at Duff's garage ? Good luck on learning songs....Best regards; Damian..As a hobby, there is no better than doing music for those who are inclined to do so.

 

Thanks Damian for all the kind words and encouragement. I agree completely, lot's of great advice!

 

Never did Duff's when I was up there but man what a great place Portland was. Actually lived in Vancouver (live in Washington, shop in Oregon) but used to ride around Portland on the bike tons. (No state income tax in Washington, no sales tax in Oregon for those who might wonder what the freak I'm talking about).

Yep after a fairly long hiatus, I'm fairly obsessed with the guitar now and loving every minute of it!

Cheers,

Tman

[Versatile]

A lot of it comes down to motivation

Personally I don't enjoy 'perfect' covers...because it is not my forte

Too stressful

Books, U Tube, Bass lines, Listening,'Rewinding the Tape', Tabs

All play their part

 

A good tight rhythm section

And having fun

Makes it all worthwhile

[swampash]

Sterling advice from all as usual. :)

 

I play in a covers band on Guitar and I've found this little site called Songsterr that quite literally breaks the songs down into their component parts with tab and it also plays along. It is a subscription service but I use it all the time as most of the functions for free users are enough. Even though I play guitar, it's incredible how much you can get from a song by looking at the bassline first.

 

Try i: http://www.songsterr.com/

[Riffster]

I use www.songsterr.com

 

They have a trial version for Guitar Pro Tabs, you can pay a monthly membership to access the full version but the trial version is good enough although they have been reducing the features on it. It was a lot better a year ago.

 

Overall is really good, some tabs are incorrect or could be better but they are good start.

 

I was looking at Jealous Again by the Black Crows, with my limited knowledge I would have never known the tune is played tuned to C# for instance.

 

This is as spoon-fed as it gets, they tell you the tuning, give you the tab, it plays along, you can pause it, etc.

[surfpup]

I use www.songsterr.com...

 

I was looking at Jealous Again by the Black Crows, with my limited knowledge I would have never known the tune is played tuned to C# for instance.

 

Especially since it's actually done in open G!

[sexygibson]

These days I usually use tabs. Although they are not always %100 accurate, they get me in the ballpark rather quickly and then I can work on the parts I know to be wrong.