Do you recomend staying with one song and beating it up until you have it "perfect" (well, you know what I mean :wink: ), or work on a couple at a time, alternating them? I'm working on the Heart of Gold lesson, and I'm happy with the way it's going (too happy, I'm really having fun with it... simple pleasures for a simple mind :P ). But I don't want to spend so much time on it that I neglect other songs and exercises. My gut feeling is to put it aside for a few days and pick up on one or two other songs I've started on, then go back to it, and so on. What say you?
It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.
Personally, I never stick with just one song until I have it perfect, else I'd still be on my first song. If I have a song I'm wanting to learn, I'll start by warming up with something I already know, then start working through the song I'm learning. I usually start by looking at teh whole song and running through it. Then I'll break it up into parts (intro, verse, chorus, bridge, etc.) and work on one part until I can play it at speed, then go to the next.
Well, that's what I do on a perfect day. In reality, 95% of the time I play the verse riff a couple of times, maybe the chorus riff a couple of times and then move on to another song. By the time I get home to practice guitar, my ADD medication has worn off so I'm at the mercy of my 8-track mind. :evil:
Ok, so my gut feeling was right, in a way. Sounds best to break things up into bite-size chunks. Thanks.
It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.
Ok, so my gut feeling was right, in a way. Sounds best to break things up into bite-size chunks. Thanks.
I usually break a song down into small pieces, bite-sized chunks if you like, and work on one section at a time. That way I don't get bored with it too quickly. I'll work on the intro, and when I've got that right, I'll work on the verses, then the choruses, lastly the solo. Some songs are fairly easy and you can pretty much learn them at one sitting - others, well you just have to persevere. Some songs are fairly easy but have a horribly tricky bit - those, I'll get the biggest part of the song down, then work on the tricky bit. It might be an intro, it might be a key change, or a transition from open chords to barres.
Then when I've got it down - at least to my satisfaction - I'll practise it regularly. With particular attention to any tricky bits - before I run through the whole song, I'll practise them. Nothing worse than getting half-way through a song and messing it up!
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
It depends what I'm learning. I've always broke it up into many different songs, but I never broke it up into many different skills. I can play rhythm on scores of songs. Only problem is, is that's all I know. I picked up a coupe skills along the way, but not a whole lot. Sooo, now I'm learning from Blues You Can Use book and doing scales and trying to learn how to play some lead within those scales. I'm hitting the same old songs that I normally do too, but not as frequently as before. So yeah, I'd mix things up.
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
Rhythm's always been my strong point too - which is why, when I learn a new song, I make a point of trying to learn any solos. Anything you learn from one solo, you can always adapt for your own material - or recognise a certain lick, or technique, and use it in another solo.
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
Thanks guys. I'm glad to know I'm on the right track here.
Rhythm's always been my strong point too - which is why, when I learn a new song, I make a point of trying to learn any solos. Anything you learn from one solo, you can always adapt for your own material - or recognise a certain lick, or technique, and use it in another solo.
:D :D :D
Vic
I always wanted to do mainly rhythm. But I have to work on the solos in songs. It definitely "makes the song". For example, Proud Mary and I Hear You Knocking have solos that I don't know how you can skip. You can't always be the rhythm for iTunes on your computer or a cd on your stereo. I'm also trying to figure out how to do the harmonica solo in Heart of Gold on guitar.
It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.
I think breaking it down into smaller pieces like Vic mentioned is the way to tackle it but reagrdless of that you still may end up getting nowehere if a song is way above your level of expertise at that time.
In those cases I think it's best to take it as far as you can go and move on to something else, then come back to it later on when you've developed the skills. By that time the songs seem "easy" when you compare it to what it was like the first time around.
I think when we all start the first thing we want to be able to do is play the songs we love and have been listening to, but many of those may be way above your skill level and will only lead to frustration if you only try and learn those unless of course you want to play some stripped down beginners version, but personally I never liked doing that so I always try to pick songs that I think are in my skill zone, but trying to pick ones that push me a bit. If you never tried any of the more difficult techniques you'd never improve so you do have to pick songs somewhat out of your comfort zone I think.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
I think when we all start the first thing we want to be able to do is play the songs we love and have been listening to, but many of those may be way above your skill level and will only lead to frustration if you only try and learn those unless of course you want to play some stripped down beginners version, but personally I never liked doing that so I always try to pick songs that I think are in my skill zone, but trying to pick ones that push me a bit. If you never tried any of the more difficult techniques you'd never improve so you do have to pick songs somewhat out of your comfort zone I think.
I agree with Chris 100% on this. Man, when I started I was always trying to play songs WAY beyond my skill level. But you know, I'm glad I did that, because the challange of guitar has always made it fun for me. Plus, by nature I am just plain stubborn, I don't like to give up on anything. This is what pushes you to be a better player.
At the same time, you need a few victories here and there to encourage you. I don't know if you remember the old Seinfeld episode where Kramer took up karate. Everybody was thrilled when they heard Kramer was best in his class, then they found out he was fighting 10 year old kids. :D
But you need to have some success, cause trust me, as long as you play there will always be songs that give you difficulty and frustration.
So, keep working on those difficult songs, but practice simpler songs as well. It will all come together in time.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Hi,
The difficulty with playing songs that I like is that they were almost always played by more than one musician - plus they usually had a singer too, so the strongest part of the song was often a sung melody line. So I don't actually have any option but to compromise. I can either play a simplified or altered version to suit the single instrument that I'm playing, just learn particular licks or phrases, get some mates to join in, or try and build it up myself track by track.
In reality, I do bits of all of those options. The great thing about learning a bit of theory is that you can fiddle around and sometimes get the important part of the 'feel' of a song, even though the arrangement is different. And sometimes you can't, but you learn something as you try. Occasionally, it feels like I got nowhere with any approach.... but the bottom line is that I've never considered a song to be 'finished' anyway - they're all works in progress that can be rearranged and done differently as my skills, and style tastes change and - with a bit of luck - keep improving.
I now have plenty of songs that I can play the rhythm part for, 'up to our standard' - with the guys I currently play with - but that's never the last word in what could be done. So, in reality, I might stay working on one song until I can play my part adequately for what's currently required in a group setting, or until I can play a reasonable solo version, or until I've got bored with it, or I've hit a problem that I can't overcome at my current skill level. There's no fixed pattern, and everything is always up for revisiting. As long as it stays motivating and enjoyable it doesn't bother me which way it goes :)
Cheers,
Chris
Hi,
The difficulty with playing songs that I like is that they were almost always played by more than one musician - plus they usually had a singer too, so the strongest part of the song was often a sung melody line. So I don't actually have any option but to compromise. I can either play a simplified or altered version to suit the single instrument that I'm playing, just learn particular licks or phrases, get some mates to join in, or try and build it up myself track by track.
I hear you... I want to learn to add melody notes in with the rhythm for playing by myself if I don't want to sing. In the meantime I've been practicing by playing with a few iTunes on the computer. I would love to find a couple of guys who are about my level, or even better and wouldn't mind playing with a newbie. It's all just for fun, anyway. :wink:
It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.
when I am learning how to play a song it is usually because I am excited by it. I end up playing the song until I'm sick of it.
the benefit is that I know the song. I know it by heart and begin to play alt versions. then another song will come along and I will go after that.
I guess my learning style is like a bumble bee and flowers. one after another.
