Song Learning Question

Welcome to Guitar Noise.
I bet with a little research and a bit of looking around you will find a whole bunch of songs you do know that are easy to play.
Most of Davids lessons on this site have MP3 files to go along with the lesson so i am a bit confused by your saying you don't know what it is suppose to sound like.
That said, after playing for a month you should have a few basic chords down and maybe can change between some of them at a somehwhat fair pace, so keep working on that and take a look through the Easy Song Database forum and I am sure you will find something you like in there.
Edit: I re=read your post. Start with horse with no name at the bottom of the beginners song list and work your way up. He teaches strumming patterns in the first few song lessons.

I think you need to find songs that satisfy both criteria (ie. songs that you know AND are easy to play).

Being able to play a song that you know often gives a lot of enjoyment and a sense of achievement - being able to create something that is familiar.

If, however, you cannot seem to find any "easy" songs that you are familiar with, then I'd suggest finding an mp3 of the song and listen to a bit first. Try to find something you enjoy listening to though, 'cause if you don't enjoy listening to it chances are you aren't going to enjoy playing it.

Mind you, I've come across songs that I don't enjoy listening to all that much but when it's come time to have a look at playing it I've changed my tune (no pun intended :P).

It's all about balance. Because if you choose songs that you know but are difficult to play, you are likely to become frustrated. But on the other hand, if you choose easy songs but don't know any of them you are likely to become a bit bored.

My 2c. :)

Thank you for the quick reply.

As for chord strumming and chord changes, I am not too good at those. I could be completely wrong about this since I'm new at this but I'm into rock music and most of the songs I have checked out, do not use basic chords. For the most part, they use power chords, so I have managed to get by without knowing the basic chords. The easiest song I have found that I am familar with is Nothing Else Matters By Metallica, which also does not seem to use very many(if any) basic chords.

Which gets to my next question, would knowing these chords help me play the type of music I'm into?

Absolutely, knowing and playing full chords will help tremedously.
Not all heavy metal rock is power chords and even parts of some songs that are power chords have full cords as well.
Don't restrict your ability by limiting yourself to only 2 note chords.

Alright, I'll have to practice them more often then. I'm sure if I play them enough, they'll stick in my head. Actually I know they will, I know G, D and Em. Just have to remember to put my guitar back to standard tuning before I do lol..............

Thank you for the advice.

I suggest trying the easiest songs possible.

Even the easiest song, as easy as it looks, will have its challenges in the beginning........first the chords, the strumming pattern, then switching chords in an instant without interuption in sound, then putting the words to the song and actually being able to sing it without losing your strumming pattern. Then being able to play it full speed with the real song.

I think most beginners, myself included are guilty of dropping a song at an obstacle and moving on to something else. 5 songs later we still cannot play a complete song beginning to end and have it sound good.

My best decision was to one day decide to choose a song and stick with it and not do anything else until I could play that song from beginning to end, completely. Now I can play that song. That song for me was 'pretty woman' by roy orbison.

Song...just pick one and see it through.

8)

I had been doing that for a while, smallest setback on a song I'd try another. Now I've decided to take it one song at a time. I went with Bullets because its mostly placing the E string but holding down at different frets(is it still called the E string if its dropped down to D?). So I will keep at that song.

when I began earning guitar I played along with a CD. I'd put on my favorite stuff and play as best I could.
it became an exercise that benefitted my.
my ear got better. and I could use that to figure out what key the song was played in.
my usual method was to play the low E string fretting until I found the key. then applied what ever knowledge I had of barre chords, open chords, and single notes.
at first I couldnt keep up and made a mess of the chord changes.

I sure learned alot. was never bored. and often inspired.

40 years later I still do that. TABS bug me. I can read music, but cant play at tewmpo that way.
I trust my ear.

once, when I felt my playing was stale I put on a Neil Young CD. it was a great experience as because playing along I got a better understanding of Neils style , I had the best back up band on the CD so I sounded great, and I was able to apply that experience to my playing in general.

so I stumbled on a way to make learning chalenging fun and inspiring.

and, when the stereo was cranked I learned how to play loud.

Please don't take this as anything more than my opinion but one of the first things I thought was if you don't have a fair grasp of the building blocks necessary to play a song than trying to play any song is going to be frustrating.

So for several months all I worked on was chord changes, scales etc., pretty much just technical stuff, for the few songs I tried I was the same as everyone here I would stop and maybe try another.

It was probably a year before I really decided to learn songs all the way through. I'd dig out songs I tried in the past and found them to be infinitely easier.

I could have learned a bunch of strumming type acoustic songs which are relatively easy as long as you can change chords quickly but I don't really like much of that type music so nothing really interested me.

I think somewhere in between is the right mix, use part of your practice time everyday to work on your technical issues, chord changes etc and part to work on some easy songs, one day you'll wake up and viola you'll play it all the way through and you'll feel great!

I do agree cnev...........my chord changes were so bad in the beginning I couldn't even attempt a song.

I am farther a long now, so I work on songs.

I was only answering the question posted about learning songs and trying to advise on not jumping around when we do decide to work on learning some. I did pick up some things jumping by around but I don't think I went about things the right way because I can only play one song at this time.

I also found out yesterday how sloppy my playing is at times from playing the electric too much. What sounds good on electric with an amp and a modeler is horrible on my acoustic. I practiced a couple hours yesterday only with my acoustic to correct how sloppy I have become. Having an acoustic guitar around is a good 'quality control' check.

Thank you for all the great advice. I will practice chord changes and learn songs(one song at a time). As for playing on an acoustic, I'll give it a go once finances become availible to purchases one. I have been playing my electric without an amp at times, usually at night as to not wake people up, but I would assume that's not the same as playing an accoustic.

Oh, and what's a modeler? lol

Hi,

Some of the easiest songs to play are 'traditional' oldies.

Most guitar books start with old tunes for two reasons. One they're out of copyright so they don't have to pay to include them. But also because they date from a time when playing among families was common so the chords and arrangements are very simple. Kids and beginners can pick them up pretty quickly.

Starting with a modern song can be trickier than the tunes would suggest as we're used to hearing them with a band rather than one instrument and also with all sorts of effects added.

Four or five basic chords can give you heaps of real oldies that only use 3 chords and don't have a lot of quick changes. Not much cool rock cred, but a reasonably easy starting point! :)

I personaly was an absolute begginner didn't know a thing about notes tab OR ANYTHING, was kind of stuck in a rut when I found guitar noise and it has motivated me allot (er well helped me along) So on my way I have decided that its easier to start out learning riffs (which guitar noise has a lesson on) like smoke on the water, REALY easy.

-Rag_doll

Picking up the guitar (initially 13 years ago) was the reason I got into the oldies.

So if you're not of that generation then this could be just the reason to get some exposure to it. You never know, you may just come to enjoy the music from that era.

Also, you may be surprised to find that a lot of the songs you hear today are covers of songs that were written and recorded thirty or forty years ago. 8)